McLaren CEO Zak Brown has conceded to being left “pleasantly surprised” by the transformation of his team last year and the impact of a man he has nicknamed ‘the swan’.

Thirteen months ago Stella was named McLaren’s new team principal following the departure of former boss Andreas Seidl to the Sauber Group as its new CEO.

Stella immediately overhauled the team, streamlining it given it was operating under three different technical directors, and whilst initial results were as forecast given the delay in development of the MCL60, from the Austrian Grand Prix onwards and the delivery of an upgrade, the rest of the season was a revelation.

Whilst drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri still had to perform on track, Brown has no qualms in hailing Stella as the architect of the upward momentum it is hoped will spill over into the upcoming new campaign.

“The impressive thing is it’s the same people (but) it’s a different team, and it’s a different team because of the leadership of Andrea,” said Brown.

“His work ethic, his communication skills, his demand for performance. He has a great ability to look at commentary from his team through their lens.

“These are all great leadership qualities but he just happens to be running a Formula 1 team, so he sets very clear direction, he has very high expectations, he has great follow through, and a tremendous amount of empowerment.

“When he restructured the technical infrastructure – how do you have three technical directors? – his view was that he’s a technical team principle.

“So one could argue he almost wants a technical director view and facilitates bringing together all the great technical expertise to set a direction, which he does.

“He’s just been able to get the most out of the talent we had because it’s the same people, and the same technology, because the wind tunnel, the simulator, all that stuff is here now, but had nothing to do with our upgrades from Austria onwards.

“So it’s the same people that gave us the car for Bahrain that gave us the car for the second half of the year. The only difference was a new team principal, a new technical director structure, and a new head of aero.

“Everyone else was the same, and with the same tools, but everyone stepped up and led by example.”

To a certain extent, Brown concedes Stella’s leadership qualities came as a surprise because while the Italian is very straight-talking, he is also mild-mannered with it.

Brown insists, though, that the nice guy image can be deceptive.

“He is a very nice guy, which is why I think people like working with him,” said Brown.

“I kind of call him the swan. He looks like he’s a nice guy cruising above the water, but underneath, he’s paddling fast.

“He’s very tough, very professional, very articulate in his delivery, kind of like what you guys experience when he talks to you.

“He’s not political at all. He’s got no ego at all, and yes, I’m pleasantly surprised, not at what he’s brought to the table, but how quickly the impact he had.

“We all saw that the turnaround was pretty awesome. A big moment for me was when he stated Austria (for that turnaround). That was a bit unlike him to kind of call his shot, and he got it right.

“So he’s not afraid to lay it out there and make some bold predictions without them being over-the-top predictions. He’s just kind of calls it as he sees it.”