Andrea Stella Fires Back with Bold McLaren Defence: ‘I Disagree’

Andrea Stella’s comments after the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix at Imola have drawn attention for their use of some surprising analogies. Defending McLaren’s performance, the team principal compared the challenges and results at recent tracks to apples, pears, and even peaches.

Many expected McLaren to control the race at Imola following their strong showing in Miami, where the team decisively beat Red Bull. Instead, Max Verstappen pulled off a bold move at Turn 1 to claim the win for Red Bull.

Image credit: www.planetf1.com

Lando Norris finished second, while polesitter and championship leader Oscar Piastri came home third, marking only McLaren’s second loss of the season. After the race, McLaren began a detailed review to understand how Red Bull regained the upper hand. For more on this, see the coverage of McLaren’s Imola setback.

In Monaco, Stella told media, “I am in disagreement with the statement that the debrief explained a lack of performance at Imola. There is a tendency to compare apples and pears.” He recalled advice from a school teacher, “Don’t compare apples and pears. Be specific, analytical, and precise in how you use information.”

Stella grouped Imola with Saudi Arabia and Japan, noting these circuits have high-speed corners and are narrow. In those races, Red Bull appeared strongest in both qualifying and race pace, matching what was seen at Imola. For a deeper dive into circuit characteristics, check out the FIA’s official track database.

He argued that comparing Imola to Miami was misleading. Miami is a low-speed circuit, and McLaren’s upgrades—especially on aerodynamic efficiency—have meant big gains at those tracks. More insights into McLaren’s pace at Imola can be found in the detailed analysis of McLaren’s pace at Imola.

To reinforce his point, Stella offered another comparison. He pointed out McLaren’s performance in China and Bahrain, also low-speed circuits.

In China, both McLarens dominated for a 1-2 finish, and in Bahrain, Oscar Piastri took the win as Lando Norris recovered from sixth. According to Stella, grouping tracks by characteristics—apples with apples, pears with pears—shows when and where McLaren’s car excels. For more on aerodynamics in F1, visit MIT’s Motorsports Research.

Image credit: motociclismo.pt

He said, “If we compare circuits that belong to apples or pears, you can see the technical reasons for our results.” Stella made it clear that understanding McLaren’s form required more than surface comparisons between two very different types of tracks.

When asked if Monaco was an “apple or a pear,” Stella had an answer ready: “This one is a peach, a complete one-off.” He suggested that Monaco is a unique track, so predictions are difficult. Learn more about Monaco’s track history from Wikipedia’s Monaco GP page.

Stella added that Ferrari could be the lead car for this “peach” of a race. He expressed interest to see how other circuits, like Baku, would be classified, hinting it could also be a peach.

Stella’s remarks underline how closely F1 teams analyze technical factors behind performance at each venue. His analogies may seem playful, but they reflect a serious approach to data and preparation. For further reading on F1 strategy, explore Chain Bear’s F1 Analysis.

With Piastri leading the championship on 146 points and Norris close behind at 133, McLaren remains deeply involved in the title battle. Red Bull, on 131 points, follows in the standings, making every race and every detail count as the season continues.

As the championship heads to its next round, fans are watching to see which category each Grand Prix will fall into—and whether McLaren’s strategy will lead to more apples, pears, or perhaps another peach.