Stella's Insight: McLaren's New Approach to Victory

McLaren F1 has revamped its weekend operations after emerging as a frontrunner. Team principal Andrea Stella explains the strategic adjustments made to adapt to their newfound competitive position and enhance team performance.

McLaren F1 has had to adjust its operations since moving to the front of the grid. Andrea Stella, the team principal, explains that the team’s position is new, and this has changed the weekend schedule for staff.

“I think there’s a combination of factors. Certainly, the more you run at the front, the more you get familiar not only with the situation but also with the approach the team should take,” said Stella.

“We discussed the need to adjust our weekend program because we now need many more conversations, even with the drivers, regarding internal competition—something that wasn’t part of the race routine before.”

“Similarly, from a strategic perspective, you need to play defensive strategies where you don’t have to be the first to pull the trigger. You wait for the second car to move, and then you cover it.”

“These are scenarios we weren’t very familiar with and are now getting to know. So, I think it’s fair to say there’s development within the team, not just the drivers.”

The Italian had previously mentioned that McLaren doesn’t yet have the ease of Mercedes or Red Bull, explaining that this has led to mistakes. However, he believes this is helping McLaren improve.

“But for me, the most important thing is that even in situations where we missed opportunities, we approached them constructively, really relying on our culture to ensure we learned how to handle those situations.”

“Because if you face those situations by losing control, becoming too emotional, too disappointed because we could have won that race—fine, we’ll have other opportunities if we keep the team united and continue to grow.”

“For me, that’s the most important thing and what I’m most proud of, more than the fact that we can now deliver performances. I’m prouder of what happened during the difficult moments.”

In his view, this shift in philosophy also helps the employees adopt a more forward-thinking mindset: “I truly believe the team has reflected deeply on its mindset. We talk about mindset, about culture, and I think it has penetrated the team very deeply, meaning the mindset is genuinely future-oriented.”

“The past is relevant only as long as you can learn from it. That’s not the mindset of winners—they don’t dwell on missed opportunities. They just think, ‘It was a missed opportunity, here’s what I learned, it makes me stronger, I’m looking ahead.’”

“To be honest, that’s what I see, that’s what I hear within the team, and I’m confident we won’t fall into the trap of dwelling on the points we didn’t get. Instead, we’ll focus on the points that will be available in the future.”