Andrea Stella has returned to the centre of Ferrari team principal speculation as pressure continues to build around Frédéric Vasseur. Ferrari has publicly supported its current team boss, but with the 2026 title challenge effectively slipping away, debate over who could eventually replace him has intensified once again.
The discussion is particularly significant because Stella is not simply another external candidate. The McLaren team principal spent years at Maranello earlier in his Formula 1 career, has since overseen major success at Woking and was previously reported to have attracted serious interest from Ferrari. That background makes him one of the most intriguing names in any conversation about Frédéric Vasseur’s long-term Ferrari future.
Frédéric Vasseur remains under pressure despite Ferrari backing
Vasseur has yet to deliver the world championship Ferrari has been chasing since its last Constructors’ title in 2008. When the Frenchman joined the team, chairman John Elkann had already set out ambitious expectations for Ferrari to return to championship-winning form by 2026.
With this season’s title hopes now close to disappearing, speculation has inevitably intensified around the leadership of the Formula 1 operation. Ferrari continues to back Vasseur publicly, but memories of how Mattia Binotto’s tenure ended mean that official support has not stopped outside discussion about possible successors.
The Scuderia has also recently reiterated its support for the current leadership amid renewed comparisons with previous team principals, as explored in the wider debate over Ferrari’s backing of Frédéric Vasseur.
Christian Horner is among the names linked with Ferrari
Several potential replacements have been mentioned in connection with Ferrari, including Christian Horner. The former Red Bull team principal is one of the highest-profile names associated with the position, although one obstacle reportedly concerns the level of control he would want at Maranello.
In particular, Ferrari is not expected to offer the ownership stake that Horner has reportedly sought as part of any future project. That issue has already complicated discussion around a possible move, with the obstacles surrounding a Christian Horner route to Ferrari extending beyond purely sporting considerations.
Internal possibilities have also been discussed. Ferrari’s World Endurance Championship chief Antonello Coletta does not want the Formula 1 team principal position, while Jérôme D’Ambrosio is among those who could potentially be considered from within the organisation.
Why Andrea Stella stands out among Ferrari’s possible options
Andrea Stella offers a very different profile. The Italian has been central to McLaren’s transformation into a championship-winning operation, overseeing Constructors’ Championship success in both 2024 and 2025 as well as the Drivers’ Championship won by Lando Norris last season.
Norris has credited a significant part of McLaren’s progress to Stella, underlining how highly the team principal is regarded within the organisation. His impact has therefore become an important part of the argument for why Ferrari could once again look towards someone who already understands the culture and pressures of Maranello.
Stella worked for Ferrari from 2000 until 2014 and was part of the organisation during the era that included Michael Schumacher. His history with the Scuderia gives him a connection to Ferrari that most external candidates simply do not possess.
Andrea Stella’s McLaren future could become important
Another element concerns McLaren’s longer-term management structure. Gianpiero Lambiase, currently known for his work as Max Verstappen’s race engineer at Red Bull, is expected to join McLaren in 2028 as chief racing officer.
It is also believed that Lambiase could eventually move into the team principal position. If that development ultimately happens and Stella does not transition into another senior role within McLaren, it could create questions over the Italian manager’s longer-term future at Woking.
That possibility naturally feeds speculation about a return to Ferrari. Stella’s previous Maranello experience, combined with his recent championship success at McLaren, would make him a particularly significant candidate if Ferrari were ever to decide on a change of leadership.
Past reports claimed Ferrari had already moved for Andrea Stella
Ferrari’s interest in Stella is not a new subject. Previous reports suggested the team was prepared to make a major effort to bring him back to Maranello, with John Elkann reportedly attracted to the possibility of installing an Italian figure at the head of the Formula 1 operation.
At the time, there were even reports that Stella had signed a pre-contract with Ferrari. That claim subsequently faded from the conversation and has never developed into a confirmed move, but its existence adds another layer to the current succession debate.
If those earlier reports were accurate, Stella would be difficult to ignore should Ferrari eventually decide that a change from Vasseur is necessary. Unlike many speculative candidates, he combines previous Ferrari experience with a recent record of championship success elsewhere.
Ferrari faces a bigger decision than simply changing team principal
The case for Stella ultimately rests on what he has achieved with McLaren. He has played a major role in taking the team from the midfield back to the front of Formula 1, culminating in championship success and restoring McLaren as a benchmark operation.
That record is inevitably attractive to a Ferrari organisation still searching for a sustained return to the top. The wider pressure surrounding the Scuderia’s leadership has also renewed scrutiny of the structure above the Formula 1 team, including questions involving John Elkann, Frédéric Vasseur and Ferrari’s chain of authority.
For now, Vasseur remains Ferrari team principal and retains the company’s public support. But if Maranello eventually decides that its current project requires a major leadership change, Stella’s Ferrari history and championship-winning work at McLaren ensure that his name is likely to remain part of the discussion.
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