McLaren facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

This page is about the Formula One team. For the parent company and subsidiaries including McLaren Automotive, see McLaren Group. For other uses, see McLaren (disambiguation).

Quick facts for kids
McLaren-Mercedes
Formula One World Championship career

Full name	McLaren Formula 1 Team
Base	McLaren Technology Centre Woking, Surrey, England
Team principal(s)	Zak Brown (Chief Executive Officer) Andrea Stella (Team Principal)
Technical director(s)	Rob Marshall (Chief Designer) Neil Houldey (Technical Director – Engineering) Peter Prodromou (Technical Director – Aerodynamics) Mark Temple (Technical Director – Performance)
Founder(s)	Bruce McLaren
Website	mclaren.com/racing/formula-1
First entry	1966 Monaco Grand Prix
Last entry	2019 Monaco Grand Prix
Races entered	884 (880 starts)
Engines	Ford, Serenissima, BRM, Alfa Romeo, TAG, Honda, Peugeot, Mercedes, Renault
Constructors' Championships	9 (1974, 1984, 1985, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1998, 2024)
Drivers' Championships	12 (1974, 1976, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1998, 1999, 2008)
Race victories	182
Podiums	488
Points	5555.5
Pole positions	155
Fastest laps	158
2024 position	1st (666 pts)

McLaren Racing is a famous British motor racing team. It is based at the McLaren Technology Centre in Woking, England. The team is part of the McLaren Group. McLaren is best known for its Formula One cars. It is one of the oldest and most successful Formula One teams, second only to Ferrari.

McLaren has won 182 races, 12 Drivers' Championships, and nine Constructors' Championships. A Drivers' Championship is for the best driver, and a Constructors' Championship is for the best team. McLaren has also raced in American open-wheel racing and won the Canadian-American Challenge Cup (Can-Am) sports car racing championship. McLaren is one of only three teams to achieve the "Triple Crown of Motorsport". This means they have won the Indianapolis 500, the 24 Hours of Le Mans, and the Monaco Grand Prix.

The team was started in 1963 by Bruce McLaren from New Zealand. They won their first Grand Prix race in 1968. But their biggest early success was in Can-Am, where they were champions from 1967 to 1971. They also won the Indianapolis 500 in 1972, 1974, and 1976. Bruce McLaren sadly died in a testing accident in 1970. After his death, Teddy Mayer took over. He led the team to their first Formula One Constructors' Championship in 1974. Drivers Emerson Fittipaldi and James Hunt won the Drivers' Championship in 1974 and 1976. In 1974, the team also started a long partnership with the Marlboro brand.

In 1981, McLaren joined forces with Ron Dennis's Project Four Racing. Dennis became the team boss and later took full control. This started McLaren's most successful period. With Porsche and Honda engines, drivers Niki Lauda, Alain Prost, and Ayrton Senna won seven Drivers' Championships. The team also won six Constructors' Championships. Prost and Senna were especially dominant, winning almost every race in 1988. Their rivalry grew intense, and Prost later moved to Ferrari. Another British team, Williams, was McLaren's main rival during this time.

By the mid-1990s, Honda left Formula One, and Senna moved to Williams. McLaren then went three seasons without a win. With Mercedes-Benz engines and West sponsorship, they won more championships in 1998 and 1999 with driver Mika Häkkinen. In the 2000s, McLaren was always a top team. Lewis Hamilton won their most recent driver's title in 2008.

Ron Dennis stepped down as team boss in 2009. Martin Whitmarsh took over. At the end of 2013, after a tough season, Whitmarsh left. McLaren announced in 2013 that they would use Honda engines again from 2015. They raced as McLaren Honda for the first time since 1992 at the 2015 Australian Grand Prix. In 2017, McLaren switched to Renault engines from 2018 to 2020. Since 2021, McLaren has been using Mercedes-Benz engines. The team won its ninth Constructors' Championship in 2024, their first since 1998.

McLaren also returned to the Indianapolis 500 in 2017. In 2019, they entered independently. In 2019, McLaren announced they would race in the full IndyCar Series from 2020. They partnered with Arrow Schmidt Peterson Motorsports, forming Arrow McLaren SP. McLaren bought 75% of this team in 2021. McLaren also joined the electric off-road racing series Extreme E in 2022. They also started racing in Formula E in the 2022–23 season.

History of McLaren Racing
Formula One Racing History
Other Racing Series
Team Characteristics
- Ownership and Management
- Team Politics
Sponsorship and Car Colors
Race Cars
Racing Results
Images for kids

History of McLaren Racing

The McLaren Racing team's founder Bruce McLaren

Bruce McLaren Motor Racing was started in 1963 by Bruce McLaren. He was a driver for the British Formula One team Cooper. Bruce had won three Grands Prix and finished second in the 1960 World Championship. He wanted to race in the Australasian Tasman Series. His team owner, Charles Cooper, wanted to use smaller engines. So, Bruce decided to start his own team. He would race with his own custom-built Cooper cars.

Bruce won the 1964 Tasman Series. But his teammate, Timmy Mayer, died in a practice accident. Bruce then asked Teddy Mayer for help. Teddy Mayer later bought into Bruce McLaren Motor Racing Limited (BMMR). He became its biggest owner.

The team raced under a British license. It was based in Feltham, England, from 1963 to 1964. Then it moved to Colnbrook from 1965 to 1981. Since 1981, it has been in Woking, England. Bruce did not use the traditional British racing green color on his cars. Instead, he used other colors. For example, his first Formula One car was white with a green stripe. This was for a fictional team in the film Grand Prix.

During this time, Bruce also drove in sports car racing in the UK and North America. He raced in the 1965 Tasman Series but did not win. He kept driving for Cooper in Grands Prix. But he felt Cooper's performance was dropping. So, he decided to race his own cars from 1966.

Formula One Racing History

Early Years (1966–1967)

McLaren's original logo was designed by Michael Turner and featured a kiwi bird, a New Zealand icon.

The McLaren M2B, the team's first Formula One car

The McLaren M7A of 1968 gave McLaren their first Formula One wins. It is driven here by Bruce McLaren at the Nürburgring in 1969.

McLaren's first Grand Prix race was the 1966 Monaco Grand Prix. Of the current Formula One teams, only Ferrari is older. Bruce's race ended early due to an oil leak. The 1966 car was the M2B, designed by Robin Herd. The team had trouble with their engines. They used a 3.0-litre Ford engine and a Serenissima V8. Both were not powerful enough and often broke down.

For 1967, Bruce decided to use a British Racing Motors (BRM) V12 engine. But there were delays with the engine. So, he first used a modified Formula Two car called the M4B. It had a 2.1-litre BRM V8. Later, he built a slightly larger car, the M5A, for the V12. Neither car was very successful. Their best result was a fourth-place finish at Monaco.

Ford-Cosworth Engines (1968–1982)

In 1968, Bruce was joined by 1967 champion Denny Hulme. Hulme was also from New Zealand and already raced for McLaren in Can-Am. Their new car, the M7A, used Cosworth's new DFV engine. This engine became very popular and McLaren used it until 1983. Their performance greatly improved. Bruce won a non-championship race at Brands Hatch. Hulme won another at Silverstone.

Then, Bruce took the team's first championship win at the 1968 Belgian Grand Prix. Hulme also won the Italian and Canadian Grands Prix that year. This helped the team finish second in the Constructors' Championship. In 1969, Bruce had three more podium finishes. Hulme won the last race of the 1969 season in Mexico. McLaren also tried a four-wheel drive car, the M9A, but it was not successful.

The year 1970 started well with second-place finishes for Hulme and Bruce. But in June, Bruce died in a crash while testing a new Can-Am car. After his death, Teddy Mayer took over the team. Hulme continued racing with Dan Gurney and Peter Gethin. Hulme won the team's first Grand Prix in two and a half years in 1972 in South Africa. He and Peter Revson had ten other podium finishes. The team finished third in the Constructors' Championship.

Emerson Fittipaldi won the 1974 Drivers' Championship with McLaren.

The McLaren M23, designed by Gordon Coppuck, was the team's new car for 1973. It was used for four years. Hulme won in Sweden, and Revson won his only Grand Prix races in Britain and Canada. In 1974, Emerson Fittipaldi, a former world champion, joined McLaren. Hulme won the first race of the season in Argentina. Fittipaldi won in Brazil, Belgium, and Canada. He won the Drivers' Championship in a close fight. McLaren also won their first Constructors' Championship.

The 1975 season was not as good. Fittipaldi finished second in the championship. His teammate Jochen Mass won his only Grand Prix in Spain. At the end of 1975, Fittipaldi left McLaren. Mayer then signed James Hunt. In 1976, Hunt won four more Grands Prix. He won the Drivers' Championship by finishing third in the final race in Japan. McLaren, however, lost the Constructors' Championship to Ferrari.

In 1977, the M23 car was slowly replaced by the M26. Hunt won three races that year. But Ferrari and Niki Lauda were too strong. McLaren finished third in the Constructors' Championship. After that, results got worse. In 1979, the new M28 car was a "disaster". The team finished eighth that year.

Five years after his first retirement, Lauda won his third title driving a McLaren MP4/2.

Alain Prost, pictured here at the 1985 German Grand Prix, won three Drivers' Championships with McLaren.

Equipped with Honda engines and the driving strength of Prost and Ayrton Senna for 1988, McLaren dominated the season, winning all but one race. Senna won his first world championship after a season-long battle with Prost.

The 1980s started poorly. Alain Prost joined, but he and John Watson rarely scored points. McLaren merged with Ron Dennis's Project Four Formula Two team in 1981. Dennis had a designer named John Barnard. Barnard had an idea for a new car made from carbon-fibre. With the merger's investment, they built the McLaren MP4 (later called MP4/1) for 1981. Watson won the British Grand Prix in this car. McLaren moved to a new base in Woking. Dennis took full control of the team by 1982.

TAG-Porsche and Honda Engines (1983–1992)

In the early 1980s, other teams started using powerful turbocharged engines. Dennis convinced Techniques d'Avant Garde (TAG) to fund Porsche-built, TAG-branded turbo engines. Mansour Ojjeh, TAG's founder, later became a McLaren shareholder. In 1982, Niki Lauda came out of retirement to drive for McLaren. He and Watson each won two races.

Prost returned to McLaren in 1984. With the new TAG engines, the team was dominant. They won 12 races and the Constructors' Championship. Lauda won the Drivers' Championship by half a point over Prost. In 1985, McLaren won another Constructors' Championship, and Prost won the Drivers' Championship. In 1986, Williams was strong with their Honda engine. But Prost won his second title, becoming the first driver to win back-to-back championships since 1960.

For 1988, Honda switched their engine supply to McLaren. Dennis signed Ayrton Senna to drive with Prost. Their car, the MP4/4, was incredibly dominant. They won 15 of the 16 races. Senna and Prost had a season-long battle. Senna won his first world championship in Japan.

The next year, with turbos banned, Honda supplied a new V10 engine. McLaren won both titles again with the MP4/5. But the relationship between Prost and Senna got worse. Prost felt Honda and Dennis favored Senna. Prost announced he would leave for Ferrari. The Drivers' Championship was decided in Japan again. This time, Prost won after he and Senna crashed.

By 1993, Honda had withdrawn from F1 and the team used underpowered Ford V8 engines to power the MP4/8. Although Ayrton Senna (pictured at the German GP) won five races, McLaren was not a match for the dominant Williams team. After the 1993 Australian Grand Prix, the team failed to win a race until 1997.

Mika Häkkinen won the 1998 and 1999 Drivers' Championships with McLaren. He is shown here at the 1999 Canadian Grand Prix, an event which he won.

In 1990, Ferrari pushed McLaren harder. McLaren brought in Gerhard Berger. Senna won the Drivers' Championship again after a crash with Prost in Japan. McLaren also won the Constructors' Championship. 1991 was another winning year for McLaren and Senna. By 1992, Williams had a very advanced car and broke McLaren's four-year winning streak.

Ford, Lamborghini, and Peugeot Engines (1993–1994)

Honda left Formula One at the end of 1992. McLaren needed a new engine supplier. They ended up using Ford engines for 1993. Senna won five races, including a record sixth victory at Monaco. His teammate, Michael Andretti, struggled and was replaced by Mika Häkkinen. Williams won both titles that year. Senna then signed with Williams for 1994.

McLaren tested a Lamborghini engine before 1994. They eventually chose Peugeot engines. The MP4/9 car, driven by Häkkinen and Martin Brundle, had eight podiums but no wins. Peugeot engines often broke down. So, McLaren switched to Mercedes-Benz engines for 1995.

Mercedes Partnership (1995–2014)

Works Mercedes Partnership (1995–2009)

From 1995, McLaren partnered with Mercedes-Benz. Mercedes provided engines and financial support. The 1995 car, the MP4/10, was not a top contender. Former champion Nigel Mansell left after only two races.

In 1996, McLaren went a third year without a win. But in 1997, David Coulthard won the first race. Häkkinen and Coulthard each won another race. Top designer Adrian Newey joined the team. The car was faster but often unreliable. Marlboro, a long-time sponsor, moved to Ferrari. McLaren then got a new sponsor, West, and changed their car colors to silver, grey, white, and red. They kept these colors for twenty years.

With Newey's help and new rules, McLaren challenged for the championship in 1998. Häkkinen and Coulthard won five of the first six races. Häkkinen won the Drivers' Championship, and McLaren won the Constructors' Championship. Häkkinen won his second Drivers' Championship in 1999. But the team lost the constructors' title to Ferrari due to mistakes and mechanical problems.

Mechanics push Kimi Räikkönen's MP4-19 into the garage during qualifying for the US Grand Prix at Indianapolis in 2004.

In 2000, McLaren won seven races but Ferrari and Schumacher won both championships. McLaren's performance then declined. In 2001, Häkkinen retired, and Kimi Räikkönen took his place. In 2002, Coulthard got their only win. Ferrari dominated with 15 wins.

The 2003 season started well with wins for Coulthard and Räikkönen. But problems with their new car forced them to use an older one. Räikkönen still fought for the championship until the last race. In 2004, their car was not good. Räikkönen got their only win in Belgium. McLaren finished fifth in the Constructors' Championship, their worst since 1983.

Coulthard left in 2005, and Juan Pablo Montoya joined. McLaren had a much better season, winning ten races. But problems with tires and reliability cost them. Renault and Fernando Alonso won both titles.

Kimi Räikkönen challenged for the Drivers' Championship in 2005.

In 2006, McLaren did not win any races for the first time in ten years. Montoya left the team, and Pedro de la Rosa took his place. Räikkönen also left for Ferrari.

Fernando Alonso had a difficult and controversial year with McLaren in 2007.

In 2007, the team became competitive again. Fernando Alonso raced with new driver Lewis Hamilton. They each won four races. But there were tensions within the team. McLaren was also found to have secret technical information from Ferrari. The team was removed from the Constructors' Championship and fined $100 million. The drivers were allowed to continue. Hamilton led the Drivers' Championship until the last race. But Räikkönen won the race and the title by one point. Alonso left McLaren in November. Heikki Kovalainen took his place.

Lewis Hamilton won 2008's season-opening race in Australia and went on to win the title.

In 2008, Hamilton had a close fight with Ferrari drivers. Hamilton won five races. He dramatically won his first Drivers' Championship at the final corner of the last lap in Brazil. Ferrari won the constructors' title.

Before 2009, Dennis retired as team principal. Martin Whitmarsh took over. The year started badly for McLaren. Their car was slow. The team also received a penalty for misleading race officials. But Hamilton won two races later in the season.

Customer Mercedes Engines (2010–2014)

Sergio Pérez driving for McLaren at the 2013 Malaysian Grand Prix

Jenson Button driving at the 2014 Chinese Grand Prix

For 2010, Mercedes bought the Brawn team. McLaren became a customer of Mercedes engines instead of a works team. McLaren signed 2009 champion Jenson Button to race with Hamilton. Button won two races, and Hamilton won three. But Red Bull's car was faster, and McLaren did not win any championships.

Hamilton and Button stayed in 2011. Hamilton won three races, and Button also won three. Button finished second in the Drivers' Championship. McLaren was second in the Constructors' Championship. In 2012, McLaren won the first race. But they had problems with pit stops and reliability. Red Bull and Ferrari dominated the championships.

Sergio Pérez replaced Hamilton for 2013. The team's car, the MP4-28, struggled. McLaren did not get any podium finishes for the first time since 1980.

Kevin Magnussen replaced Pérez for 2014. Ron Dennis returned as CEO. McLaren was the first team to show their 2014 car, the MP4-29. They had a mostly unsuccessful year. Their best result was in Australia, where Magnussen finished second and Button third.

Return to Honda Engines (2015–2017)

Alonso (no.14) and Button (no.22) line astern at the 2015 Malaysian Grand Prix

Fernando Alonso during qualifying for the 2016 Malaysian Grand Prix

For 2015, McLaren ended their engine deal with Mercedes. They rejoined their old partner, Honda. Honda would supply engines and work with the team. The team announced Fernando Alonso and Jenson Button as their drivers. Kevin Magnussen became a test driver. Alonso had a concussion during testing. So, Magnussen replaced him for the first race. Button finished last in that race. The Honda engine was unreliable and not powerful enough. Button scored the team's first points at Monaco. Alonso scored his first point later. McLaren finished ninth in the constructors' standings, their worst since 1980.

Stoffel Vandoorne in the MCL32, showing the new orange and black livery

McLaren kept Alonso and Button for 2016. The second year with Honda was better. They could fight for top 10 positions more often. But Alonso had a big crash at the first race. He missed the next race and was replaced by Stoffel Vandoorne. Vandoorne scored the team's first point of the season. McLaren finished sixth in the Constructors' Championship. Button announced he would take a break from Formula One for 2017. He later retired, and Vandoorne became Alonso's new teammate.

In February 2017, McLaren signed Lando Norris to their young driver program. Alonso did not race in the 2017 Monaco Grand Prix. He was racing in the Indianapolis 500. Jenson Button returned for that one race. McLaren finished 2017 in ninth place.

Renault Engines (2018–2020)

Fernando Alonso driving in the McLaren MCL33 at the 2018 Chinese Grand Prix

Carlos Sainz Jr. driving the McLaren MCL34 at a test day around the Circuit de Catalunya, in Barcelona

McLaren announced they would leave Honda at the end of 2017. They signed a three-year deal for Renault engines. Team boss Éric Boullier called their performance with Honda a "disaster". 2018 was McLaren's first season with Renault engines. Fernando Alonso and Stoffel Vandoorne stayed with the team. Lando Norris became the test and reserve driver.

McLaren started 2018 well. Alonso finished fifth at the first race. But their performance dropped later in the season. Alonso announced he would not race in Formula One in 2019. Carlos Sainz Jr. was signed as his replacement. Stoffel Vandoorne also left, and Lando Norris was promoted to a race driver for 2019. McLaren struggled with qualifying throughout 2018. They finished sixth in the Constructors' Championship.

Lando Norris driving the McLaren MCL35 at the 2020 Tuscan Grand Prix

The 2019 season was much better for McLaren. They became the best team behind Mercedes, Ferrari, and Red Bull. At the Brazilian Grand Prix, Sainz got the team's first podium since 2014. McLaren finished fourth in the season, their best result since 2014.

McLaren kept Norris and Sainz for 2020. The season was affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. At the Austrian Grand Prix, Norris achieved his first podium, finishing third. Sainz got the team's second podium in Italy, finishing second. The team finished third in the constructors' championship.

Return to Mercedes Engines (2021–)

Lando Norris driving the McLaren MCL35M at the 2021 British Grand Prix

McLaren started using Mercedes engines again in 2021. Daniel Ricciardo moved from Renault to partner Lando Norris. In the first nine races, Norris scored three podiums.

Daniel Ricciardo driving the McLaren MCL36 at the 2022 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix. His teammate scored a podium, while Ricciardo finished 18th and last, leading some to question his future.

At the 2021 Italian Grand Prix, Ricciardo won his first race since 2018. It was McLaren's first win since 2012. Norris finished second, giving McLaren their first one-two finish since 2010. Norris also got the team's first pole position in the hybrid era in Russia. But he finished seventh due to changing weather. McLaren finished fourth in the constructors' championship.

For 2022, McLaren kept Norris and Ricciardo. Ricciardo tested positive for COVID-19 before the season. Both drivers struggled at the first race. Norris achieved third place at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix. Ricciardo struggled more than Norris. In August 2022, Ricciardo's contract was ended. Oscar Piastri replaced him for 2023. McLaren finished fifth in the constructors' championship.

Lando Norris driving the McLaren MCL60 at the 2023 Austrian Grand Prix. After a poor start to the season, the team rethought its design direction, resulting in an uptick in the MCL60's performance by the midpoint of the season.

The 2023 season celebrated the team's 60th anniversary. The car was named the MCL60. The season started with many problems. The team made changes to its technical leadership. Norris and Piastri scored their first points in Australia. At the Spanish Grand Prix, Norris qualified third. But he damaged his front wing early in the race.

McLaren brought new car upgrades for Norris at the Austrian Grand Prix. Piastri got his upgrades at the British Grand Prix. With the upgrades, Norris qualified third in the sprint shootout. He finished fifth in the main race. At the British Grand Prix, Norris and Piastri qualified second and third. Norris led the race for four laps and finished second. Piastri finished fourth, his best result so far. Norris got his second consecutive podium in Hungary.

McLaren introduced more upgrades at the Singapore Grand Prix. Norris finished second, and Piastri recovered to seventh. At the Japanese Grand Prix, Norris and Piastri finished second and third. This was McLaren's first double podium since 2021. It was also Piastri's first Formula One podium. Piastri won the Qatar Grand Prix sprint race. McLaren also set a new record for the fastest pit stop in Formula One. McLaren finished fourth in the constructors' championship in 2023.

Lando Norris driving the McLaren MCL38 at the 2024 Dutch Grand Prix. An evolution of the accomplished MCL60, the MCL38 scored consistent results after a mid-season upgrade, propelling them into championship contention.

The success of the MCL60 helped McLaren prepare for 2024. They kept Norris and Piastri. The 2024 car, the MCL38, was the first designed in McLaren's own wind tunnel. Team boss Andrea Stella wanted to improve the car's aerodynamics and grip.

The MCL38 got its first podium with Norris at the Australian Grand Prix. McLaren brought a big upgrade package for the Miami Grand Prix. Norris won the race, his first Formula One victory. The upgrade was more successful than expected.

The MCL38 showed consistent performance after Miami. Both drivers were often on the podium. They had a one-two finish at the Hungarian Grand Prix, their first since 2021. An upgrade at the Dutch Grand Prix further improved the car. Norris won by over 27 seconds. Piastri's win in Azerbaijan moved McLaren to first place in the Constructors' Championship. This was the first time McLaren led the championship since 2014. McLaren won the World Constructors' Championship in Abu Dhabi, with Lando Norris finishing first.

Other Racing Series

Can-Am Racing

The McLaren M1A sports car of 1964 was the team's first self-designed car. The 'B' version raced in Can-Am in the 1966 season.

McLaren's first racing car designed by Bruce McLaren Motor Racing was the M1. It was very successful. For the Can-Am Series, which started in 1966, McLaren created the M3. They led two races but did not win. The next year, Robin Herd designed the M6A. This car was the first to be painted in McLaren orange. Bruce and Denny Hulme won five of six races, and Bruce won the championship.

Bruce McLaren was killed testing a McLaren M8D at Goodwood in 1970.

In 1968, they used the new M8 car and won four races. Hulme won the championship. In 1969, McLaren won all 11 races with the M8B. Hulme won five, and Bruce won six and the Drivers' Championship. McLaren's success in Can-Am brought them money. This helped support their Formula One program.

When Bruce died in 1970, Dan Gurney and then Peter Gethin replaced him. Hulme won the championship that year. In 1971, the team won eight races, and Peter Revson took the title. In 1972, the McLaren M20 was beaten by Porsche cars. McLaren decided to leave Can-Am at the end of 1972 to focus on Formula One. McLaren was the most successful team in Can-Am with 43 wins.

American Open-Wheel Racing

USAC (1970–1979)

The McLaren M16C was driven by Peter Revson in the 1972 Indianapolis 500.

McLaren first raced in the United States Auto Club's (USAC) Indianapolis 500 race in 1970. They had a new car, the M16, for 1971. Driver Mark Donohue said it was better than all other cars. In 1971, Revson qualified first and finished second. In 1972, Donohue won in a private team's M16B.

The car backed by McLaren at the 2017 Indianapolis 500, which was driven by Fernando Alonso

McLaren won their first Indianapolis 500 in 1974 with Johnny Rutherford. Rutherford also won again in 1976. McLaren stopped racing in USAC at the end of 1979 to focus on Formula One.

IndyCar Series

Indianapolis 500 (2017 and 2019)

On April 12, 2017, McLaren announced they would race in the 2017 Indianapolis 500. Their Formula 1 driver Fernando Alonso would drive a Honda-powered car. Alonso qualified fifth and led 27 laps. But his engine failed, and he finished 24th. People praised his strong first race.

On November 10, 2018, McLaren announced they would race in the 2019 Indianapolis 500 with Fernando Alonso and Chevrolet engines. But they had mechanical problems and a crash. The team failed to qualify for the race.

Full Season (2020–)

Arrow McLaren IndyCar Team
Career

Owner(s)	McLaren Racing Limited (75%) Sam Schmidt & Ric Peterson (25%)
Principal(s)	Zak Brown (Chairman) Brian Barnhart (General Manager) Gavin Ward (Racing Director)
Base	Indianapolis, Indiana, United States
Series	IndyCar Series
Race drivers	05. Pato O'Ward 06. Nolan Siegel 07. Alexander Rossi
Sponsors	Arrow Electronics, Lucas Oil, Vuse and NTT Data
Manufacturer	Chevrolet
Debut	2020 Genesys 300
Latest race	2021 Honda Indy 200 (Mid-Ohio)
Race victories	6
Pole positions	9

In August 2019, McLaren announced they would race full-time in the 2020 season. They partnered with Arrow Schmidt Peterson Motorsports to form Arrow McLaren SP.

Zak Brown, McLaren's CEO, said they joined IndyCar for two reasons. First, to promote the McLaren brand and its American sponsors in North America. Second, to use McLaren's engineering skills in a racing series where other Formula One teams were not involved.

In August 2021, McLaren Racing bought a majority share in the IndyCar Team. They took a 75% share by the end of the year.

For the 2022 IndyCar Series, Pato O'Ward and Felix Rosenqvist returned as full-time drivers. The team had a third car for some races, driven by Juan Pablo Montoya. O'Ward and Rosenqvist finished second and fourth in the Indianapolis 500, their best results there. The team signed Alexander Rossi to drive a third full-time car from 2023.

For 2023, Rossi joined the team. The team's president, Taylor Kiel, left. His duties were split between Brian Barnhart and Gavin Ward. To celebrate McLaren's 60th anniversary, the team used special liveries for the 2023 Indianapolis 500. The cars honored the three winning McLaren cars from the Triple Crown.

For 2024, Rosenqvist moved to another team. David Malukas was supposed to replace him, but he got injured. Théo Pourchaire replaced Malukas.

Electric Motorsport

Neom is McLaren's main partner in their electric racing efforts.

Extreme E

NEOM McLaren Extreme E Team

Founded	11 June 2021; 4 years ago (2021-06-11)
Base	McLaren Technology Centre Woking, Surrey, England, UK
Current series	Extreme E
Noted drivers	Tanner Foust Emma Gilmour Tamara Molinaro Hedda Hosås
Current drivers	Cristina Gutiérrez Mattias Ekström

In June 2021, McLaren announced they would join Extreme E in 2022. They used existing staff from outside the Formula One program. Tanner Foust and Emma Gilmour were the drivers. Gilmour became McLaren's first woman factory driver. The team was first called McLaren XE, then NEOM McLaren Extreme E Team. They won their first podium by finishing second in the Energy X-Prix. Gilmour became the first woman to get a podium for McLaren. The team finished fifth in the championship.

McLaren kept Foust and Gilmour for 2023. They got their second podium in Round 4. In Round 7, Gilmour was injured in a crash. Tamara Molinaro replaced her. McLaren withdrew from Round 8 because their spare car was too damaged. This was the first time a team withdrew from a race in Extreme E. McLaren finished eighth in the championship. Foust and Gilmour left the team at the end of the season.

For 2024, McLaren announced new drivers: Cristina Gutiérrez and Mattias Ekström. They got their first podium of the season in Round 1.

Formula E

NEOM McLaren Formula E Team

Base	McLaren Technology Centre Woking, Surrey, England, UK
Current series	Formula E
Noted drivers	René Rast Jake Hughes
Current drivers	05. Taylor Barnard 08. Sam Bird

In December 2020, Zak Brown said McLaren was interested in joining Formula E. McLaren bought the Mercedes-EQ Formula E Team in May 2022. They started racing in the 2022–23 season as NEOM McLaren Formula E Team. They used Nissan's electric powertrain. René Rast and Jake Hughes were the drivers.

McLaren made their first ePrix race in Mexico City. Hughes qualified third and finished fifth. McLaren achieved several milestones at the Diriyah ePrix. Hughes got McLaren's first pole position in Formula E. Rast finished third, giving McLaren their first podium in Formula E. McLaren finished eighth in the Teams' Championship.

In August 2023, McLaren announced that Hughes would stay. Rast left and was replaced by Sam Bird. Bird won McLaren's first electric race victory at the São Paulo ePrix. Bird was injured later and replaced by Taylor Barnard. Barnard became the youngest driver to start a Formula E race at 19 years old. He scored his first points in Berlin. Hughes left McLaren at the end of the season. Barnard was promoted to race full-time for 2024–25.

At the December São Paulo ePrix, Barnard got his first podium, finishing third. He became the youngest podium finisher in Formula E.

Customer Racing

The McLaren F1 GTR, competing during the 1995 BPR Global GT Series season

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McLaren has also built racing cars for other teams to buy and race. In their early years, they built cars for Formula Two, hillclimbing, and sports car races. Trojan was hired to build some of these cars. In Can-Am, many teams used McLaren cars. This helped McLaren financially.

In the mid-1990s, McLaren's sister company, McLaren Cars (now McLaren Automotive), built a racing version of their F1 road car. This car, the F1 GTR, won the 1995 24 Hours of Le Mans race. Later, they developed GT3 versions of their road cars, like the MP4-12C, McLaren 650S, and McLaren 720S. They also made a GT4 version of the McLaren 570S.

In 2022, McLaren Automotive announced a new GT4 model based on the McLaren Artura. In 2023, McLaren Automotive announced they would race in the 2024 24 Hours of Le Mans and the 2024 IMSA SportsCar Championship. They will use the McLaren 720S GT3 Evo.

Team Characteristics

McLaren Racing is mostly owned by the McLaren Group. American investors MSP Sports Capital bought 15% of the team in 2020, increasing to 33% in 2022.

Ownership and Management

Ron Dennis, here pictured at the 2000 Monaco Grand Prix, was team principal from 1980 to 2009 and was chairman of the McLaren Group until 2017.

After Bruce McLaren died, Teddy Mayer took over. In 1981, McLaren merged with Ron Dennis's Project Four Racing. Dennis became the team boss. He later bought out the original owners. In 1983, Dennis offered Mansour Ojjeh the chance to buy 50% of the team. In 2000, DaimlerChrysler (now Daimler AG), who supplied engines, bought 40% of the team. Dennis and Ojjeh each kept 30%. In 2007, they each sold half their shares to the Mumtalakat Holding Company from Bahrain.

In 2009, Daimler bought the Brawn team instead of taking full control of McLaren. Their McLaren shares were sold back to Mumtalakat, Dennis, and Ojjeh in 2010.

Dennis stepped down as CEO and team principal in 2009. Martin Whitmarsh took over. But after a poor 2013 season, Dennis returned as CEO in 2014. His relationship with Ojjeh had worsened. In 2016, Dennis was forced out of his CEO role by Ojjeh. He sold his remaining shares in 2017.

After Dennis returned in 2014, he removed the "team principal" role. Éric Boullier became racing director. After Dennis left, Zak Brown became McLaren Racing CEO. When Boullier resigned in 2018, his role was split. Gil de Ferran became sporting director, and Andrea Stella became performance director. In May 2019, Andreas Seidl was appointed as the new team principal. In December 2022, Seidl left McLaren. Stella was promoted to team principal.

Since 2004, the team has been based at the McLaren Technology Centre in Woking. It has a wind tunnel and a very advanced driving simulator. The team also has a program to develop young drivers.

Team Politics

McLaren has sometimes had disagreements with Formula One's governing body, the FIA. In the early 1980s, McLaren and other teams had a dispute with the FIA over control of the sport. This was called the FISA-FOCA war. A new racing series was threatened. One race was not allowed, and another was boycotted. It was solved with a money-sharing deal called the Concorde Agreement.

Similar arguments happened in the 2000s. McLaren and Mercedes threatened to start a rival series. Another Concorde Agreement was signed in 2009. In 2007, McLaren was involved in a controversy. Their chief designer got secret technical information from Ferrari. McLaren was removed from the Constructors' Championship for one year and fined $100 million.

Sponsorship and Car Colors

McLaren's Formula One team was sponsored for 23 years by Philip Morris's Marlboro cigarette brand.

McLaren's Formula One team was first called Bruce McLaren Motor Racing. Their first cars were white and green for a film. From 1968 to 1971, the team used an orange design. This orange color was also on their Indianapolis 500 and Can-Am cars.

In 1972, Yardley of London cosmetics became McLaren's first main sponsor. The team raced as Yardley Team McLaren. The cars became mostly white. In 1974, Philip Morris joined as a sponsor with their Marlboro cigarette brand. Marlboro's red-and-white colors lasted until 1996. This was the longest-running Formula One sponsorship at the time.

In 1997, Marlboro moved its sponsorship to Ferrari. West cigarettes became McLaren's new sponsor. The team was called West McLaren Mercedes. McLaren changed their car colors to silver and black. In 2005, new rules banned tobacco advertising. McLaren ended its deal with West. In 2006, the team raced without a main sponsor. They were called Team McLaren Mercedes. They added red to their silver and chrome design.

In 2007, McLaren signed a seven-year deal with Vodafone. They became Vodafone McLaren Mercedes. This deal was supposed to last until 2014. But they ended it early at the end of 2013. This was partly because Vodafone did not like the team racing in Bahrain during protests. Johnnie Walker, a whisky brand, offered to be the main sponsor. But Ron Dennis, the chairman, thought the offer was too small.

At the end of 2015, McLaren lost sponsor TAG Heuer. Richard Mille replaced them. From 2015 to 2017, the team was called McLaren Honda because of their engine partner. Since 2018, the team has been called McLaren F1 Team. CEO Zak Brown said he would not sell the team's name to a main sponsor. He wants to keep the team's name intact.

McLaren's cars used to be named with "M" and a number. After the 1981 merger, cars were called "MP4/x" or "MP4-x". "MP4" first meant "Marlboro Project 4". After 1997, it meant "McLaren Project 4". From 2017, after Ron Dennis left, the cars were named "MCL" followed by a number. Since 2017, McLaren has used more orange colors, like Bruce McLaren's original cars.

In 2019, British American Tobacco (BAT) partnered with McLaren to promote their alternative smoking products. This caused some discussion because of the link to tobacco companies. In 2020, McLaren announced a partnership with Gulf Oil International. They even used a special Gulf livery (car design) for the 2021 Monaco Grand Prix.

In May 2022, OKX became a main partner. In March 2023, OKX became an official primary partner. They got more branding on the car.

For McLaren's 60th anniversary in 2023, they showed a special livery for the Monaco and Spanish Grands Prix. This "Triple Crown" livery combined the colors of their three winning cars from the Triple Crown. McLaren's IndyCar team also used a version of this livery. For the 2023 British Grand Prix, McLaren used a chrome livery. This was a throwback to their popular silver colors from 2006 to 2014. McLaren and OKX also used a black car with orange streaks called "Stealth Mode" for some races.

Race Cars

McLaren designs and builds many of its own race cars. The most famous are their Formula One cars. As of 2024, the only exceptions are the Arrow McLaren IndyCar team, which uses Dallara chassis. McLaren's Extreme E team uses the Spark Odyssey 21. Their Formula E team uses the Formula E Gen3 with Nissan's powertrain.

Currently, McLaren only builds Formula One cars. The most successful McLaren Formula One car is the McLaren MP4/4 from 1988. It is one of the most successful Formula One cars ever. The MP4/4, driven by Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost, won almost every race that year.

Overview of McLaren race cars
Year	Car	Category
1962	Zerex Special	USAC Road Racing Championship
1963	McLaren M1A	Group 7
	McLaren M1B	Group 7
	McLaren M1C	Group 7
1965	McLaren M3	Formula Libre
1966	McLaren M2B	Formula One
1967	McLaren M4A	Formula Two
	McLaren M4B	Formula One
	McLaren M5A	Formula One
	McLaren M6A	Group 7
1968	McLaren M6B	Group 7
	McLaren M7A	Formula One
	McLaren M8A	Group 7
1969	McLaren M7B	Formula One
	McLaren M8B	Group 7
	McLaren M9A	Formula One
	McLaren M10	Formula 5000
	McLaren M12	Group 7
1970	McLaren M7C	Formula One
	McLaren M8C	Group 7
	McLaren M8D	Group 7
	McLaren M14A	Formula One
	McLaren M14D	Formula One
	McLaren M15	IndyCar
1971	McLaren M7D	Formula One
	McLaren M8E	Group 7
	McLaren M8F	Group 7
	McLaren M16	IndyCar
	McLaren M18	Formula 5000
	McLaren M19A	Formula One
	McLaren M19C	Formula One
1972	McLaren M16B	IndyCar
	McLaren M20	Group 7
	McLaren M21	Formula Two
	McLaren M22	Formula 5000
1973	McLaren M16C	IndyCar
	McLaren M23	Formula One
	McLaren M25	Formula 5000
1974	McLaren M16C/D	IndyCar
1975	McLaren M16E	IndyCar
1976	McLaren M26	Formula One
1977	McLaren M24	IndyCar
1979	McLaren M28	Formula One
1979	McLaren M29	Formula One
1980	McLaren M30	Formula One
1981	McLaren MP4	Formula One
1982	McLaren MP4B	Formula One
1983	McLaren MP4/1C	Formula One
1983	McLaren MP4/1E	Formula One
1984	McLaren MP4/2	Formula One
1985	McLaren MP4/2B	Formula One
1986	McLaren MP4/2C	Formula One
1987	McLaren MP4/3	Formula One
1988	McLaren MP4/4	Formula One
1989	McLaren MP4/5	Formula One
1990	McLaren MP4/5B	Formula One
1991	McLaren MP4/6	Formula One
1992	McLaren MP4/6B	Formula One
1992	McLaren MP4/7A	Formula One
1993	McLaren MP4/8	Formula One
1994	McLaren MP4/9	Formula One
1995	McLaren F1 GTR	Group GT1
	McLaren MP4/10	Formula One
	McLaren MP4/10B	Formula One
	McLaren MP4/10C	Formula One
1996	McLaren MP4/11	Formula One
1997	McLaren MP4/12	Formula One
1998	McLaren MP4/13	Formula One
1999	McLaren MP4/14	Formula One
2000	McLaren MP4/15	Formula One
2001	McLaren MP4-16	Formula One
2002	McLaren MP4-17	Formula One
2003	McLaren MP4-17D	Formula One
2003	McLaren MP4-18	Formula One
2004	McLaren MP4-19	Formula One
2004	McLaren MP4-19B	Formula One
2005	McLaren MP4-20	Formula One
2006	McLaren MP4-21	Formula One
2007	McLaren MP4-22	Formula One
2008	McLaren MP4-23	Formula One
2009	McLaren MP4-24	Formula One
2010	McLaren MP4-25	Formula One
2011	McLaren MP4-26	Formula One
2012	McLaren 12C GT3	Group GT3
2012	McLaren MP4-27	Formula One
2013	McLaren MP4-28	Formula One
2014	McLaren MP4-29	Formula One
2015	McLaren 650S GT3	Group GT3
	McLaren MP4-30	Formula One
	McLaren P1 GTR	Group GT1
2016	McLaren MP4-31	Formula One
2017	McLaren MCL32	Formula One
2018	McLaren MCL33	Formula One
2019	McLaren MCL34	Formula One
2020	McLaren MCL35	Formula One
2021	McLaren MCL35M	Formula One
2022	McLaren MCL36	Formula One
2023	McLaren MCL60	Formula One
2024	McLaren MCL38	Formula One

Racing Results

Formula One Results

Constructors' Championships winning percentage: 15.3%
Drivers' Championships winning percentage: 20.3%
Winning percentage: 20.6%

Formula One results
(italics indicates non-works entries; bold indicates championships won)
Year	Name	Car	Engine	Tyres	No.	Drivers	Points	WCC
1966	Bruce McLaren Motor Racing	M2B	Ford 406 3.0 V8 Serenissima M166 3.0 V8	F	N/A	Bruce McLaren	2 1	9th 12th
1967	Bruce McLaren Motor Racing	M4B M5A	BRM P56 2.0 V8 BRM P142 3.0 V12	G	N/A	Bruce McLaren	3	10th
1968	Bruce McLaren Motor Racing	M5A M7A	BRM P142 3.0 V12 Ford-Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8	G	N/A	Denny Hulme Bruce McLaren	3 49	10th 2nd
1969	Bruce McLaren Motor Racing	M7A M7B M7C M9A	Ford-Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8	G	N/A	Bruce McLaren Denny Hulme Derek Bell	38 (40)	5th
1970	Bruce McLaren Motor Racing	M7D M14A M14D	Ford-Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 Alfa Romeo T33 3.0 V8	G	N/A	Bruce McLaren Denny Hulme Peter Gethin Dan Gurney Andrea de Adamich Nanni Galli	35 0	5th NC
1971	Bruce McLaren Motor Racing	M14A M19A	Ford-Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8	G	N/A	Denny Hulme Peter Gethin Jackie Oliver	10	6th
1972	Yardley Team McLaren	M19A M19C	Ford-Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8	G	N/A	Denny Hulme Peter Revson Brian Redman Jody Scheckter	47 (49)	3rd
1973	Yardley Team McLaren	M19A M19C M23	Ford-Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8	G	N/A	Denny Hulme Peter Revson Jody Scheckter Jacky Ickx	58	3rd
1974	Yardley Team McLaren Marlboro Team Texaco	M23	Ford-Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8	G	5. 6. 33. 33. 33.	Emerson Fittipaldi Denny Hulme Mike Hailwood David Hobbs Jochen Mass	73 (75)	1st
1975	Marlboro Team Texaco	M23	Ford-Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8	G	1. 2.	Emerson Fittipaldi Jochen Mass	53	3rd
1976	Marlboro Team McLaren	M23 M26	Ford-Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8	G	11. 12.	James Hunt Jochen Mass	74 (75)	2nd
1977	Marlboro Team McLaren	M23 M26	Ford-Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8	G	1. 2. 14. 40.	James Hunt Jochen Mass Bruno Giacomelli Gilles Villeneuve	60	3rd
1978	Marlboro Team McLaren	M26	Ford-Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8	G	7. 8. 33.	James Hunt Patrick Tambay Bruno Giacomelli	15	8th
1979	Marlboro Team McLaren Löwenbräu Team McLaren	M26 M28 M28B M28C M29	Ford-Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8	G	7. 8.	John Watson Patrick Tambay	15	7th
1980	Marlboro Team McLaren	M29B M29C M30	Ford-Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8	G	7. 8. 8.	John Watson Alain Prost Stephen South	11	9th
1981	Marlboro McLaren International	M29C M29F MP4	Ford-Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8	M	7. 8.	John Watson Andrea de Cesaris	28	6th
1982	Marlboro McLaren International	MP4B	Ford-Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8	M	7. 8.	John Watson Niki Lauda	69	2nd
1983	Marlboro McLaren International	MP4/1C MP4/1E	Ford-Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 TAG-Porsche 1.5 V6 t	M	7. 8.	John Watson Niki Lauda	34 0	5th NC
1984	Marlboro McLaren International	MP4/2	TAG-Porsche 1.5 V6 t	M	7. 8.	Niki Lauda Alain Prost	143.5	1st
1985	Marlboro McLaren International	MP4/2B	TAG-Porsche 1.5 V6 t	G	1. 1. 2.	Niki Lauda John Watson Alain Prost	90	1st
1986	Marlboro McLaren International	MP4/2C	TAG-Porsche 1.5 V6 t	G	1. 2.	Alain Prost Keke Rosberg	96	2nd
1987	Marlboro McLaren International	MP4/3	TAG-Porsche 1.5 V6 t	G	1. 2.	Alain Prost Stefan Johansson	76	2nd
1988	Honda Marlboro McLaren	MP4/4	Honda RA168E 1.5 V6 t	G	11. 12.	Alain Prost Ayrton Senna	199	1st
1989	Honda Marlboro McLaren	MP4/5	Honda RA109E 3.5 V10	G	1. 2.	Ayrton Senna Alain Prost	141	1st
1990	Honda Marlboro McLaren	MP4/5B	Honda RA100E 3.5 V10	G	27. 28.	Ayrton Senna Gerhard Berger	121	1st
1991	Honda Marlboro McLaren	MP4/6	Honda RA121E 3.5 V12	G	1. 2.	Ayrton Senna Gerhard Berger	139	1st
1992	Honda Marlboro McLaren	MP4/6B MP4/7A	Honda RA122E 3.5 V12 Honda RA122E/B 3.5 V12	G	1. 2.	Ayrton Senna Gerhard Berger	99	2nd
1993	Marlboro McLaren	MP4/8	Ford HBE7 3.5 V8	G	7. 7. 8.	Michael Andretti Mika Häkkinen Ayrton Senna	84	2nd
1994	Marlboro McLaren Peugeot	MP4/9	Peugeot A6 3.5 V10	G	7. 7. 8.	Mika Häkkinen Philippe Alliot Martin Brundle	42	4th
1995	Marlboro McLaren Mercedes	MP4/10 MP4/10B MP4/10C	Mercedes FO 110 3.0 V10	G	7. 7. 8. 8.	Mark Blundell Nigel Mansell Mika Häkkinen Jan Magnussen	30	4th
1996	Marlboro McLaren Mercedes	MP4/11	Mercedes FO 110 3.0 V10	G	7. 8.	Mika Häkkinen David Coulthard	49	4th
1997	West McLaren Mercedes	MP4/12	Mercedes FO 110E 3.0 V10 Mercedes FO 110F 3.0 V10	G	9. 10.	Mika Häkkinen David Coulthard	63	4th
1998	West McLaren Mercedes	MP4/13	Mercedes FO 110G 3.0 V10	B	7. 8.	David Coulthard Mika Häkkinen	156	1st
1999	West McLaren Mercedes	MP4/14	Mercedes FO 110H 3.0 V10	B	1. 2.	Mika Häkkinen David Coulthard	124	2nd
2000	West McLaren Mercedes	MP4/15	Mercedes FO 110J 3.0 V10	B	1. 2.	Mika Häkkinen David Coulthard	152	2nd
2001	West McLaren Mercedes	MP4-16	Mercedes FO 110K 3.0 V10	B	3. 4.	Mika Häkkinen David Coulthard	102	2nd
2002	West McLaren Mercedes	MP4-17	Mercedes FO 110M 3.0 V10	M	3. 4.	David Coulthard Kimi Räikkönen	65	3rd
2003	West McLaren Mercedes	MP4-17D	Mercedes FO 110M 3.0 V10 Mercedes FO 110P 3.0 V10	M	5. 6.	David Coulthard Kimi Räikkönen	142	3rd
2004	West McLaren Mercedes	MP4-19 MP4-19B	Mercedes FO 110Q 3.0 V10	M	5. 6.	David Coulthard Kimi Räikkönen	69	5th
2005	West McLaren Mercedes Team McLaren Mercedes	MP4-20	Mercedes FO 110R 3.0 V10	M	9. 10. 10. 10.	Kimi Räikkönen Juan Pablo Montoya Pedro de la Rosa Alexander Wurz	182	2nd
2006	Team McLaren Mercedes	MP4-21	Mercedes FO 108S 2.4 V8	M	3. 4. 4.	Kimi Räikkönen Juan Pablo Montoya Pedro de la Rosa	110	3rd
2007	Vodafone McLaren Mercedes	MP4-22	Mercedes FO 108T 2.4 V8	B	1. 2.	Fernando Alonso Lewis Hamilton	0 (203)	EX
2008	Vodafone McLaren Mercedes	MP4-23	Mercedes FO 108T 2.4 V8	B	22. 23.	Lewis Hamilton Heikki Kovalainen	151	2nd
2009	Vodafone McLaren Mercedes	MP4-24	Mercedes FO 108W 2.4 V8	B	1. 2.	Lewis Hamilton Heikki Kovalainen	71	3rd
2010	Vodafone McLaren Mercedes	MP4-25	Mercedes FO 108X 2.4 V8	B	1. 2.	Jenson Button Lewis Hamilton	454	2nd
2011	Vodafone McLaren Mercedes	MP4-26	Mercedes FO 108Y 2.4 V8	P	3. 4.	Lewis Hamilton Jenson Button	497	2nd
2012	Vodafone McLaren Mercedes	MP4-27	Mercedes FO 108Z 2.4 V8	P	3. 4.	Jenson Button Lewis Hamilton	378	3rd
2013	Vodafone McLaren Mercedes	MP4-28	Mercedes FO 108F 2.4 V8	P	5. 6.	Jenson Button Sergio Pérez	122	5th
2014	McLaren Mercedes	MP4-29	Mercedes PU106A Hybrid 1.6 V6 t	P	20. 22.	Kevin Magnussen Jenson Button	181	5th
2015	McLaren Honda	MP4-30	Honda RA615H 1.6 V6 t	P	14. 20. 22.	Fernando Alonso Kevin Magnussen Jenson Button	27	9th
2016	McLaren Honda	MP4-31	Honda RA616H 1.6 V6 t	P	14. 22. 47.	Fernando Alonso Jenson Button Stoffel Vandoorne	76	6th
2017	McLaren Honda	MCL32	Honda RA617H 1.6 V6 t	P	2. 14. 22.	Stoffel Vandoorne Fernando Alonso Jenson Button	30	9th
2018	McLaren F1 Team	MCL33	Renault R.E.18 1.6 V6 t	P	2. 14.	Stoffel Vandoorne Fernando Alonso	62	6th
2019	McLaren F1 Team	MCL34	Renault E-Tech 19 1.6 V6 t	P	4. 55.	Lando Norris Carlos Sainz Jr.	145	4th
2020	McLaren F1 Team	MCL35	Renault E-Tech 20 1.6 V6 t	P	4. 55.	Lando Norris Carlos Sainz Jr.	202	3rd
2021	McLaren F1 Team	MCL35M	Mercedes M12 E Performance 1.6 V6 t	P	3. 4.	Daniel Ricciardo Lando Norris	275	4th
2022	McLaren F1 Team	MCL36	Mercedes M13 E Performance 1.6 V6 t	P	3. 4.	Daniel Ricciardo Lando Norris	159	5th
2023	McLaren F1 Team	MCL60	Mercedes M14 E Performance 1.6 V6 t	P	4. 81.	Lando Norris Oscar Piastri	302	4th
2024	McLaren F1 Team	MCL38	Mercedes M15 E Performance 1.6 V6 t	P	4. 81.	Lando Norris Oscar Piastri	666	1st
* Season still in progress.
Source:

Drivers' Champions

Seven drivers have won a total of twelve Drivers' Championships with McLaren:

Emerson Fittipaldi (1974)
James Hunt (1976)
Niki Lauda (1984)
Alain Prost (1985, 1986, 1989)
Ayrton Senna (1988, 1990, 1991)
Mika Häkkinen (1998, 1999)
Lewis Hamilton (2008)

American Open-Wheel Racing Results

(key)

American open-wheel racing results
Year	Chassis	Engine	Tyres	Drivers	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18
1970	McLaren M15	Offenhauser 159 I4 t	G		PHX1	SON	TRE1	INDY	MIL1	LAN	CDR	MIC	IRP	SPR	MIL2	ONT	DQSF	ISF	SED	TRE2	SAC	PHX2
				Chris Amon				DNQ
				Peter Revson				22								8
				Denny Hulme				DNQ
				Carl Williams				9
				Bruce McLaren				DNQ
1971	McLaren M16A	Offenhauser 159 I4 t	G		RAF		PHX1	TRE1	INDY	MIL1	POC	MIC	MIL2	ONT	TRE2	PHX2
				Denny Hulme					17
				Gordon Johncock										27
				Peter Revson					2		21			7
1972	McLaren M16A	Offenhauser 159 I4 t	G		PHX	TRE	INDY	MIL	MIC	POC	MIL	ONT	TRE	PHX
	McLaren M16A			Gordon Johncock		3
	McLaren M16B			Gordon Johncock			20		9	22		13	20
	McLaren M16B			Peter Revson			31			31		23
1973	McLaren M16C	Offenhauser 159 I4 t	G		TXS	TRE		INDY	MIL	POC	MIC	MIL	ONT			MIC		TRE	TXS	PHX
				Peter Revson				31		21					23
				Johnny Rutherford	4	15		9	5	5	2	18		1	31	3	1	4	2	DNQ
1974	McLaren M16C/D	Offenhauser 159 I4 t	G		ONT			PHX1	TRE1	INDY	MIL1	POC	MIC1	MIL2	MIC2	TRE2	TRE3	PHX2
				David Hobbs						5
				Johnny Rutherford		1	27	7	6	1	1	1	4	5	9	4	7	7
1975	McLaren M16E	Offenhauser 159 I4 t	G		ONT			PHX1	TRE1	INDY	MIL1	POC	MIC1	MIL2	MIC2	TRE2	PHX2
1975	McLaren M16E	Offenhauser 159 I4 t	G	Johnny Rutherford		2	17	1	2	2	3	6	6	13	2	3	11
1976	McLaren M16E	Offenhauser 159 I4 t	G		PHX1	TRE1	INDY	MIL1	POC	MIC1	TXS1	TRE2	MIL2	ONT	MIC2	TXS2	PHX2
1976	McLaren M16E	Offenhauser 159 I4 t	G	Johnny Rutherford	18	1	1	9	4	2	3	7	3	2	11	1	16
1977	McLaren M24	Cosworth DFX V8 t	G		ONT1	PHX1	TXS1	TRE	INDY	MIL1	POC	MOS	MIC1	TXS2	MIL2	ONT2	MIC2	PHX2
1977	McLaren M24	Cosworth DFX V8 t	G	Johnny Rutherford	25	1	4	8	33	1	5	9	3	1	1	24	2	22
1978	McLaren M24B	Cosworth DFX V8 t	G		PHX1	ONT1	TXS1	TRE1	INDY	MOS	MIL1	POC	MIC1	ATL	TXS2	MIL2	ONT2	MIC2	TRE2	SIL	BRH	PHX2
1978	McLaren M24B	Cosworth DFX V8 t	G	Johnny Rutherford	16	13	19	10	13	8	2	2	1	2	2	8	11	13	11	5	3	1
1979	McLaren M24B	Cosworth DFX V8 t	G		PHX	ATL		INDY	TRE		MCH		WGL	TRE	ONT	MCH	ATL	PHX
1979	McLaren M24B	Cosworth DFX V8 t	G	Johnny Rutherford	3	1	1	18	15	3	3	11	15	5	4	4	11	6
McLaren-Honda-Andretti
2017	Dallara DW12	Honda HI17TT V6 t	F		STP	LBH	ALA	PHX	IMS	INDY	DET		TEX	ROA	IOW	TOR	MDO	POC	GAT	WGL	SNM
2017	Dallara DW12	Honda HI17TT V6 t	F	Fernando Alonso						24
McLaren Racing
2019	Dallara DW12	Chevrolet V6 t	F		STP	COA	ALA	LBH	IMS	INDY	DET		TXS	RDA	TOR	IOW	MDO	POC	GTW	POR	LAG
2019	Dallara DW12	Chevrolet V6 t	F	Fernando Alonso						DNQ
Arrow McLaren SP
2020	Dallara DW12	Chevrolet V6 t	F		TEX	IMS	ROA		IOW		INDY	GTW		MDO		IMS		STP
				Patricio O'Ward	12	8	8	2*	4	12	6	3*	2	11	9	22	5	2
				Oliver Askew	9	26	15	21	3	6	30	14	17	19	15			16
				Hélio Castroneves												20	21
				Fernando Alonso							21
2021	Dallara DW12	Chevrolet V6 t	F		ALA	STP	TXS		IGP	INDY	DET		ROA	MDO	TOR	NSH	IND	GAT	POR	LAG	LBH
				Patricio O'Ward	4	19	3	1	15	4	3	1	9	8	13	5	2	14	5	27
				Felix Rosenqvist	21	12	13	16	17	27	25			23	8	13	16	6	19	13
				Oliver Askew								25
				Kevin Magnussen									24
				Juan Pablo Montoya					21	9
2022	Dallara DW12	Chevrolet V6 t	F		STP	TXS	LBH	ALA	IMS	INDY	DET	ROA	MDO	TOR	IOW		IMS	NSH	GAT	POR	LAG
				Patricio O'Ward	12	15	5	1	19	2	5	26	24	11	2	1	12	24	4	4	8
				Juan Pablo Montoya					24	11
				Felix Rosenqvist	17	21	11	16	6	4	10	6	27	3	26	7	9	7	16	10	4
Arrow McLaren
2023					STP	TXS	LBH	ALA	IMS	INDY	DET	ROA	MDO	TOR	IOW		NSH	IMS	GAT	POR	LAG
	Dallara DW12	Chevrolet IndyCar V6 t	F	Pato O'Ward	2	2	17	4	2	24*	26	3	8	8	3	10	8	3	2	4	9
				Felix Rosenqvist	19	26	7	9	5	27	3	20	25	10	13	4	22	27	8	2	19
				Alexander Rossi	4	22	22	8	3	5	5	10	10	16	10	15	19	5	4	20	7
				Tony Kanaan						16
2024					STP	THE	LBH	ALA	IMS	INDY	DET	ROA	LAG	MDO	IOW		TOR	GAT	POR	MIL		NSH
	Dallara DW12	Chevrolet IndyCar V6 t	F	Pato O'Ward	1	DNQ	16	23	13	2	7	8	8
				Callum Ilott	11	DNQ				11
				Théo Pourchaire			11	22	19		10	13
				Nolan Siegel									12
				Alexander Rossi	6	7	10	25	8	4	5	18	3
				Kyle Larson						18

In conjunction with Andretti Autosport.
In conjunction with Arrow Schmidt Peterson Motorsports.

Race Wins

#	Season	Date	Sanction	Track / Race	No.	Winning Driver	Chassis	Engine	Tire	Grid	Laps Led
1	1973	26 August	USAC	Ontario 500 Qualification Heat 2 (O)	7	Johnny Rutherford	McLaren M16C	Offenhauser	Goodyear	Pole	21
2	1973	16 September	USAC	Michigan Speedway Twin 125s #2 (O)	7	Johnny Rutherford (2)	McLaren M16C	Offenhauser	Goodyear	2	49
3	1974	3 March	USAC	Ontario 500 Qualification Heat 2 (O)	3	Johnny Rutherford (3)	McLaren M16C	Offenhauser	Goodyear	Pole	4
4		26 May	USAC	Indianapolis 500 (O)	3	Johnny Rutherford (4)	McLaren M16C	Offenhauser	Goodyear	25	122
5		9 June	USAC	Milwaukee Mile (O)	3	Johnny Rutherford (5)	McLaren M16C	Offenhauser	Goodyear	2	58
6		30 June	USAC	Pocono 500 (O)	3	Johnny Rutherford (6)	McLaren M16C	Offenhauser	Goodyear	25	122
7	1975	16 March	USAC	Phoenix International Raceway (O)	2	Johnny Rutherford (7)	McLaren M16C	Offenhauser	Goodyear	2	97
NC	1975	27 April	USAC	Trenton International Speedway (O)	2	Johnny Rutherford	McLaren M16C	Offenhauser	Goodyear	2	69
8	1976	2 May	USAC	Trenton International Speedway (O)	2	Johnny Rutherford (8)	McLaren M16C	Offenhauser	Goodyear	2	60
9		30 May	USAC	Indianapolis 500 (O)	2	Johnny Rutherford (9)	McLaren M16E	Offenhauser	Goodyear	Pole	48
10		31 October	USAC	Texas World Speedway (O)	2	Johnny Rutherford (10)	McLaren M16E	Offenhauser	Goodyear	6	9
11	1977	27 March	USAC	Phoenix International Raceway (O)	2	Johnny Rutherford (11)	McLaren M24	Cosworth DFX V8 t	Goodyear	Pole	51
12		12 June	USAC	Milwaukee Mile (O)	2	Johnny Rutherford (12)	McLaren M24	Cosworth DFX V8t	Goodyear	2	103
13		31 July	USAC	Texas World Speedway (O)	2	Johnny Rutherford (13)	McLaren M24	Cosworth DFX V8t	Goodyear	2	81
14		21 August	USAC	Milwaukee Mile (O)	2	Johnny Rutherford (14)	McLaren M24	Cosworth DFX V8t	Goodyear	3	29
15	1978	16 July	USAC	Michigan International Speedway (O)	4	Johnny Rutherford (15)	McLaren M24B	Cosworth DFX V8t	Goodyear	2	53
16	1978	28 October	USAC	Phoenix International Raceway (O)	4	Johnny Rutherford (16)	McLaren M24B	Cosworth DFX V8t	Goodyear	3	67
17	1979	22 April	CART	Atlanta Motor Speedway Race 1 (O)	4	Johnny Rutherford (17)	McLaren M24B	Cosworth DFX V8t	Goodyear	Pole	30
18	1979	22 April	CART	Atlanta Motor Speedway Race 2 (O)	4	Johnny Rutherford (18)	McLaren M24B	Cosworth DFX V8t	Goodyear	Pole	61
19	2021	2 May	IndyCar	Texas Motor Speedway (O)	5	Patricio O'Ward	Dallara UAK18	Chevrolet IndyCar V6 t	Firestone	4	25
20	2021	13 June	IndyCar	Belle Isle Street Circuit Race 2	5	Patricio O'Ward (2)	Dallara UAK18	Chevrolet IndyCar V6t	Firestone	16	3
21	2022	1 May	IndyCar	Indy Grand Prix of Alabama	5	Patricio O'Ward (3)	Dallara UAK18	Chevrolet IndyCar V6t	Firestone	2	27
22	2022	24 July	IndyCar	Hy-Vee Salute to Farmers 300 presented by Google	5	Patricio O'Ward (4)	Dallara UAK18	Chevrolet IndyCar V6t	Firestone	7	66
23	2024	10 March	IndyCar	Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg	5	Patricio O'Ward (5)	Dallara UAK18	Chevrolet IndyCar V6t	Firestone	3	-
24		7 July	IndyCar	Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course	5	Patricio O'Ward (6)	Dallara UAK18	Chevrolet IndyCar V6t	Firestone	2	24
25		31 August	IndyCar	Milwaukee Mile race 1 (O)	5	Patricio O'Ward (7)	Dallara UAK18	Chevrolet IndyCar V6t	Firestone	6	133

Extreme E Results

Racing Overview

Year	Name	Car	Tyres	No.	G.	Drivers	Rounds	Pts.	Pos.
2022	McLaren XE / NEOM McLaren Extreme E Team	Spark Odyssey 21	C	rowspan="2" \|58.	M	Tanner Foust	(1–5)	52	5th
2022	McLaren XE / NEOM McLaren Extreme E Team	Spark Odyssey 21	C	F	Emma Gilmour	(1–5)		52	5th
2023	NEOM McLaren Extreme E Team	Spark Odyssey 21	C	58.	M	Tanner Foust	(1–10)	68	8th
					F	Emma Gilmour	(1–7)
						Tamara Molinaro	(7–8)
						Hedda Hosås	(9–10)
2024	NEOM McLaren Extreme E Team	Spark Odyssey 21	C	58.	M	Mattias Ekström	(1–4)	46*	5th*
2024	NEOM McLaren Extreme E Team	Spark Odyssey 21	C	58.	F	Cristina Gutiérrez	(1–4)	46*	5th*

Racing Summary

Year	Series	Races	Pod.	S/S	Pts.	Pos.
2022	Extreme E	5	1	1	52	5th
2023	Extreme E	10	1	0	68	8th
2024	Extreme E	4	1	0	46*	5th*
Total		19	3	1	166	–

Complete Extreme E Results

(Races in bold indicate best qualifiers; races in italics indicate fastest super sector)

Year	Entrant	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	Pts.	Pos.
2022	McLaren XE / NEOM McLaren Extreme E Team	DES 5	ISL1 10	ISL2 6	COP 5	ENE 2						52	5th
2023	NEOM McLaren Extreme E Team	DES1 6	DES2 7	HYD1 8	HYD2 2	ISL-I1 7	ISL-I2 9	ISL-II1 10	ISL-II2 DNS	COP1 4	COP2 5	68	8th
2024	NEOM McLaren Extreme E Team	DES1 2	DES2 5	HYD1 8	HYD2 5	ISL-I1	ISL-I2	ISL-II1	ISL-II2	VAL	VAL	46*	5th*

Formula E Results

Year	Chassis	Powertrain	Tyres	No.	Drivers	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	Points	T.C.
NEOM McLaren Formula E Team
2022–23	Formula E Gen3	Nissan e-4ORCE 04	H			MEX	DRH		HYD	CAP	SAP	BER		MCO	JAK		POR	RME		LDN		88	8th
				5	Jake Hughes	5	8	5	Ret	10	8	Ret	18	5	10	Ret	18	DNS	11	10	19
				58	René Rast	Ret	5	3	Ret	4	9	17	13	17	15	15	14	Ret	13	14	12
2023–24	Formula E Gen3	Nissan e-4ORCE 04	H			MEX	DIR		SAP	TOK	MIS		MCO	BER		SHA		POR		LDN		101	7th
				5	Jake Hughes	7	11	4	Ret	14	13	8	16	15	12	16	2	21	Ret	Ret	10
				8	Sam Bird	14	4	Ret	1	19	Ret	10	WD			17	Ret	7	Ret	8	Ret
				8	Taylor Barnard								14	10	8
2024–25	Formula E Gen3 Evo	Nissan e-4ORCE 04	H			SAP	MEX	JED		MIA	MCO		TOK		SHA		JAK	BER		LDN		27*	1st*
				5	Taylor Barnard	3
				8	Sam Bird	4

Images for kids

The McLaren M1A sports car of 1964 was the team's first self-designed car. The 'B' version raced in Can-Am in the 1966 season.
McLaren M1B Spa 2010.JPG

McLaren M1B
The McLaren M2B, the team's first Formula One car
McLaren M4A
McLaren M5A
McLaren M6B
The McLaren M7A
McLaren M7B
McLaren M8B
McLaren M9A
McLaren M10
McLaren M12
McLaren M7C
McLaren M8C
McLaren M8D
McLaren M14A
McLaren M14D
McLaren M15
McLaren M8E
McLaren M8F
McLaren M16
McLaren M19A
McLaren M19C
McLaren M16B
McLaren M20
McLaren M21
McLaren M22
The McLaren M16C
The McLaren M23
McLaren M16C/D
McLaren M16E
McLaren M26
McLaren M24
McLaren M28
McLaren M29
McLaren M30
McLaren MP4
McLaren MP4B
McLaren MP4/1C
McLaren MP4/2
Alain Prost in the McLaren MP4/2B
McLaren MP4/2C
McLaren MP4/3
The McLaren MP4/4
McLaren MP4/5
McLaren MP4/5B
McLaren MP4/6
Ayrton Senna in the McLaren MP4/6B
McLaren MP4/7A
McLaren MP4/8
McLaren MP4/9
The McLaren F1 GTR
McLaren MP4/10
McLaren MP4/10B
McLaren MP4/11
McLaren MP4/12
McLaren MP4/13
McLaren MP4/14
McLaren MP4/15
McLaren MP4-16
McLaren MP4-17
McLaren MP4-17D
McLaren MP4-18
McLaren MP4-19
McLaren MP4-19B
McLaren MP4-20
McLaren MP4-21
McLaren MP4-22
Lewis Hamilton's 2008 McLaren MP4-23
McLaren MP4-24
McLaren MP4-25
McLaren MP4-26
McLaren 12C GT3
McLaren MP4-27
McLaren MP4-28
McLaren MP4-29
McLaren 650S GT3
McLaren MP4-30
McLaren P1 GTR
McLaren MP4-31
McLaren MCL32
McLaren MCL33
McLaren MCL34
McLaren MCL35
McLaren MCL35M
McLaren MCL36
McLaren MCL60
McLaren MCL38

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McLaren Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.