Stella reacts to ‘silly season’ rumours of Piastri to Red Bull and Lambiase becoming McLaren Team Principal

Andrea Stella has given his take on speculation linking Oscar Piastri with a move to Red Bull, as well as addressing rumours about the possibility of Gianpiero Lambiase becoming Team Principal at McLaren.

While Piastri holds a multi-year deal with McLaren – which will keep him at the Woking-based outfit until at least the end of 2027 – there has been speculation linking the Australian to a switch to Red Bull should Max Verstappen opt to leave the team.

However, when asked about the reports as he spoke to the media on Friday at the Canadian Grand Prix, Team Principal Stella reiterated that McLaren are more than happy with their current driver line-up 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 responded. “When we think about Oscar, we couldn’t be happier.

“I think we are seeing the best Oscar in the cockpit and also a happy Oscar, and the best version of himself outside the cockpit. Great dynamics and relationship with Lando, and I think the team is in its strongest shape since I’ve been Team Principal. So definitely it’s very clear, the direction for maximum stability at McLaren.”

Stella went on to stress his own desire to stay at McLaren – having faced rumours linking him to Ferrari – as well as commenting on the recruitment of Lambiase, who is set to join the papaya team as Chief Racing Officer when his Red Bull contract expires in 2028.

“When it comes to myself, I’m definitely fully committed to McLaren,” said Stella. “One of the things that makes me more proud of my experience as a Team Principal is that we managed to fill the cabinet at MTC [McLaren Technology Centre] with trophies, and this meant that we needed to create another area of the cabinet, a new one.

“And for me the mission is very clear: we need to fill that new area of the cabinet for the years to come at McLaren. And GP? It’s very simple. At McLaren, we want to employ the best people in Formula 1, the best expertise, the best leaders.

“The fact that GP decided to join McLaren, for me, just speaks to the credibility of our team. So, silly season, what’s important for us is stability and that the best talents in Formula 1 want to join McLaren.”

Stella was also quizzed on Red Bull boss Laurent Mekies’ recent comment that Lambiase would be becoming Team Principal at McLaren, something that Mekies stood by when questioned on it in the same press conference as Stella.

“What I said before is that McLaren, for us, it’s important to employ the best talents in Formula 1 because Zak [Brown] and I want to build the strongest team, not only in the present, but I think we have some good references as to strong teams in the past,” Stella explained.

“I have been part of the Ferrari team in the early 2000s, and I know what level of seniority, expertise, leadership you need to be successful in the present and in the future. And employing GP is part of this vision, which is a vision of creating additive leadership that can integrate with the present leadership and create a stronger and stronger team at McLaren.

“So, I very strongly wanted GP to join McLaren. I am personally very stretched in my role as Team Principal, and I need a strong group of leaders working with me. So, I think the plan is very clear. Any other speculation leads us back to the silly season.”