Double reigning champion at the end of the 2025 season, McLaren is going through a much more complicated 2026 campaign. Andrea Stella acknowledges that the team hasn’t even had time to savor its recent successes.
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McLaren’s journey under the old regulations will remain one of the most impressive in recent years.
The Woking team went from the back of the grid at the start of the 2023 season to a historic one-two in 2025, with the constructors’ and drivers’ titles won thanks to Lando Norris.
But the introduction of the new technical regulations completely reshuffled the cards.
After nine Grands Prix, McLaren already trails Mercedes by 154 points in the constructors’ championship and has yet to win a race this season.
A “curse” unique to Formula 1
For Andrea Stella, this situation perfectly illustrates what he considers the “curse” of Formula 1: never being able to fully enjoy one’s successes.
“First of all, the past belongs to the past. But what an incredible past! It’s almost something that marks a career and a life.”
The McLaren boss recalls the path his team has taken since his arrival.
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“At McLaren, we built this project brick by brick, day by day, with Lando. We don’t forget where we come from. We were almost last, then we became world constructors’ champions, with Lando crowned world champion.”
A great pride for the supporters
Stella emphasizes that these titles had a special meaning, especially for McLaren’s many fans.
“It was a huge achievement. We were happy for ourselves, but especially for all the papaya fans who were able to celebrate it with us. I hope it gave them an extraordinary emotion.”
Despite this pride, it is impossible for McLaren to rest on its laurels. According to Stella, the very nature of Formula 1 forces teams to constantly look ahead.
“There is a little curse in Formula 1, and in sport in general: you always look to the future.”
The goal is now clear: to quickly find the path to victory again.
“We want to quickly regain a position that allows us to repeat these kinds of results, see Lando and Oscar succeed, and then fight again for the world championship.”
McLaren thus hopes to regain the momentum that allowed it to dominate the end of the old regulations, even if the competition led by Mercedes and Ferrari looks particularly strong this season.
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