Formula One F1 - Azerbaijan Grand Prix - Baku City Circuit, Baku, Azerbaijan - September 12, 2024 McLaren team principal Andrea Stella during a press conference REUTERS/Hannah Mckay/File Photo
(Reuters) - McLaren principal Andrea Stella has paid tribute to the late Indianapolis 500 winner Gil de Ferran for the role he played in laying the foundations for the team's return to the top as Formula One champions.
Brazilian de Ferran, the 2003 Indy winner and former McLaren sporting director, died a year ago at the age of 56 after suffering a heart attack while racing in Florida.
Stella wore de Ferran's helmet badge on his shirt as he spoke to reporters after McLaren won the constructors' title for the first time in 26 years at Sunday's season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
"The reason why I wear this pin is because Gil de Ferran, he was the first person I talked to when the proposal to become team principal came across," said the Italian, who joined McLaren from Ferrari in 2015 and took the helm in December 2022.
"Because of his friendship, because of his wisdom, because of his incredible qualities at a human level, his intelligence and he was a great racer.
"To me it was very clear that whatever I was going to build, I was going to build it with Gil.
"Gil has always been on my side. He was my advisor, my personal consultant and if we implemented a culture, if we created a belief, if we were able to increase the standards to the level that was required, this is also because Gil was part of the process."
McLaren dedicated their first victory of the season, with Lando Norris in Miami, to de Ferran, who was also the 2000 and 2001 ChampCar champion.
"Gil was always with us. I wear this pin all the time when I'm at the factory and for the final race I needed to give a clear message to myself and to everyone that Gil was with us throughout the season," said Stella.
McLaren finished the season 14 points clear of Ferrari after Norris won the final race at Yas Marina.
(Reporting by Alan Baldwin, editing by Ken Ferris)
