McLaren Team Principal Andrea Stella has addressed several “silly season” stories, including rumors linking Oscar Piastri with Red Bull and speculation about Gianpiero Lambiase taking over as McLaren’s Team Principal.
Stella emphasized that Piastri remains under a multi-year contract with McLaren, keeping him at the team at least through 2027. Despite ongoing chatter about a possible move to Red Bull if Max Verstappen leaves, Stella made his stance clear: McLaren is content with its current driver lineup of Piastri and Lando Norris.
“I think the reaction is in your question—you mentioned the silly season, and I think we are already fully in this silly season,” Stella said during a Friday press conference at the Canadian Grand Prix. “When we think about Oscar, we couldn’t be happier. We are seeing the best Oscar in the cockpit and a happy Oscar, and the best version of himself outside the cockpit. He has great dynamics and a strong relationship with Lando, and the team is in its strongest shape since I’ve been Team Principal. It’s clear that the direction is to maximize stability at McLaren.
In addition to commenting on Piastri, Stella discussed the potential recruitment of Lambiase from Red Bull, who is expected to join McLaren as Chief Racing Officer when his current Red Bull contract expires in 2028. Stella reiterated his own commitment to McLaren, noting that he has faced past rumors about a possible move to Ferrari and underscored the team’s focus on hiring top talent.
When it comes to myself, I’m definitely fully committed to McLaren,” he said. “One of the things that makes me proud as Team Principal is that we’ve built a cabinet at the McLaren Technology Centre filled with trophies, and we needed to create another area of the cabinet for the years to come. The mission is clear: fill that new cabinet space with the best people for the future at McLaren. And GP joining us speaks to the team’s credibility. So, silly season aside, the priority is stability and attracting the best talent to McLaren.
Stella also addressed comments from Red Bull chief Laurent Mekies, who had suggested Lambiase would become McLaren’s Team Principal. Stella defended the approach of assembling a leadership group that includes high-caliber individuals who can integrate with the current leadership and strengthen the organization.
McLaren wants to employ the best talents in Formula 1,” he explained. “Zak [Brown] and I are focused on building the strongest team possible, now and for the future. Bringing GP on board is part of that vision, which aims to create additive leadership that complements what we already have. Any other speculation only distracts from our work.
Overall, Stella’s message was one of reassurance and continuity: McLaren values stability, the current driver pairing, and the addition of top-tier leaders like Lambiase, all aimed at sustaining long-term performance. He urged that discussions should not derail the team’s pursuit of success in the present and preparation for future seasons.