Fernando Alonso has revealed he told Andrea Stella he hoped McLaren would win the Formula 1 title prior to the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix to avenge their loss from 2010.
McLaren’s prolonged drought in the Constructors’ Championship since 1998 was ended last weekend as Lando Norris’ win at the Yas Marina Circuit sealed the crown.
The Woking-based squad’s return to the top caps a remarkable turnaround which saw the side languish in last place across the nascent races of Stella’s reign in 2023.
However, a rapid ascent under the Italian’s watch has transcended McLaren into the benchmark team this season, with five victories enough to beat Ferrari to the title.
Alonso expressed that he was pleased with the outcome due to his relationship with Stella, his race engineer at Ferrari who then headed to McLaren with him in 2015.
The Spaniard divulged that he took the chance to wish his ex-colleague well on the grid and recalled the heartbreak that the two endured when he missed out in 2010.
Alonso headed into a showdown that season with the lead in the Drivers’ Championship, but a strategic mishap saw him come up short in his debut Ferrari campaign.
“I’m a very good friend of Andrea,” Alonso told media including Motorsport Week. “You know, in a way, I brought him to McLaren when I joined McLaren.
“So I told him, before the race what Abu Dhabi took from our hands in 2010, hopefully today it gives something back to you, and it did.
“Happy for him, he deserved it. He’s a very clever guy. And as I said, McLaren is an example for many things now.”
When asked whether he was taking some credit, Alonso quipped: “Yes. I should be part of his [Stella’s] bonus.”
Alonso maintains strong McLaren connection
McLaren’s success is a complete contrast to the situation Alonso experienced in his second stint with the team when he was laboured with uncompetitive equipment.
But Alonso still continues to get on well with McLaren CEO Zak Brown, who has admitted regret that the squad couldn’t deliver a stronger car between 2015 and 2018.
“I think Zak is a very good friend of mine,” the two-time F1 champion, who lasted one acrimonious season with McLaren the first time around in 2007, added.
“We will spend some days together now in the next few weeks that we will have some fun on a track day. We rented a track, actually. So I’m a good friend of Zak.”
READ MORE – Andrea Stella: McLaren must avoid ‘poison biscuits’ to remain on top in F1
