McLaren

Ayrton Senna joined the team in 1988 to become World Champion for the first time as McLaren-Hondas won all-but one race. That was at the start of a fractious period within the team for team-mates Senna and Prost were consumed in one of the fiercest rivalries in F1 history. Again, film makers would preserve a part of McLaren history in the documentary Senna – a compelling portrayal of the Brazilian and that rivalry.

With Senna and Prost gone, McLaren suffered during the mid-1990s before securing Mercedes-Benz engines and luring designer Adrian Newey from Williams. Mika Häkkinen delivered back-to-back titles in 1998 and 1999 although the 1998 constructors’ title remains its most recent such success.

There was promise at the beginning of the new century but it was embroiled in the damaging “Spygate” affair in 2007. More positive that year was the introduction of McLaren protégé Lewis Hamilton. The Englishman only lost the 2007 title by a point and snatched the following year’s World Championship in the closing moments of the final race.

Now housed in its futuristic McLaren Technology Centre and with an expanding road car operation, McLaren remains one of F1’s best-equipped teams. Dennis, who had handed responsibility or the F1 team to Martin Whitmarsh after the damaging 2007 campaign, returned as CEO. Believing a works engine partnership was required to compete for the World Championship once more, McLaren turned to Honda for power units in 2015 although the next three seasons were compromised by disappointing reliability and performance.

Dennis left before the 2017 season with American Zak Brown appointed to steer the team’s fortunes. An early move was to dissolve the Honda partnership at the end of 2017, with a customer agreement for Renault engines agreed for the next three years. The second year with the French concern saw signs of regeneration for Carlos Sainz was promoted to third in Brazil after Hamilton was penalised – McLaren’s first podium finish in five years – and it beat the works Renault team into fourth in the 2019 standings.

The team went one better in 2020, coming third in the table with a podium finish apiece for Lando Norris and Sainz. The Spaniard departs McLaren for Ferrari in 2021, with Daniel Ricciardo arriving to fill his place. This season also marks the return of Mercedes power, as McLaren looks to return to the race-winning pace of their earlier partnership.

In 2022, the team faced challenges with brake issues and inconsistent form, dropping to fifth place with only one podium, as Ferrari and Alpine overtook it in the standings.

The 2023 season started poorly due to regulatory impacts and leadership changes, but a major upgrade introduced at the Austrian Grand Prix sparked a remarkable turnaround, pushing McLaren back into regular podium finishes with Norris and rookie Oscar Piastri, ultimately finishing fourth and closing the gap to the top teams.

Building on that momentum, McLaren’s 2024 season marked a triumphant return to the top, culminating in its first constructors’ championship since 1998. Norris secured his maiden grand prix win in Miami and played a pivotal role in clinching the title, with Piastri also contributing several wins and podiums.

Under Andrea Stella’s leadership, McLaren focused on improving performance, aerodynamics, and mechanical grip, with key upgrades in Miami, the Netherlands, and the United States helping solidify the MCL38’s competitiveness.

The team finished 14 points clear of Ferrari and 77 ahead of Red Bull, signaling a new era of McLaren competitiveness and race-winning pace with Mercedes power.