After parting ways with Mercedes and later Honda, McLaren began using Mercedes power again in 2021. Young drivers like Lando Norris have brought fresh energy to the team. In 2013, McLaren launched the P1, a plug-in hybrid hypercar and spiritual successor to the F1.
It had a gold-lined engine bay for heat reflection, and the car could reach 240 mph, setting a production car speed record. Bruce McLaren established the Bruce McLaren Motor Racing team in 1963, initially competing in Formula 1. His vision was to create a car that could compete at the highest levels of motorsport, and he quickly found success with the McLaren M1 sports car in the Can-Am series. This early victory laid the groundwork for McLaren’s reputation as a formidable force in racing. Despite producing one of the most competitive lineups in the industry, McLaren’s focus is well and truly set on the brand’s future. With a new design style on the way, McLaren says that the new generation of performance cars will have ‘Performance by Design’ at the center of them.
It’s an approach that paved the way for hundreds of breathtaking victories on the track. In 1985, Ron Dennis founded McLaren Cars to create the ultimate road-going supercar. The result was the McLaren F1, unveiled in 1992 and widely considered one of the greatest supercars of all time.
The 650S, introduced in 2014, was an evolution of the 12C with sharper styling and improved performance. It was followed by the 720S in 2017, a major leap in design and capability. The 720S received widespread praise for its futuristic styling, blistering speed, and track-day prowess. In addition to Formula One, McLaren also saw success in the most prestigious race in American motorsport, the Indy 500. In 1972, McLaren won the Indy 500 with Mark Donohue at the wheel of the M16.
F1 GTR and Racing Success
Designed by Gordon Murray, the F1 featured a naturally aspirated BMW V12 engine, a central driving position, and a focus on lightweight engineering. In 2024, McLaren still competes at the very top of the performance car segment, producing some of the most refined sports/supercars on the market. The brand has FX choice Review recently released a string of limited production cars that have taken them to all new heights, most notably with the McLaren Senna and the McLaren Speedtail.
In 1984, Lauda was joined by Alain Prost, with Lauda taking the title despite Prost achieving more race wins. Prost went on to win the 1985 season, which was also Nicki Lauda’s last in the sport. After Hunt’s championship win, McLaren’s performance went downhill over the next few years. However, in 1980, the team merged with the Project 4 racing team, putting Ron Dennis at the helm.
- Just one year after becoming an official constructor, Bruce decided to leave the Cooper team to develop the first McLaren Formula 1 car.
- In 1970, Bruce McLaren tragically lost his life when testing at Goodwood.
- In 2010, McLaren launched the MP4-12C, its first new road car since the F1, marking a return to the supercar market.
- Powered by a 5.4L supercharged V8, the SLR was manufactured in Woking from 2003 to 2010.
Johnny Rutherford added two more Indy 500 wins to the tally, achieving victory in 1974 and 1976. Test driver Dani Marcos reveals what it means to shape a McLaren supercar from behind the wheel – tuning every detail until it all comes together. Discover how we pushed the W1 to balance its world-beating supercar performance with capability in the most challenging conditions. In 1999, McLaren agreed to design and manufacture the SLR (also known as P7) in conjunction with Mercedes-Benz.
Despite the two drivers being involved in an explosive battle over the next few years, they combined to win 15 out of 16 races in 1988 with the MP4/4. Throughout automotive history, very few brands are as iconic as McLaren. Being able to trace its roots back to the 1960s when Bruce McLaren launched his own racing team, the manufacturer has developed into one of the most advanced in the industry with an incredibly rich heritage. McLaren launched its current three-tier product structure in 2015, dividing their range of cars into the Sports, Super, and Ultimate Series. Cars in the Sports and Super Series are given names based on the car’s power output in PS, followed by a model designation (C for club, S for sport, GT for grand tourer and LT for longtail).
Available models
Bruce also won the 1969 Can-Am championship, with Hulme winning in 1968 and 1970. We pour every drop of our expertise into our cars to give you the most thrilling driving experience imaginable. McLaren’s strategy remains rooted in high-performance, lightweight vehicles, avoiding the trend toward high-volume SUVs. The brand appeals to purists and enthusiasts who value a driver-focused experience over mainstream luxury.
It was alive deep within him even as a 15-year-old schoolboy – driving him to rebuild an old Austin 7 from a box of bits, and compete in his first race.The passion for cars, for racing, had been ignited. Working his way up through club races in and around his native Auckland, Bruce’s skill took him to the pinnacle of motorsport – Formula 1™. The youngest-ever winner at the time.But driving alone wasn’t enough. Where the spirit of this warm, supremely talented man still inspires every car we build today. McLaren Automotive is a British manufacturer of high-performance sports cars and supercars, renowned for its engineering precision, Formula One heritage, and innovative automotive technologies.
Motorsport
McLaren pioneered the use of carbon fibre in motor racing with its new car, the MP4/1, bringing new levels of rigidity and driver safety to Formula 1. In August 1988, Dennis, Team Principal and Gordon Murray started to develop a new car and in 1992, the F1 was launched with a total production run of just 106 units. McLaren’s origins trace back to Bruce McLaren, a New Zealand-born racing driver, engineer, and visionary. In 1963, Bruce founded Bruce McLaren Motor Racing Ltd with the goal of designing and building racing cars that could compete in the highest echelons of motorsport. In Formula 1, the team continued to excel, capturing more championships with drivers like Mika Häkkinen. The introduction of the MP4/13 in 1998 marked another successful chapter, as Häkkinen clinched back-to-back titles.
One Of The Greatest Runs In Formula One History
Bruce’s innovative approach to car design and deep understanding of racing helped establish McLaren as a formidable force in motorsport. Tragically, Bruce died in a testing accident at Goodwood in 1970, but his legacy continued to shape the company. In 1966, McLaren introduced the M6A, a car that would dominate the Can-Am series, showcasing the company’s engineering prowess. Following the successful 2013 season, McLaren GT expanded its customer support with the competitive debut for the 12C GT3 car in the Pirelli World Challenge championship in North America. While the road car division has flourished, McLaren’s F1 team has faced ups and downs in recent decades.
In his very first season, Bruce McLaren won the 1959 US Grand Prix, becoming the youngest driver of all time to win a race (a record that is now held by Max Verstappen). In the same year, Bruce would go on to win three more races with the Cooper team. As soon as Bruce McLaren arrived in the UK, he proved his abilities behind the wheel in Formula One, the pinnacle of motorsport. He had one of the best possible mentors in Jack Brabham, who introduced McLaren to the London-based Cooper Car Company. McLaren would race for the team in F2 in 1958 before stepping up to F1 in 1959.
- Senna, in particular, became synonymous with McLaren, winning three World Championships with the team.
- The brand has recently released a string of limited production cars that have taken them to all new heights, most notably with the McLaren Senna and the McLaren Speedtail.
- The best way to know McLaren, is to understand the cars that define who we are…
- Further cars include the 750S, which subsequently led to the mighty 765LT that’s available today, along with the 540C, 570S, 675LT, and 600LT.
A total of 19 McLaren GT customer teams contested the 2013 season, entering 108 races across 15 championships globally. In total, the teams claimed 27 pole positions, 23 victories, a further 39 podium finishes and three championship titles. McLaren also developed limited-run track-focused models like the 600LT, 675LT, and the Senna, each offering increased performance, reduced weight, and enhanced aerodynamics. The Senna, in particular, was designed to be the ultimate track car with road-legal status, named in tribute to the legendary Ayrton Senna. In 2010, McLaren Automotive was officially established as a separate entity from the Formula One team. The goal was to create a line of McLaren-branded road cars using in-house technology, without depending on partnerships.
The most recent F1 world champion is Lewis Hamilton, who won the title on the last lap of the last race in 2008, one year after his debut with the team. McLaren’s current lineup consists of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, one of the strongest pairings on the 2024 grid. One of the most iconic luxury supercar and Formula 1 names is set to finalize a deal that hands over sole ownership to a known investor.
Partnership with Honda and Iconic Drivers
The structure was expanded to include the GT Series with the release of the McLaren GT in 2019. The Artura is built on an all-new, lightweight carbon fiber platform developed to accommodate hybrid and electric technologies. McLaren plans to use this architecture for its next generation of vehicles. With drivers such as Alain Prost and Ayrton Senna, and powered by Honda engines, the team dominated F1.
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