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Front Runners

McLaren

Innovation, sharpened by competition.

United Kingdom · Based at the McLaren Technology Centre in Woking, United Kingdom.

The Story

McLaren was founded by New Zealand driver Bruce McLaren in 1963 and entered Formula 1 in 1966. Bruce died testing a Can-Am car in 1970, but the team he built continued under Teddy Mayer.

Under Ron Dennis from 1981, McLaren became a technical pacesetter: the MP4/1 introduced the carbon fibre monocoque, and the Honda-powered late-1980s cars of Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost dominated the sport.

After championships with Mika Häkkinen and Lewis Hamilton, the team went through a long rebuild and returned to the front of the grid in the 2020s, winning the constructors' championship in 2024.

Legendary Figures

Bruce McLaren

Founder and driver

Started the team in 1963 and gave it the engineering-led culture that still defines it.

Ayrton Senna

Driver, 1988–1993

Won all three of his world championships with McLaren and became the team's most iconic driver.

Alain Prost

Driver, 1984–1989

Won three titles with McLaren and formed one of the sport's most intense rivalries with Senna.

Ron Dennis

Team Principal, 1981–2009

Professionalised the team and drove the technical programme behind its most successful decades.

Key Moments

  1. 1966

    First Grand Prix entry

    Bruce McLaren started the team's F1 story as a driver-owner.

  2. 1981

    Carbon fibre monocoque

    The MP4/1 changed how every F1 car is built.

  3. 1988

    Senna and Prost dominate

    The MP4/4 won 15 of the season's 16 races.

  4. 1998

    Häkkinen's first title

    Returned McLaren to the top after a lean mid-1990s.

  5. 2024

    Constructors' championship

    Completed the team's long rebuild back to the front.

2026 Line-up

4

Lando Norris

British

A McLaren junior who has driven for the team since 2019 and became world champion in 2025.

81

Oscar Piastri

Australian

Joined McLaren in 2023 after winning titles in Formula Renault, Formula 3 and Formula 2.

Team Facts

Founded
1963
First F1 season
1966
Headquarters
Woking, United Kingdom
Known for
Introducing the carbon fibre chassis in 1981