McLaren boss claims star DECLINED offer of key role

McLaren boss Zak Brown has revealed that a key figure within the team initially declined their current role.

After a period of Red Bull domination, McLaren have breathed fresh life into the 2024 season, and are currently hunting the reigning champions for the constructors' title.

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The Papaya team’s rise can be alluded to Andrea Stella taking over as team principal in 2022 following Andreas Seidl’s departure.

McLaren finished fifth in the constructors’ in 2022, bettering it to fourth last year and are now glaringly close to overthrowing Red Bull from the top spot with 10 races to go.

Andrea Stella the right man to guide McLaren to F1 title?

Under Stella’s leadership and technical acumen, McLaren have developed the fastest car on race pace, going toe to toe with Max Verstappen on multiple occasions this season.

Brown praised Stella’s management and explained how the former Ferrari performance engineer has changed the team’s vision and output.

"A leader's job is to get the most out of their people and that's what we didn't have previously," Brown said to the BBC.

"We weren't able to let the talent we have in here flourish.

"Andrea communicates very well. He listens very well. He's very hard-working. He's very technical. He leads by example. All the traits you would want in a great leader. He unlocked the potential this team clearly had sitting there."

Stella joined McLaren in 2015, initially as head of operations, eventually becoming racing director in 2019.

Finally, in 2022, he took over the reins as team principal, but Brown had his work cut out in convincing him.

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"Truth be known," Brown added.

"I offered it to him the first time around [when Seidl was appointed in January 2019], and he declined it. He felt he wasn't ready.

"Andrea is someone who knows his capabilities and doesn't overreach.

"The second time around he knew me better, knew the team better, even though he'd been here a while. And still he didn't say yes in the first phone call.

"It took a couple of days because he's very methodical, very thoughtful."

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