Stella was formerly a McLaren executive director but took over the day-to-day running of the F1 squad following the winter departure of team principal Andreas Seidl to Sauber.
Seidl remains highly rated in the paddock, but Stella gained plaudits throughout 2023 for overhauling the McLaren technical structure, which paved the way for an aggressive run of upgrades that turned the MCL60 into a car capable of regularly putting pressure on Red Bull.
