Does McLaren lack the passion of Ferrari in Formula 1?

The Scuderia is often celebrated for its intense spirit, deeply rooted in its Italian heritage and storied history. McLaren, by contrast, has been perceived as rigid and emotionless, particularly during the era of Ron Dennis’ leadership. However, Stella, who has firsthand experience with Ferrari's passion during its golden years, insists that McLaren is no less motivated.

Reflecting on McLaren’s reputation and culture, Stella was unequivocal: "I can say that this is definitely not true. The motivation and passion we have at McLaren is definitely comparable to what I experienced at Ferrari back then."

Stella credited both teams’ shared drive for excellence: "The pursuit of excellence is something they both have in common. It's easy to talk to people and tell them we need to raise the bar. Everyone understands that, and everyone tries their best. So when I moved from one team to another, I didn't have to think differently."

While the 53-year-old Italian appreciates the passion evident in both organisations, he highlighted McLaren’s structured approach as a distinguishing factor: "What I like about McLaren is that they were able to agree on rules and principles that maintain the culture within the team, and everyone sticks to what was agreed."

Stella began his career at Ferrari in 2000, working as a performance engineer for the test team. By 2002, he had advanced to become Michael Schumacher’s performance engineer, a pivotal role he held during the German’s dominant era until 2006.

He later worked with Kimi Räikkönen and Fernando Alonso, ultimately transitioning to race engineering roles before leaving Ferrari in 2014. During his tenure, Stella even collaborated with Valentino Rossi in 2006, overseeing the MotoGP icon’s Ferrari test sessions.

With Stella at the helm, McLaren’s 2024 F1 Constructors' title in the wake of resurgence in recent seasons has not only reignited its competitiveness on the grid but also, as he asserts, showcased a team with as much heart and drive as its Italian counterpart.

Whether fans will embrace this new image of McLaren remains to be seen, but Stella’s conviction leaves little doubt: passion is alive and well at Woking.