McLaren team principal Andrea Stella has made a bold claim about his team’s driver lineup while praising Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli, though the full context of his remarks remains unclear.
Stella’s comments come amid Antonelli’s strong start to the 2026 season. The Italian rookie is currently leading the championship with Mercedes alongside George Russell, having made the step up from Formula 2 after replacing Lewis Hamilton.
McLaren fields Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri in 2026, with both drivers having shown strong form in recent seasons. Norris finished as runner-up in the 2025 championship, while Piastri has established himself as one of the grid’s most promising young talents.
The nature of Stella’s claim about McLaren’s lineup and how it relates to his assessment of Antonelli has not been detailed. Stella, who joined McLaren as team principal in 2023, has overseen the team’s return to competitiveness after several challenging years.
Antonelli’s rookie season has been one of the standout storylines of 2026, with Mercedes maintaining their position at the front of the field despite the major regulation changes. The next opportunity to see how the season unfolds comes at the Monaco Grand Prix on May 25.