Formula 1 is experiencing another behind-the-scenes chapter regarding the future of Gianpiero Lambiase, announced by McLaren as a reinforcement until, at most, 2028. After rumors that he could become team principal and a possible departure of Andrea Stella to Ferrari, Zak Brown set the record straight.
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For Brown, Lambiase’s arrival is linked to a plan for stability and continuity within the track operation. “I am very excited to have GP with us. My job is to ensure stability and visibility for the future,” said the executive, explaining that the new hire will work on the operational side of the races.
The American also detailed how he sees Stella’s current role within the McLaren structure, stating that the Italian accumulates more responsibilities than usually cited. “Andrea, in reality, has three roles. He is the team principal, commands the race team, and also has a big role, as if he were a technical director,” he stated, recalling that Peter Prodromou also holds a technical directorship position.
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In Brown’s view, Stella acts as a kind of “glue” that integrates these areas, but the size of today’s teams makes it difficult for one person to do everything at once. He cited that, with increasingly larger teams, it is common to see the separation between CEO and team principal, and reinforced that asking for three simultaneous roles would be “a big mission.”
Therefore, McLaren defined that Lambiase will be the Chief Racing Officer, a role that Brown considers strategic in the long term. “With his experience and age, he is someone who can be here for a long time and grow,” he added.
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