MONTREAL — Andrea Stella reaffirmed his commitment as McLaren team principal, as he addressed the widespread silly season rumors regarding the team during Friday’s FIA news conference during the 2026 Canadian Grand Prix weekend.“When it comes to myself, I’m definitely fully committed to McLaren,” the Italian said. “One of the things that makes me more proud of my experience as a team principal is that we managed to fill the cabinet at (McLaren Technology Centre) with trophies, and this meant that we needed to create another area of the cabinet, a new one.“For me, the mission is very clear: We need to fill that new area of the cabinet for the years to come at McLaren.”McLaren finished 2025 atop Formula 1, with Lando Norris taking the drivers’ title as the team secured its first consecutive constructors’ championship since 1991. However, 2026 has been more difficult. McLaren currently sits third with 94 points, trailing Ferrari by 16 and the leader, Mercedes, by 86. Recent setbacks include Oscar Piastri’s crash during a reconnaissance lap in Australia and a double non-start for Norris and Piastri in China.Rumors about Stella’s future with the reigning champions began brewing last month. News broke in early April that GianPiero Lambiase, Max Verstappen’s long-time race engineer, will leave Red Bull for McLaren. Red Bull said he would depart from “the team in 2028, when his current contract expires.” McLaren, though, said in a statement of its own that Lambiase will join “no later than 2028.”