Stella promoted amid McLaren F1 restructuring
McLaren has completed a reshuffle of its senior staff in preparation for the start of the 2020 Formula 1 season, Motorsport.com has learned, with long-time engineering chief Andrea Stella promoted to racing director.

On the back of an encouraging 2019 campaign that ended with the Woking-based outfit finishing fourth in the constructors’ championship, team principal Andreas Seidl is pushing hard to improve things further so it can make a step this season.
Part of Seidl’s effort has gone in to ensuring that there is a well understood management structure in place, with clear responsibilities and roles laid out.
Following an in-depth analysis of how best to tweak things, Stella has been moved from his previous role as performance director to take the racing director role – a position that Seidl had temporarily taken charge of while he decided on who was best placed to permanently take the role.
Stella will take charge of race engineering and operations functions at grand prix weekends, but will maintain the engineering responsibilities he had previously.
He will work closely with technical director James Key to ensure that there is good correlation between track performance and technical developments.
Paul James will continue in his team manager role and will report to Stella, while Piers Thynne will remain as production director.
The change has been made to better streamline the decision-making process both at the factory and on race weekends, with Seidl wanting to have the three main divisions reporting to him.
Speaking at the end of the season, and before the decision was made to move Stella in to a new role, Seidl said that he felt it essential that he put in place a clear management structure at McLaren.
“Since I started I put in place straight away a very clear traditional motorsport organisation with three big departments,” he told Motorsport.com.
“This was the technical engineering under the leadership of James Key, production under the leadership of Piers Thynne, which was an internal promotion, and then the racing side under the leadership of Andrea Stella as performance director and Paul James as team manager.
“It was important for me to have these characters straight from the beginning, because I like clear responsibilities and also clear reporting lines, plus an organisation which is easy to understand for the entire team.
“Now knowing how the regulations look, we’re in the middle of the process to really analyse for each of these departments how do we think they need to be shaped in the future in order to extract the maximum as a team.”

Carlos Sainz Jr., McLaren MCL34
Photo by: Joe Portlock / Motorsport Images

Previous article
Vasseur: Giovinazzi Spa crash almost cost him his seat
Next article
Key team personnel shouldn't be F1 boss - Ferrari

About this article
Series | Formula 1 |
Teams | McLaren |
Author | Jonathan Noble |
Stella promoted amid McLaren F1 restructuring
Trending
How Ferrari plans to recover from its 2020 F1 nightmare
The 2020 Formula 1 season was Ferrari's worst for 40 years as it slumped to sixth in the standings. A repeat performance will not be acceptable for the proud Italian team, which has adopted a notably pragmatic approach to forging its path back to the top
Why Aston Martin’s arrival is more than just new green livery
In the most eagerly anticipated Formula 1 team launch of the season, the rebranded Aston Martin squad’s changes go much further than the striking paint job. But rather than a restart, the team hopes to build on top of solid foundations.
The car Aston Martin begins its new F1 journey with
The team formerly known as Racing Point gambled successfully on a Mercedes look-alike in 2020 as it mounted a strong challenge for third in the constructors' race and won the Sakhir GP. Now clothed in British racing green, Aston Martin's first Formula 1 challenger since 1960 provides the clearest indicator yet of what to expect from the new-for-2021 regulations
The tricky driver conundrums facing Mercedes in F1 2021
Ahead of the new Formula 1 season, reigning world champions Mercedes will take on challenges both old and new. This also can be said for its driver conundrum which could become key to sustaining its ongoing success...
How Alpine's cure to 2021 F1 rules starts at the front
A new name, new faces and new colours pulls the rebranded Alpine Formula 1 team into a new era while carrying over core elements of its 2020 car. But under the surface there's more than meets the eye with the A521 which hints at how the team will tackle 2021...
Can Mercedes' W12 retain the team's crown?
Replacing Formula 1's fastest car was never going to be an easy feat for Mercedes. Amid the technical rule tweaks to peg back the W12 and its 2021 rivals, the new Mercedes challenger will remain the target to beat
The pointed note that starts Ferrari's Leclerc vs Sainz era
Ferrari is starting its post-Sebastian Vettel age by welcoming Carlos Sainz in alongside Charles Leclerc. But while Sainz has a tough challenge to match his new teammate, Ferrari is also sending a message that previous intra-team spats must end
The mantra Ocon must follow to challenge Alonso at Alpine
OPINION: It's been an uneasy ride for Esteban Ocon since his F1 comeback - and fresh challenges lie in wait as he's joined by double world champion Fernando Alonso in the newly rebranded Alpine team. STUART CODLING sets out a roadmap to success…