More so than any of the three drivers battling for this year’s unpredictable Formula 1 world championship, McLaren team principal Andrea Stella knows all too well the thrill and peril of a three-horse title race, as well as the seismic role Interlagos can play in deciding the eventual champion.
Eighteen years ago, the Italian boffin turned team boss was Kimi Raikkonen’s performance engineer at Ferrari in the 2007 season. Heading into the finale in Brazil, Lewis Hamilton (in his rookie year) had a four-point lead over arch-rival and McLaren teammate Fernando Alonso, with Raikkonen seven points off the pace.
