How Fernando Alonso helped shape McLaren’s world championship triumph – Two-time Formula One World Champion Fernando Alonso has reflected on McLaren’s remarkable success in the 2024 season, and how his previous association with the team has contributed to its resurgence.
Under team boss Andrea Stella, McLaren claimed their first Constructors’ Championship title since 1998, a feat Alonso believes is partly down to the influence he had during his time with the team.
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Alonso’s role in bringing Andrea Stella to McLaren
Alonso has expressed his pride in McLaren’s achievements, stating that it’s “fantastic” to see his former team excel. He believes his relationship with current team principal Andrea Stella has played a part in that success.
“In a way, I brought him to McLaren when I moved there,” said Alonso, referring to his own move from Ferrari to McLaren in 2015.
When Alonso moved to McLaren, he brought with him Stella, who had been his race engineer at Ferrari. Stella joined McLaren in the same role, and stayed on after Alonso’s departure from F1 at the end of the 2018 season. Over time, Stella rose through the ranks at McLaren, moving from head of race operations to performance director and later to racing director. In 2022, McLaren promoted Stella to Team Principal, replacing Andreas Seidl.
Under Stella’s leadership, McLaren underwent a stunning turnaround, culminating in the 2024 Constructors’ Championship, an achievement Alonso was quick to celebrate.
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From Abu Dhabi disappointment to redemption
For Alonso, there was a sense of poetic justice in McLaren’s victory. The 2024 championship was sealed in Abu Dhabi, the very circuit where Alonso suffered one of the most devastating setbacks of his career.
In 2010, Alonso, then driving for Ferrari, went into the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix as a title favourite. However, he found himself stuck behind Renault’s Vitaly Petrov, unable to push forward and ultimately losing the championship to Sebastian Vettel, who was beginning his era of dominance with Red Bull.
Reflecting on that painful memory, Alonso offered Stella words of encouragement ahead of the crucial Abu Dhabi race, saying: “What Abu Dhabi took from us in 2010, hopefully you will get back now.”
The sentiment proved prophetic as McLaren went on to win the championship, a milestone Alonso described as well deserved for Stella.
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McLaren’s journey back to the top
Alonso pointed to a key turning point in McLaren’s recent history: a transformative upgrade introduced in Austria for the 2023 season.
“The biggest change there was last year,” he explained.
“Not much had happened in 2019, not in 2020, not in 2021, not in 2022 and not in 2023 – until Austria. There, McLaren were on the podium after introducing an update that gave them six or seven tenths of a second”.
That upgrade marked the start of a series of developments that significantly improved McLaren’s performance. In the months that followed, the team continued to refine the car, eventually building what Alonso described as “the fastest car in the field”.
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A model for other teams
McLaren’s resurgence has not gone unnoticed by Alonso, who believes their success is “an example for many teams”.
He has called on his current team, Aston Martin, to follow McLaren’s lead and deliver transformational updates.
“We need to work on that kind of Austria package now,” he urged, referring to the crucial upgrade that sparked McLaren’s competitive resurgence.
A personal connection to McLaren’s success
Despite now driving for Aston Martin, Alonso maintains close ties with McLaren’s leadership, particularly CEO Zak Brown.
Alonso revealed that he plans to spend time with Brown and other former McLaren colleagues during the off-season.
“Zak is a very good friend of mine. We are going to spend a few days together in the next few weeks, having fun at track days. We even rented a track,” Alonso revealed.
These enduring friendships underline Alonso’s continuing emotional attachment to McLaren, even as he competes against them on the track.
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McLaren’s future under Stella
Stella’s impact on McLaren cannot be overstated. His methodical approach to management, honed through years of experience at both Ferrari and McLaren, has transformed the team into a championship-winning operation.
Stella’s rise from Alonso’s race engineer to team principal underlines the value of continuity and expertise in Formula One.
The challenge for McLaren now is to sustain their success. With other teams such as Red Bull and Mercedes consistently competitive, the 2024 Constructors’ Championship is just the beginning of their journey to re-establish themselves as perennial contenders.
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Alonso’s legacy at McLaren
While Alonso’s time at McLaren has not been without its controversy – his tumultuous 2007 season with the team is well documented – his contributions to their current success are undeniable. By bringing Stella into the fold and fostering a professional relationship that has endured over the years, Alonso has indirectly helped lay the foundations for McLaren’s resurgence.
As Alonso himself enjoys a period of rejuvenation with Aston Martin, his reflections on McLaren’s achievements serve as a reminder of the interconnected nature of Formula One.
Success often comes from the efforts of several individuals over years, even decades, and Alonso’s impact on McLaren is a prime example of this dynamic.
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A sport defined by collaboration
In F1, the narrative is often shaped by drivers and team principals, but the true stories of success are deeply collaborative. McLaren’s 2024 Constructors’ Championship is not just a testament to the brilliance of Stella or the driving skills of its drivers – it is also a reflection of the legacy left by individuals like Alonso.
As McLaren bask in the glow of their championship win, Alonso’s pride in their success speaks to the enduring bonds forged in the crucible of competition. It also serves as a reminder that in Formula One, victories are rarely isolated; they are the culmination of countless contributions, both past and present.
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Returning to the paddock after sotting out the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, the Dane joked that now with a clean license he could do whatever he liked. “You get punished, and then you come back, and you’re, like, all ready to… f— s— up now!” Magnussen mocked. “It’s funny how that works.”…… READ MORE
With over 30 years of experience in Formula 1 as an insider journalist, I have built trusted connections across the paddock, from race engineers and mechanics to senior team figures. At The Judge 13, I and a handful of trusted colleagues share exclusive Formula 1 news, expert analysis and behind-the-scenes stories you will not find in mainstream motorsport media.
