McLaren team boss Andrea Stella names the most exciting F1 race of all time
Andrea Stella was at the Ferrari pitwall during his favorite F1 race.
Follow Us
Andrea Stella (image via wtf1)
Formula 1 is a massive sport that has spanned for many decades. Over the years, viewers have witnessed great races such as the rain-struck 2011 Canadian GP or the controversial 2021 Abu Dhabi GP. Often, fans have fought tooth and nail over naming the best race in F1 history. McLaren Team Principal Andrea Stella has revealed his pick for the same.
Stella named the 2012 European GP as his choice for the best F1 race in the sport’s history. The McLaren team boss reckoned that this race was perhaps the most action-filled dry Grand Prix at Valencia. The 52-year-old urged fans to watch this race. He said, as reported by GP Fans, “My favorite race is Valencia 2012. Somebody thinks it’s the most exciting dry race ever in Formula 1. A suggestion to go and take a look.”
The 2012 European GP was filled with action for fans. Sebastian Vettel was forced to retire from the lead with a gap of over 20 seconds. Fernando Alonso took the lead in the race and stayed put. At the same time, a collision between Lewis Hamilton and Pastor Maldonado allowed Michael Schumacher to claim his first podium with Mercedes, which became the last in his historic F1 career. Alonso became the first driver to win two races that season.
Discover: Five times Red Bull replaced a driver in the middle of an F1 season
McLaren upsetting top teams in F1
The Woking-based team struggled at the start of the 2023 F1 season. Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri had difficulty getting out of Q1 in Qualifying. However, a big cycle of upgrades initiated at the Austrian GP allowed Stella’s squad to exceed expectations in recent rounds. Norris has bagged two back-to-back podiums at the British and Hungarian GPs. At the same time, Piastri finished P2 in the Belgian GP F1 Sprint.
This has been a major blow for teams such as Mercedes and Ferrari. McLaren’s upturn in fortunes has come at the expense of the groups fighting for second in the standings. Andrea Stella’s team remains adamant about improving its results for the remainder of the season. Perhaps McLaren could soon challenge Red Bull for a race win in the right conditions.
Thus, Andrea Stella revealed his favorite race in Formula 1. The 52-year-old reckoned that the 2012 European GP was perhaps of the most thrilling dry races in the sport’s history. Interestingly, Stella was Alonso’s race engineer when the two-time world champion crossed the chequered flag to win his second race of the season in 2012.
In case you missed it:
- Legendary F1 commentator deems the controversial 2021 Abu Dhabi GP the most memorable moment of his career
- David Croft asks Formula One to stop FIA involvement in the sports’ rule-making
Stay Updated!
Armaan Agarwal
(2310 Articles Published)