Jordan's Track Talk

Tag: McLaren Racing

  • R6 – Miami

    Oscar Piastri has strengthened his lead in the World Championship by clinching his fourth victory of the season at the Miami Grand Prix, the Australian leading home team mate Lando Norris making it a 1-2 for McLaren.

    While Max Verstappen initially led away from pole, a battle with Norris saw the Briton run wide and drop down the order – letting Kimi Antonelli and Piastri through in the process.
    But as the laps ticked down – and Piastri overtook the Mercedes – Verstappen soon found himself under increasing pressure from the championship leader.

    After Piastri eventually found a way past, a recovering Norris subsequently followed through into second, allowing the papaya cars to build up a sizeable gap at the front.

    The full top 10 are – P1: Piastri, P2: Norris, P3: Russell, P4: Verstappen, P5: Albon, P6: Antonelli, P7: Leclerc, P8: Hamilton, P9: Sainz and P10: Tsunoda.

    What a result for McLaren! A 1-2 for the papaya team, which is what they would’ve been aiming for, maybe not the order they expected but you’d rather it be your teammate than a rival.
    But one thing I will say is that Piastri has got pace this season, he is unstoppable at the moment, and if he carries on producing these results he will be a championship contender.

    P3 for Russell! What a great result for the Mercedes driver, especially after his struggles this weekend, he came through the other side and managed to get the podium finish.
    As for Antonelli, he finished 6th, expected a little more from him to be honest, but still a very good weekend for the young driver.

    P4 for Verstappen, a good result, however I did expect a podium from the Dutch driver, he was close to grabbing third from Russell towards the end of the race but it just wasn’t enough.
    As for Tsunoda, he finished the race in 10th, a point for Japanese driver, I did expect more from him to be fair and it’s a shame he wasn’t higher up in the points.

    Now onto Williams, P5 for Albon! Beating a Mercedes, two Ferrari’s and a Red Bull! WOW, what a points haul aswell for Williams, it really is great to see them on the up.

    A bit of a tough race for Ferrari, P7 for Leclerc and P8 for Hamilton, the latter having a somewhat disagreement on the radio with team orders, and in the end I think both drivers lost out on securing more points for the team.

    Now onto the next race weekend, we have another weeks break and then we have another triple header where our first stop will be Italy for the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix!

  • R5 – Saudi Arabia

    Oscar Piastri has picked up his third win of the season with an assured drive to victory in the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, the Australian driver becoming the new Drivers’ Championship leader in the process.

    There was early drama as the race got underway, with pole sitter Max Verstappen and second-placed Piastri going wheel-to-wheel before Verstappen cut the apex into the first corner.
    While the Dutchman initially held the lead, a five second time penalty for the manoeuvre saw him drop behind the McLaren man after serving the penalty at his pit stop.

    Lando Norris – embarked on a recovery drive from P10 – inherited the lead for some time as the frontrunners pitted, with the Briton having opted for a longer first stint by starting on the hard tyres.
    But Piastri took over P1 when his team mate stopped for medium rubber, the 24 year old going on to eke out an advantage at the front.

    The full top 10 are- P1: Piastri, P2: Verstappen, P3: Leclerc, P4: Norris, P5: Russell, P6: Antonelli, P7: Hamilton, P8: Sainz, P9: Albon and P10: Hadjar.

    What a result from Piastri! His third win of the season, and he did it in great style, cool, calm and collected! The Australian driver had such a strong weekend, he will be looking forward to the next race to continue this momentum.
    As for Lando Norris, P4, just narrowly missing out on a podium but a good recovery drive from the Brit.

    A decent drive from Verstappen, a shame he couldn’t grab the win but going up against the McLaren it has got a lot more race pace than the Red Bull, plus he had a 5 second penalty from the incident with Piastri so that didn’t help his chances.
    As for his teammate, Yuki Tsunoda, it was a day to forget… On Lap 1 he collided with his former team mate Gasly as both drivers hit the wall.
    While Gasly was out of the running in the Alpine, Tsunoda managed to limp back to the pits but it was quickly confirmed that he was out of the race.

    Now onto the final podium finisher, Charles Leclerc, what a race for him! The first podium of the year for Ferrari (apart from the Sprint) a lovely drive from the Monegasque. They seemed to have pace this weekend, more than the Mercedes team.
    As for Hamilton he finished 7th, not the best but not the worst and he still scored points. It seems when he switched to the hard tyres he struggled on them which is no surprise as he has had this problem before.

    Now onto the Mercedes drivers, 5th for Russell and 6th for Antonelli, not amazing from the Silver Arrows but there pace this weekend just wasn’t their to battle for podiums.

    Double points for Williams! 8th for Sainz, his best finish in the Williams car so far. And 9th for Albono, overall a good weekend for the team, which they will be hoping for more of.

    And our final points scorer is Isack Hadjar in 10th, the rookie is flying so far, another points finish.

    Now the next race we have a little wait now, which is the 4th May and were headed to Miami for Round 6!

  • R4 – Bahrain

    Oscar Piastri has become the first multiple race winner of the 2025 season by taking a sublime victory in the Bahrain Grand Prix, the Australian driver putting in a cool and collected drive to seal P1 on his 50th start in F1 as well as marking McLaren’s first triumph in Sakhir.

    After making a strong start from pole position – despite a close call from George Russell when the Mercedes driver locked up into Turn 1 – Piastri built a solid lead throughout the laps that followed.

    While there was early trouble for team mate Lando Norris – who was hit with a five second time penalty for being out of position in his grid box – the McLarens again looked impressive as the race played out with the Brit working his way forwards.

    And while the Australian’s position potentially looked under threat when a Safety Car emerged, the 24 year old made a clean getaway at the restart and went on to rebuild a gap in the laps that followed, eventually crossing the line with a 15 second lead.

    The full top 10 are- P1: Piastri, P2: Russell, P3: Norris, P4: Leclerc, P5: Hamilton, P6: Verstappen, P7: Gasly, P8: Ocon, P9: Tsunoda and P10: Bearman.

    What a drive from Oscar Piastri, that was such a strong drive from the Australian and a thoroughly deserved win! As for Norris, he bounced back from qualifying 6th to finish on the podium, I think he would’ve got 2nd if he didn’t have the 5 second penalty.

    P2 for Russell, a lovely result from the Mercedes man! Another podium added to his tally which makes three podiums out of four races, making it his best ever start to a season. As for his teammate Antonelli finished just outside of the points in P11, during the race he was running in the points so hard luck for the rookie to not get any.

    A good result for Ferrari, 4th for Leclerc and 5th for Hamilton. Unlucky for Leclerc to just miss out on the podium but the Ferrari is no match for the McLaren just yet… But it is still a good points haul for both drivers! I’m sure the podiums will come soon enough.

    P6 for Verstappen, not the best result for the Dutch man, but he had a bit of a rubbish weekend. He struggled with the car a lot and it didn’t help that he had issues at both of his pit stops either. As for Tsunoda he finished ninth, first points for the Japanese driver in the Red Bull team.

    P7 for the GAS Man, points on the board for the Alpine driver! Which is deserved after such a strong weekend for the team. This now means all teams have scored points already this season.

    A double points finish for Haas, which is good to see, this now boosts the team up to 5th in the Constructors. So the team will be wanting to score as many points as possible as the constructors is very close.

    Now for the next race week, we are on our third week of the triple header, where we head to Saudi Arabia for Round 5 of 24!

  • R4 – Bahrain Qualifying

    McLaren driver, Oscar Piastri grabbed pole position during Qualifying for the Bahrain Grand Prix, getting the better of Mercedes rival George Russell and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc in a thrilling conclusion.

    Practice pace-setter McLaren had been in control through the Q1 and Q2 phases but had to work hard to remain at the top of the timesheets in Q3 – Piastri’s final 1m 29.841s lap putting him a couple of tenths up on Russell. Leclerc was another tenth and a half back in third.

    The full top 10 are- Pole: Piastri, P2: Russell, P3: Leclerc, P4: Antonelli, P5: Gasly, P6: Norris, P7: Verstappen, P8: Sainz, P9: Hamilton and P10: Tsunoda.

    What a lovely result from Piastri! Pole for the McLaren man, just what he would’ve wanted as he will be looking to grab his second win of the season.
    As for Norris, a bit of a shocker in 6th, however, he hasn’t lost out too much as he will be lining up next to Verstappen…

    P2 and P4 for the Mercedes boys! A really strong finish from Russell and Antonelli, it is a track both drivers know well. However, they are going to be investigated after qualifying for a potential rule breach.

    P3 for Leclerc, a much better result from the Monegasque and Ferrari, hopefully they can keep up the good result and turn it into a good points haul / a podium.
    As for Hamilton, he qualified, 9th, a semi-decent result for the Brit, could’ve been better for sure, especially as Leclerc qualified third but a decent result.

    A mixed result for Red Bull, Verstappen 7th, he was complaining about brake issues throughout the session. As for Tsunoda he qualified 10th, not too bad, but a position where he can improve and grab some points.

    P8 for Carlos Sainz, a lovely result for the Spanish driver, his best result in the Williams so far! Hopefully he can get some points this weekend.

    One driver I haven’t mentioned is Mr Pierre Gaslyyyy, putting his Alpine in P5! A lovely result from him and the team, they definitely seem to have improved from last season. Hopefully a good points haul from the Frenchman to help in the Constructors.

  • Piastri agrees new multi-year deal with McLaren

    McLaren and Oscar Piastri have agreed a new multi-year contract extension that the British team say will keep the Australian driver with them “for the long term”.

    Piastri joined McLaren ahead of the 2023 season on a multi-year contract and extended that arrangement after just 15 races of his debut campaign with the team to at least the end of of 2026.

    He continued to thrive at McLaren in only his second season, where he won two Grands Prix and scored another six podiums as well as achieving a Sprint win to earn another new deal.

    The 23 year old was the only driver to complete every racing lap of the 2024 season, and went on to finish a career-best fourth in the Drivers’ Championship, which also played a key role in the team securing the Teams’ title for the first time since 1998.

    This now means that McLaren have secured impressive stability through multi-year contract extensions with Brown, Stella, Norris and Piastri as well as several senior team members in recent times.

    It’s a great feeling knowing that I’m part of McLaren’s long-term vision. The team had the belief in me when we signed in 2022, and the journey we’ve gone on over the past two seasons to help return McLaren to the very top of the sport has been incredible. There are so many talented and special people working at MTC who have helped me to become a Formula 1 race winner very early in my career. Therefore, I’m very proud to be continuing to represent this legendary team for many years to come. I’m excited to fight for the big prizes as a McLaren driver and after last year’s fantastic achievements, it has made me even hungrier to stay at the sharp end.
    Piastri on the news.

    It’s fantastic to confirm Oscar’s extension with McLaren. Not only is he an incredibly talented driver, but his work ethic and cultural fit within the team made it a no-brainer to extend his time in papaya. We’ve got the best driver line-up on the grid, and in the past two seasons, we’ve seen how much of an asset to the team Oscar is both on and off track. He was absolutely fundamental in adding to our legacy with the 2024 Constructors’ Championship last season, so we’re all excited to see what we can do in the years to come as we continue to fight for World Championships together.
    Zak Brown, McLaren CEO.

    Further extending our partnership with Oscar is a symbol of our belief and trust in him as a driver, as well as a reflection of our shared ambition to continue in our fight for Championships together. It has been a pleasure working with Oscar throughout the past two seasons and he has continued to prove how impressive he is in terms of his talent, determination and work ethic as a driver and his contribution to our team and culture as a person. Alongside Lando, we have what we need locked in for the long term to keep pushing forward. I look forward to continuing to watch Oscar grow and develop as a driver and know that many successes lie ahead for him.
    Andrea Stella, Team Principal.

  • R1 – Australia

    Lando Norris converted pole position into a hard-fought win during the 2025 season-opening Australian Grand Prix, which featured mixed weather conditions, multiple crashes, Safety Cars and a late-race downpour that caused huge drama.

    Norris controlled the early stages of Sunday’s encounter from McLaren team mate Oscar Piastri and Red Bull’s Max Verstappen on a sodden track, before improving conditions enabled a switch to slick tyres over the second half.

    However, shortly after the field had ditched their intermediates, another patch of heavier rain soaked the circuit once more, dramatically sending both McLaren’s onto the grass and bringing most drivers immediately back into the pits for suitable rubber.

    While Norris managed to gather his car and head into the pit lane, Piastri spun off at the penultimate corner and lost a heap of time trying to recover the situation – a chain of events that released reigning World Champion Verstappen into the lead.

    The full top 10 are- P1: Norris, P2: Verstappen, P3: Russell, P4: Antonelli, P5: Albon, P6: Stroll, P7: Hulkenberg, P8: Leclerc, P9: Piastri and P10: Hamilton.

    It all started before the race even started, during the formation lap, Isack Hadjar lost control of his Racing Bulls car at the exit of Turn 1 which saw him go into the barriers and out of the race. It was so disappointing for the rookie and it would’ve been interesting to see if he could’ve grabbed points after qualifying 11th/

    What a lovely result for Norris, the best way to start the season with a race win. A really dominant weekend from Norris and McLaren. It all went wrong when it started raining again and both drivers went off track and over the grass at Turn 12 – which then Piastri ended up rearwards in Turn 13 run off. Gutting for Piastri as it was looking like a 1-2 for the team, but the Australian driver will bounce back.

    A lovely result for Max, P2, first race of the season. He was quite close to Norris, but McLaren just seemed to have that edge over Red Bull. As for Verstappen’s teammate, Liam Lawson, he DNF at Turn 2 when the rain intensified.

    A great result for Mercedes, Russell in P3 and Antonelli P4. The best team from the race, as they had both drivers in the points and the closest team mates. Antonelli is the best rookie of the weekend with a P4 finish and it makes him the second youngest driver to score points on debut!

    A lovely result from Alex Albon, P5! We all had a feeling that Williams would be up there especially because of their qualifying result but a lovely points haul for the team. For his teammate, Carlos Sainz, he had a DNF, during the Safety Car period Sainz crashed through the final corner – he reported a “massive power surge”.

    A great result for Nico Hulkenberg for Stake. They have now got more points in one race compared to last season overall, which they will be thrilled about.

    As for Ferrari, they had a bit of a shocker, they just didn’t seem to have much pace in the wet and they did mess up there strategy when it started raining, they thought they’d stay out which is a big gamble but the rain was just coming down so heavy so they ended up having to pit after everyone, which pushed them down the order.
    They did manage to grab points for both drivers, but both Leclerc and Hamilton would’ve wanted more…

    Now, onto Round 2! We are going to China, which is this week so we don’t have too long to wait for more racing and it is the first sprint race weekend of the year!

  • R1 – Australia Qualifying

    Lando Norris surged to pole position for the season-opening Australian Grand Prix, the McLaren driver having just edged out teammate Oscar Piastri by 0.048s to secure a front row lockout for the reigning Teams’ Champions.

    After Max Verstappen had initially secured provisional pole during the first runs of Q3, Piastri thrilled the crowd at his home event by stunningly beating that effort by four tenths. But the Australian did not keep P1 for long, as Norris went even faster.

    The full top 10 are- Pole: Norris, P2: Piastri, P3: Verstappen, P4: Russell, P5: Tsunoda, P6: Albon, P7: Leclerc, P8: Hamilton, P9: Gasly and P10: Sainz.

    What a result from McLaren, starting off where they finished last year! To have both drivers in the top 2 is the best result for the first race weekend of the year.
    Gutting for Piastri to not be on pole position, but I have no doubt he will be in the fight for the race win…

    A good result for Verstappen and Russell! It’s interesting that there lining up on the same row… especially as both of their teammates are further down the grid, so they do not have them to rely on for helping with pit stops etc.

    What a result from Yuki Tsunoda! P5! That was very surprising but it was a welcomed surprise. His teammate Isack Hadjar qualified 11th, the highest rookie position and just slightly missing out on Q3!
    It will be interesting to see how the Racing Bull cars get on in the next few races and keep up the very good results.

    A lovely qualifying for Alex Albon, P6 for the Williams man. Such an improvement compared to last year and to be honest its great to see! Hopefully they can mirror a points finish for the team. As for Albon’s teammate, Carlos Sainz, a decent result in P10, he seems to have got quite comfortable quite quickly which is good to see.

    A decent result for Ferrari, 7th for Leclerc and 8th for Hamilton, it could’ve been better for both drivers. But still a decent result at least they are in the top 10 and you can overtake here in Australia so they could make up some positions in the race.

  • Alunni Bravi to join McLaren ahead of 2025 season

    Former Kick Sauber Team Representative Alessandro Alunni Bravi will be joining McLaren Racing as their new Chief Business Affairs Officer.

    In the newly created position, which he started on the 1st February, Alunni Bravi will provide executive leadership skills “across a range of McLaren Racing business matters, including legal, driver development, commercial, driver contract management and rights holders/governing body management”.

    He will also take over the running of McLaren’s Driver Development programme, which transitions across from Stephanie Carlin, who is assuming additional responsibilities within the F1 outfit run by Team Principal, Andrea Stella.

    Alunni Bravi, who will report directly to CEO Zak Brown and sit as part of the McLaren Racing Executive Team, brings more than two decades of motorsport and business leadership experience to the squad, most recently at Kick Sauber.

    The Italian served as Managing Director of the Sauber Group and Team Representative for Kick Sauber, adding to previous leadership roles with racing teams and companies such as ART Grand Prix, Trident Racing and SPARK Racing Technology.

    I’m delighted to have Alessandro joining us with his extensive expertise and motorsport background. Alongside managing our legal and driver development functions, he will also provide invaluable support on all professional driver business management matters, racing governance activities across our various rights holders and governing body relationships and broad business support to all our racing series as needed.
    Brown on the news.

    McLaren is a team I have been a huge fan of my whole life, and it therefore sparks special emotions personally to have the opportunity to now work with such an amazing group of people. I’m so grateful to be joining such a great organisation with the values and culture that are so clear to see from the outside. I want to reward the trust and confidence that Zak and the Board have put in me by giving my full dedication and effort to help contribute to the continued success, as I believe teamwork is key to everything. I am so happy to be joining a team that I truly believe sets the benchmark in F1 both on and off the track, and I can’t wait to get started at the beginning of February.
    Alunni Bravi on the news.

  • RW 24 – Abu Dhabi

    Lando Norris has brought the 2024 season to a close in style by winning the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in dominant form, the Brit put in an assured drive to claim victory and also help McLaren to clinch their first constructors’ championship since 1988.

    It was a strong start to the race for pole-sitter Norris amid chaos behind him with Verstappen and Piastri making contact in a battle for second, which saw the four time champion receive a penalty and Piastri drop down the order.

    And while various other fights played out across the field – which saw a solid performance from McLaren’s title rivals Ferrari – Norris kept a cool head up front to triumph, taking the chequered flag by five seconds from former team mate Carlos Sainz, which confirmed that the constructors’ crown has gone to the papaya squad.

    The full top 10 are- P1: Norris, P2: Sainz, P3: Leclerc, P4: Hamilton, P5: Russell, P6: Verstappen, P7: Gasly, P8: Hulkenberg, P9: Alonso and P10: Piastri.

    WOW, what a result for Mr Lando Norris, a very dominant drive to the chequered flag, and what a way to end the season! It confirmed that McLaren is officially the Constructors’ Champions after a very long wait to be number one again! And I have to say I believe the best team one, the most consistent with BOTH drivers always wanting to score as many points as possible and the strategy has nine times out of ten always been perfect – so in my eyes it’s fully deserved!

    A very good result for Ferrari, a double podium to close out the season, just falling short of the Constructors’ however, they should still be proud of what they’ve achieved this year as it’s not an easy thing to compete for.
    Obviously the race meant it was Carlos Sainz last race in Red and what a few years it’s been with the Spanish driver, 4 wins, 6 poles and 25 podiums all in four years!

    Now onto Mercedes, what a recovery drive for Sir Lewis Hamilton, P4! Now that’s a Champions drive coming from the back to P4, it was a shame he just missed out on a podium however he’d be proud of what he done. It was his last race in Mercedes and I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t emotional because I am… It’s sad to see such an iconic partnership part ways after so long however all good things just come to an end and I can’t wait to see Hamilton in red!
    As for George, its been a pretty decent season, he ended the race in 5th – obviously the car has been a bit temperamental this season so I think if they iron out a few problems, next year they will be battling for more wins, podiums, poles etc!

    A bit of a meh result for Verstappen, P6, it definitely could’ve been better but with penalties and faster cars you’ve gotta pick and choose your battles wisely and he had already secured the Drivers’ championship.
    As for his teammate, was this his last race in Red Bull colours? Sergio Perez suffered a spin on lap 1 following contact with Bottas and could no longer continue. It’s definitely been a shocker of a season for the Mexican driver and his had a big part to play in with Red Bull not retaining their Constructors’ crown and finishing third overall!

    A decent result for Gasly, P7! That result secure Alpine P6 in the Constructors’ championship after a long and hard season for the team. Doohan had a decent race with the team, he did finish 15th but he stayed out of trouble and got some mileage under his belt before his first season in F1 next year.

    It feels incredible, not for myself but for the whole team. The team have done an amazing job this year to come from where we were at the beginning. I’m so proud of everyone – it’s been a lovely journey, and to end the season like this is perfect, so just a congrats and big thank you to everyone in McLaren, everyone in papaya, everyone who supported us this year because it’s been a tough one. For us to win a constructors’ after 26 years is pretty special.
    Norris on the win.

    Now the race is over, there’s still cars returning to the Yas Marina Circuit next week for post-season testing on December 10th.

  • RW 24 – Abu Dhabi Qualifying

    Lando Norris will be starting from pole position for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, the Brit leading teammate Oscar Piastri to secure a McLaren front row lockout on a weekend where the team are hoping to clinch the Constructors’ title.

    After Max Verstappen initially set a time strong enough for provisional pole during the first runs of Q3, it was Norris who surged ahead during the decisive final laps on an effort of 1m 22.595s, putting him 0.209s clear of Piastri.

    The full top 10 are- Pole: Norris, P2: Piastri, P3: Sainz, P4: Hulkenberg, P5: Verstappen, P6: Gasly, P7: Russell, P8: Alonso, P9: Bottas and P10: Perez.

    However, Hulkenberg has received a three place grid drop for failing to follow the race director’s instructions by overtaking two cars on the pit exit road.
    He is now demoted to seventh, meaning Verstappen is fourth, Gasly 5th and Russell 6th. However it’s still a good result for the team and his main target is Gasly and Alpine as there are only 5 points between them in the Constructors.

    What a lovely result for McLaren, Norris on pole and Piastri second, this is what the team would’ve of wanted going into the weekend, having both drivers in those positions will help massively with the Constructors’ all they can hope is that they score enough to win it!

    As for Ferrari, they’ve had a good result with Sainz in P3 so he is their main contender to score points for the team. As Charles Leclerc has got a 10 place grid penalty so will be starting the race from 19th, so the Monegasque driver will have a lot of work to do to grab some points for the team in an all important battle.

    A decent result for Verstappen, even though he has the championship wrapped up he would like to finish the season on a high and grab a decent result! His teammate, Sergio Perez qualified 10th which obviously isn’t the best as it’s middle of the pack but I suppose its not the worst position this year for him.

    A bit of a mixed qualifying for Mercedes, P7 for Russell, not the best result but not the worst he could still get some good points for Mercedes.
    As for Hamilton, it was a bit of a shocker, qualifying 18th, but after some penalties, he starts 16th. This was due to hitting a loose bollard that had been knocked onto the track by Magnussen.

    A perfect day for us. Probably a little bit tougher than we were hoping for – we’ve been very quick all weekend so we’re pleased with a 1-2, but it was just a bit trickier than what we would have liked. My lap in the end was strong, and just how we wanted to end today.
    Norris on pole position.

  • RW 19 – United States Qualifying

    Lando Norris has grabbed pole position for the United States Grand Prix, with the McLaren driver’s solid first effort in Q3 ultimately unable to be beaten as the session was brought to an early end following a crash.

    Norris had initially taken P1 during the opening runs with his effort of 1m32.330s, disrupting Max Verstappen’s run at the top through Q1 and Q2.
    And while the Brit’s second lap was slower, nobody was able to improve when the double yellows made an appearance due to Russell who hit the wall at Turn 19.

    That confirmed Norris is on pole, with Verstappen 0.031s back in second and Carlos Sainz for Ferrari rounded out the top three.

    The full top 10 are- Pole: Norris, P2: Verstappen, P3: Sainz, P4: Leclerc, P5: Piastri, P6: Russell, P7: Gasly, P8: Alonso, P9: Magnussen and P10: Perez.

    A lovely result for Norris, a lot better than Friday’s qualifying. I know Norris said he feels lucky, but luck does play a part in F1, so I think he should be happy about it, as it is the best place for him.
    For his teammate a much better position, Piastri has qualified P5, a decent qualifying for the Australian.

    Obviously a good result for Verstappen, it is definitely one of his better weekends of recently, he will want this win today so it’s just a wait and see what happens tonight…
    Perez had a slightly better qualifying, but still not amazing he will be starting P10, right smack bang in the middle of it all.

    Another good qualifying for the Ferrari duo, P3 for Sainz and P4 Leclerc. I feel like this weekend they are the team which has got it all together, both drivers are qualifying well, and they scored double points in the Sprint. Let’s hope the team’s strategy is good, so they can grab a podium.

    A bit of a 50/50 qualifying for Mercedes, Hamilton was out in Q1 and will be starting 18th, which was a bit of a shocker but I have a feeling he is a man on a mission this race. And for George he qualified P6 which isn’t bad, however he ended qualifying early by crashing out, which isn’t the best.

    A decent result for Gasly, P7 for Alpine, which is a lovely step forward! Now the team needs to have the right strategy for Gasly to score some points.

    Another good result from Magnussen for Haas this weekend, the team will be wanting to score more points for the constructors’ championship.

    It was a beautiful lap. I was not going to go much quicker than what I did. You know when you just do a lap and you think it’s going to be tough to beat that, but I put everything out on the line. It’s all we needed to do. We’ve been on the back foot pretty much the whole weekend. We’ve not had the pace of the Ferraris or the Red Bulls so I had to do something, and today I did that. A cool lap and a nice way to start the race tomorrow.
    Norris on pole position.

  • McLaren sign Will Courtenay from Red Bull

    McLaren have announced the signing of Red Bull’s Head of Strategy, Will Courtenay as their new Sporting Director.

    Courtenay will be leaving Red Bull after two decades with the team, having joined them when they raced as Jaguar before the operation was brought by the energy drinks firm.

    His signing is part of McLaren’s strengthening of their senior leadership team, with Courtenay set to report into Racing Director Randeep Singh.

    But McLaren will have to wait a little under two years for Courtenay to join, though with Red Bull saying he “continues to be part of their team seeing out his contract until mid-2026”.

    Courtenay is the third senior member of staff to choose to leave Red Bull in the last six months.
    Design guru Adrian Newey is set to leave to become Managing Technical Partner at Aston Martin while Sporting Director Jonathan Wheatley is to become Team Principal at Audi next season.

    Red Bull has since restructured the team following Wheatley’s departure, with a series of changes headlined by Verstappen’s race engineer Giapiero Lambiase becoming Head of Racing.

    Courtenay will now team up with former Red Bull colleague Rob Marshall at McLaren, with Marshall as chief designer.

    We are delighted to welcome Will to McLaren. His experience, professionalism and passion for motorsport make him the ideal candidate to lead our F1 sporting function. We are now entering a key phase in our journey as a team, and we are confident that he will be a great addition to our strong leadership team as we strive to continue challenging for wins and championships.
    Andrea Stella, Team Principal on the news.

  • Pato O’Ward gets FP1 drive

    McLaren reserve driver Pato O’Ward will be getting behind the wheel of the MCL38 in front of his home crowd during FP1 at the Mexico City Grand Prix.

    The Mexican driver – who has been dovetailing his role as reserve with his driving duties for Arrow McLaren in IndyCar – will be getting the opportunity due to F1 teams being required to run a young driver in two FP1 sessions per season.

    O’Ward, who earned promotion to McLaren’s reserve driver pool for the 2024 season, has had experience of F1 machinery before having taken part in several development tests in the team’s 2021 car.

    The 25 year old has also driven in the 2021 young driver test in Abu Dhabi and also drove in FP1 at both the 2022 and 2023 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix weekends.

    The Mexican finished 5th in Indy Car this year with 3 wins to his name and 460 points aswell.

    The Mexico City Grand Prix weekend takes place from October 25th – 27th with McLaren currently leading the constructors’ championship as well as battling Red Bull in the drivers’ championship too.

    I’ve got some pretty exciting news to tell you all today. I will be joining McLaren Formula 1 at the Mexican Grand Prix but this time around I will be jumping in the car for FP1. I cannot wait, this really is a dream come true for me – being able to jump into an F1 car in front of my home crowd. I can’t thank Andrea [Stella], Zak [Brown] – the whole team – enough for this amazing opportunity. The car’s been a rocket this year so [I’ll be] trying to do my part and help them as much as I can for the rest of the year. Can’t wait to get going and I’m actually flying over to Europe at the end of this week to start all my Formula 1 duties. I can’t wait.
    O’Ward on the news.

  • McLaren reveal special livery

    McLaren will be joining Mercedes and RB in running a one-off livery at this weekend’s Singapore Grand Prix, having presented a Legend Reborn design with partner OKX.

    Co-designed by McLaren and OKX, the livery celebrates the MP4 era of McLaren from 1981 to 1996, blending the classic stripe design with McLaren’s papaya colour scheme “as a way of honouring the heritage of the team”.

    It was officially unveiled at an on track event in Singapore, prior to the race weekend getting under way, with McLaren’s CEO Zak Brown and drivers, Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri in attendance.

    The livery also honours legendary McLaren racers such as Ayrton Senna, Alain Prost and Niki Lauda, with the names of 13 iconic drivers from the era integrated into the livery on the cockpit.

    The new livery drops a week after McLaren took the lead of the F1 constructors’ championship for the first time in a decade, with the Woking-based team jumping ahead of Red Bull after Piastri’s win on the streets of Azerbaijan.

    It is fantastic to bring back our third bespoke livery in Singapore with OKX. Legend Reborn is a great way to celebrate and honour our iconic history, in a way that unites fans old and new. Following on from this year’s Senna campaign, this livery further embodies our partnership with OKX as we continue to deliver unique story telling campaigns for McLaren fans and OKX customers globally.
    Louise McEwen, Chief Marketing Officer, McLaren Racing.

  • RW 15 – Netherlands Qualifying

    Lando Norris has secured pole position for the Dutch Grand Prix in triumphant style, with the Briton pumping in a time over three tenths of a second clear of nearest challenger Max Verstappen.

    After he put himself on provisional pole during the initial runs in Q3, Norris bettered that effort by setting a sensational lap of 1m09.673s in the McLaren.

    The full top 10 are- Pole: Norris, P2: Verstappen, P3: Piastri, P4: Russell, P5: Perez, P6: Leclerc, P7: Alonso, P8: Stroll, P9: Gasly and P10: Sainz.

    A good result for McLaren, pole for Lando and P3 for Piastri, just what the team would of wanted coming back from the summer break, they will be wanting to go for the win today.

    A good result for Max Verstappen, he would of wanted to get pole position as it is his home race this weekend, but Norris has now broken that chain. Perez has had a good qualifying too! P5 for the Mexican will be interesting if he can improve on that position.

    A very good result for Aston Martin, P7 and P8 for the team, which is very good as before the summer break they were struggling or pretty much all season have been struggling compared to last season…

    A somewhat of a decent result for Ferrari, P6 for Leclerc, however for Sainz he failed to get into Q3 and ended up in 11th but he will start 10th due to a disqualification.

    A good result for George Russell, P4! He will be wanting to get on the podium today, so watch out for that battle. Hamilton didn’t have a very good qualifying, out in Q2 in 12th and to makes matters worse, he has been given a three place grid penalty for impeding Perez.

    Alex Albon has been disqualified from qualifying after being P8, due to a breach of the technical regulations, the stewards’ conclusion read: The floor body of Car 23 was found to lie outside the regulatory volume mentioned in Article 3.5.1 a) of the FIA Formula One Technical Regulations. The team did not dispute the calibration of the FIA measuring system and the measurement of the car, but stated that their own measurements have produced different results. The Stewards determine that the result of the measurement conducted with the FIA system in Parc Ferme is the relevant one and the due process prescribed by the regulations has been followed. Therefore the standard penalty for such an infringement is applied.

    And to makes matters worse, Logan Sargeant didn’t participate in the qualifying session at all, due to a heavy crash in FP3, despite the best efforts of the crew trying to fix the car.

    An amazing day. It’s nice to be back and start with a pole. It was a nice lap, honestly. The qualifying was always pretty smooth and I put in some good laps, especially the one at the end, which is always the most important. A great job by the team and I’m happy with today. I’m excited for tomorrow. I’m sure it’s going to be tough. Max has been quick all weekend. I know we got him today, but he’s still second and he’s going to be putting up a good fight, specially at his home race. I’m looking forward to it.
    Norris on claiming pole position.

  • Andrea Stella signs multi-year extension

    McLaren have handed Team Principal Andrea Stella a multi-year contract extension following a strong first-half of the season that has seen the iconic British team become genuine world championship contenders.

    Stella joined McLaren in 2015, working as Head of Race Operations and Performance Director before earning promotion to Executive Director of Racing in 2019.

    Since becoming Team Principal in 2022, the team has progressed rapidly – earning two Grand Prix wins, 18 further podiums and a Sprint victory.

    McLaren are currently on a run of 10 successive podiums and sit just 42 points (less than the number of points you can earn in a single Grand Prix weekend) behind championship leaders Red Bull.

    Within the last year, McLaren have agreed multi-year extensions with drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri as the team focuses on stability on their quest to return a first World Championship since 2008.

    It’s a privilege to be part of the McLaren Formula 1 team, and I am honoured to continue in my role as Team Principal. We’ve made great strides forward in the past year and a half and we still have a lot more work to do to consistently fight at the front of the grid, which poses an exciting challenge. Success comes through the team working in synergy, and I am enjoying my role, which has allowed me to help unlock individual talent and empower people to work together towards our Team’s objectives. My thanks go to Zak for his confidence in me as a leader, to my entire leadership team and all my colleagues in the Team, for their continued collaboration and support. I am excited for what we can continue to achieve together.
    Stella on the news.

    I am delighted to confirm we’ve extended Andrea’s contract as our F1 Team Principal for multiple years. His excellent leadership, expertise and the respect he holds within the team and Formula 1 means we could not have a better person in place to continue the pursuit of consistently fighting at the front of the grid. His impact on McLaren F1 in his role as Team Principal has been profound, not only through our results on track and the trajectory of the team but also in his development of our culture and mindset. With multi-year extensions already agreed with Lando, Oscar, and now Andrea, we can confidently continue on our quest to become World Champions. We’re all looking forward to the years to come under Andrea’s leadership.
    Zak Brown on the news.

  • RW 13 – Hungary

    Oscar Piastri has taken his debut Grand Prix victory in Hungary after team drama played out, with Norris belatedly responding to an order to hand back the lead to the Australian…

    After the duo went three wide with Red Bull’s Max Verstappen off the line, it was Piastri who emerged as the leader into Turn 1 and from there led much of the Grand Prix.
    However, when Norris was pitted first during the second round of stops – seemingly to cover off Hamilton – the Brit was the one to emerge ahead.

    This then prompted the team to make several calls to Norris to give the position back but it took until lap 68 of 70 for Norris to comply.

    The full top 10 are- P1: Piastri, P2: Norris, P3: Hamilton, P4: Leclerc, P5: Verstappen, P6: Sainz, P7: Perez, P8: Russell, P9: Tsunoda and P10: Stroll.

    Obviously a great result for Piastri, his first win in F1! And it was well deserved in my opinion, and a good result for Norris too, with a 1-2 finish which obviously helps with the constructors. But I do think Piastri’s win has been downplayed a little just because of the situation on the radio with Norris and not wanting to let his teammate pass etc.
    As everyone knows if it was roles reversed Piastri would do it for Norris, so I have no doubt it will be an awkward debrief for the team.

    A very good result for Hamilton, another podium which makes it 200 career podiums for the seven time world champion. He had a bit of drama with Verstappen in the closing stages of the race where they collided and the Dutchman went up in the air and leaving the track which then dropped him down to fifth.
    Hamilton will be looking towards the next race now, seeing what they can improve on in qualifying to get closer to the McLaren’s and Verstappen and then the race too.

    Charles Leclerc had a good race, finished in P4, a step in the right direction for the team, hopefully they will get back on the podium some time soon… His teammate Carlos Sainz finished 6th which isn’t too bad but from starting P4 he would’ve preferred to finish higher but sometimes it doesn’t always go your way.

    Obviously we have spoke about Verstappen, but I want to touch on him a little bit more. He was having a good race, not the best but he was struggling a little before the collision with Hamilton, he couldn’t quite catch up to the McLaren’s, so those upgrades Red Bull brought so far aren’t working… And the radio fights with his team, they were quite shocking and he just didn’t want to drop it.
    Whilst we are talking about Red Bull, Sergio Perez, obviously started 16th but he finished 7th which is a decent recovery drive from him, but the Mexican still has a lot of work to do if he wants to keep his seat for the remainder of this season and next…

    Things keep going from bad to worse for Alpine, Pierre Gasly retired after suffering a hydraulic leak, his 2nd retirement in two races and Ocon finished P18…

    Not long to wait until the next race as we head to Spa-Francorchamps this weekend!

  • F3 drivers join McLaren Driver Development programme

    McLaren have announced that two more drivers are joining their development programme – Alex Dunne and Martinius Stenshorne.
    Both currently race in Formula 3, Dunne for MP Motorsport and Stenshorne for Hitech Pulse-Eight.

    Dunne impressed McLaren when he won the 2022 British F4 Championship with Hitech Grand Prix, with the 18 year old from Ireland also put in an eye-catching performance in Bahrain earlier this year securing his first F3 points.

    Norwegian Stenshorne comes for a rallying background and was a prolific karter in his junior days, and has already tasted victory in F3 with a Sprint race win in Australia.

    McLaren’s Driver Development programme was established in 2022, and funnels young talent towards F1, Formula E and IndyCar.

    McLaren have a history of developing and promoting young talent – notably very happy to advance both Lewis Hamilton and Lando Norris to F1, with both drivers going straight into the sharp end of the grid.

    We’re pleased to announce that Alex and Martinius have joined our Driver Development programme. They are both exciting and promising young talents within motorsport, with proven records on track in their respective junior categories including this season’s FIA Formula 3 Championship. The entire team is looking forward to welcoming Alex and Martinius to the McLaren family and we’ll be working closely to support their development within our talent pipeline.
    Stephanie Carlin, Director of F1 Business Operations – who runs the junior programme.

    It’s an honour to join the McLaren Driver Development programme. I’m looking forward to getting started with the team. McLaren provides the perfect environment for me to develop my skillset as I continue my journey in motorsport. I’m grateful for Zak [Brown] and Stephanie’s support and I’m excited to meet the rest of the team at MTC.
    Dunne on the news.

    I’m incredibly excited to join the McLaren Driver Development programme, it’s an honour to now be part of the McLaren family. The team has a great history of developing talent, so I’m looking forward to growing with the team and learning from their expertise as I continue on my journey towards the top of motorsport. Thank you to Zak, Stephanie and the entire team for their faith in me, I can’t wait to get started.
    Stenshorne adding to the news.

  • McLaren unveil Senna inspired livery

    McLaren will run a vibrant one-off Ayrton Senna-inspired yellow, green and blue full wrap livery at this weekend’s Monaco Grand Prix.

    The livery takes inspiration from Senna’s iconic helmet and is designed to celebrate the Brazilian’s “incredible racing legacy”.

    Three-time world champion Senna is McLaren’s most successful driver, racing for the British operation between 1988 and 1993 – during which time, he secured 35 of his 41 Grand Prix wins, plus three drivers’ titles and four constructors’ championships.

    McLaren chose Monaco as the Monte Carlo track has become synonymous with Senna, the Brazilian – who passed away 30 years ago – winning six times in the Principality, including five times in a row from 1989.
    The race will come a week after a weekend at Imola that saw Senna, and Austrian driver Roland Ratzenberger’s lives celebrated three decades on from their fatal accidents at the track.

    In Monaco, the McLaren team will also wear Senna-inspired team kit for the weekend, with race drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri wearing bespoke overalls.

    The livery is a collaboration with Senna Global and McLaren’s partner OKX.

    The team is proud to recognise and celebrate the extraordinary life and racing legacy of Ayrton Senna through this McLaren livery. Senna remains revered and respected as Formula 1’s greatest icon, and McLaren’s most decorated driver. His impact on McLaren is enormous, not only through his racing record but also presence within the team, and now his legacy, so it’s an honour to race for him at his most successful circuit in his green, yellow and blue colours. With it being the 30th anniversary of his passing, the team are choosing to recognise and celebrate his life at one of his favourite and most successful places to race, Monaco. We look forward to racing in this vibrant and beautiful livery this weekend.
    Zak Brown, McLaren CEO.

    It’s an honour to recognise Ayrton through these liveries in collaboration with both McLaren Racing and McLaren Automotive. It’s a fantastic way to celebrate his life and legacy through his iconic colours on both cars. McLaren meant a lot to him, and together they achieved a lot of success, much of which he is still remembered for today by so many. It will be special to see it race the streets of Monaco, a circuit which gave him so much joy and many triumphs.
    Senna’s niece Bianca Senna of Senna Global.

  • McLaren unveil bespoke livery

    McLaren have unveiled a bespoke livery that will adorn Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri’s car across the Japanese Grand Prix weekend.

    Designed by Japanese artist MILTZ, the livery highlights the Driven by Change campaign, which returns for its fourth F1 season. The campaign celebrates emerging creatives through the global motorsport platform, providing opportunities to showcase their innovative artwork to the world.

    For McLaren’s special design, MILTZ’s artwork is inspired by Edomoji, a traditional Japanese calligraphy, which he fuses with modern art and culture.
    On the McLaren MCL38 he has used this to represent the speed of a Formula 1 car in the form of a dragon racing through the clouds.

    When I first became a freelance artist, I never thought an opportunity like this was possible – this is the biggest international project I have ever done! As I continue to build my profile as an artist, I want my artwork to champion the rich traditions of Japanese writing culture, such as Edomoji, but with a modern twist. From my work with local businesses in Japan to the McLaren Formula 1 Team, there are so many beautiful stories to tell through art.

    MILTZ on the livery.

  • McLaren announce several organisational changes

    McLaren have made another raft of changes to their technical department following the first three rounds of the 2024 season, with David Sanchez departing the organisation just a few months on from starting in his new role.

    Former Ferrari aerodynamic specialist Sanchez was one of two key winter signings by McLaren, alongside ex-Red Bull technical wizard Rob Marshall, as the team look to build on their initial reshuffle last year.

    However, “following a number of discussions” over the job responsibilities, Sanchez has vacated his position as Technical Director, Car Concept and Performance, leading to a series of updates across his department.

    Following Sanchez’s exit, Marshall will assume the role of Chief Designer, Neil Houldley moves over to become Technical Director of Engineering, while Peter Prodomou will continue in his role as Technical Director of Aerodynamics.

    McLaren added that the Concept and Performance department will be streamlined to focus on performance and will be led by the Technical Director of Performance – team boss Andrea Stella will assume this role in the interim until a permanent appointment is confirmed.

    This further step in the evolution of the structure of the Technical Department and of the working model within the team signify our commitment to constantly enhancing our technical capabilities and workflows for greater efficiency and effectiveness. Following thoughtful discussions between David Sanchez and the team leadership, the mutual decision has been taken for David to leave the team. Upon our joint reflection, it became apparent that the role, responsibilities, and ambitions associated with David’s position did not align with our original expectations when he agreed to join us in February 2023.Recognising this misalignment, both David and I agreed that it would be best to part ways now, so to enable him to pursue other opportunities that will better leverage the full scale and breadth of his remarkable skillset. We greatly and gratefully value the contributions that David has made during his relatively short time with us, and we wish him the best in his future endeavours.

    Stella on the news.

    I am grateful for the opportunity to have been a part of this team. While the role we envisioned and had agreed to was not aligned with the reality of the position I found, I leave with respect for the leadership, admiration for the dedication of my colleagues, and appreciation for the openness and honesty in which we discussed and arrived at this decision. I wish this team continued success as it continues its journey to the front of the grid where it belongs. I look forward to my next challenge within F1.

    Sanchez added.

  • Zak Brown signs new contract with McLaren

    McLaren have confirmed that Zak Brown has extended his contract as the team’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO), with the new deal seeing him stay in the role until 2030.

    Brown first joined McLaren back in 2016 as the Executive Director of McLaren Technology Group before going on to become CEO in April 2018.

    Since assuming his position, Brown has overseen operations across all of McLaren’s race teams and has shaped the strategic direction of McLaren Racing, as well as driving the outfit’s marketing and commercial development.
    McLaren are now involved in IndyCar, Extreme E, Formula E and obviously Formula 1.

    The American has been crucial to the regeneration of the team including hiring a number of top-end staff such as Ferrari’s David Sanchez and Red Bull’s Rob Marshal. As well as opening their new windtunnel at their factory in Woking last year.

    Earlier this year, Brown secured the future of Lando Norris on a new multi-year deal, while Oscar Piastri is also tied down for many years to come.

    Zak has demonstrated exceptional leadership qualities and has been instrumental in driving McLaren Racing forward. His extension reflects our confidence in his ability to lead the team to even greater success in the years to come.

    Paul Walsh – McLaren Group’s Executive Chairman.

    I am thrilled to continue leading McLaren Racing and to be a part of such a historic race team. It is a privilege to work alongside the talented men and women across McLaren Racing’s different race series. Together, we will continue to push the boundaries of motorsport and strive for the highest performance on and off the track.

    Brown on the news.

  • McLaren agree extension to use Mercedes power until 2030

    McLaren have opted for continuity and stability by extending their deal to run Mercedes power units until 2030.

    The British team have run Mercedes power since 2021 and previously between 1995 and 2014 – and already had an arrangement that run until 2025.

    However, with new power unit regulations – with an enhanced focus on electrical power looming in 2026, McLaren and Mercedes have moved to get a deal done quickly.

    After returning to Mercedes following a disappointing partnership with Honda, followed by three seasons of Renault power, McLaren have since won the 2021 Italian Grand Prix – the most recent win for any customer team in F1.

    They have also had 15 podiums in that period, plus pole at the F1 Sprint in Brazil and pole and a victory in the F1 Sprint in Qatar earlier this year – and they have emerged as the second-fastest team on pure pace behind Red Bull in the second half of this season.

    Mercedes-Benz have been a brilliant and reliable partner of the McLaren Formula 1 team. The extension signifies the confidence that our shareholders and the wider team have in their powertrains and the direction we’re taking with them into the new era of regulations ahead. We have been successful together, both in the last three seasons and when they previously powered the team, so we look forward to the success to come as we continue our journey to fight consistently at the front of the grid.

    Zak Brown, McLaren Racing CEO.

    We are pleased to confirm a long-term renewal of our power unit deal with Mercedes-Benz into the new era of regulations. We have great confidence in Mercedes and our relationship with them. They’ve supported our journey back to the front of the grid so far, and the security and stability this partnership brings is vital in ensuring we remain on this upward trajectory. I would like to thank them for their collaboration so far and we look forward to the years to come.

    Andrea Stella, McLaren Team Principal.

    It has been a cornerstone of our motorsport strategy to work with strong customer teams. This has many advantages. It gives a clear competitive benchmark, accelerates our technical learning, and strengthens the overall F1 business case for Mercedes-Benz. McLaren have been fierce and fair competitors since 2021, especially in the second half of this season. McLaren’s strong performances underline the importance of transparent and equal supply to all customer teams in the sport, if we wish to achieve the goal of 10 teams capable of fighting for podium finishes.

    Mercedes boss, Toto Wolff.

  • McLaren sign Pato O’Ward as reserve driver

    Mexican driver, Pato O’Ward has earned a promotion to McLaren’s reserve driver pool for the 2024 season, dovetailing the role with his driving duties for Arrow McLaren in IndyCar.

    O’Ward has steadily been increasing his experience with F1 machinery, taking part in several development tests in the MCL35M as well as driving in the 2021 young driver test in Abu Dhabi and FP1 at last year’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

    After finishing fourth in this year’s IndyCar championship with seven podiums, he accrued enough points to qualify for a Super Licence that paved the way for him to step up into the reserve role for McLaren.

    The 24 year old, who first joined the McLaren Racing family in 2020, will join Le Mans 24 Hours winner Ryo Hirakawa in the papaya team’s reserve pool for 2024. They will be available to step in if regular race drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri are unable to drive.

    The McLaren Formula 1 team are pleased to welcome Pato O’Ward to our pool of reserve drivers for the 2024 season. Pato had an impressive season in the NTT IndyCar Series and has performed well in his Driver Development tests, so it felt natural to take this next step now he’s been granted an FIA Super Licence. With the expansive calendar, it’s prudent to ensure we have a wide pool of drivers that we can call upon if required. We look forward to seeing him progress in this new role.

    Andrea Stella, McLaren Team Principal.

    Pumped to take on this new role within the McLaren Racing family. I’ve spent a lot of time with the F1 team having driven previously in free practice and taken part in a few tests. I’ve always said it’s never a bad day when you get to jump into an F1 car, so I look forward to joining the reserve driver pool for next year alongside my driving duties with Arrow McLaren. Thank you to Andrea and Zak for this great opportunity.

    O’Ward on the news.
    https://www.instagram.com/p/Cz_bvsboxQN/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

  • Nissan to supply powertrains to McLaren

    Nissan and McLaren Racing has announced today a multi-year technical collaboration, which will commence at the beginning of the 2022/23 ABB FIA Formula E World Championship season.

    With McLaren Racing confirming its participation in the championship from Season 9, the partnership will see the Japanese automaker supply its Nissan EV powertrain to the British team for the entirety of the Gen3 era.

    This agreement with McLaren is in addition to Nissan’s direct involvement in the highly anticipated Gen3 homologation of the sport. As a world leading expert in the design and manufacture of exciting all-electric vehicles, and following the recent acquisition of e.dams, Nissan will also continue to compete in Formula E with its own factory team.

    Through this relationship, Nissan and McLaren will be working closely together as they compete with other successful brands in one of the most challenging and technically advanced racing series in the world.

    Our new partnership with McLaren Racing will be a powerful one, as the association will inspire collaboration and knowledge sharing. The pioneering spirit and drive to innovate are characteristics Nissan and McLaren Racing share, making them an ideal partner for us in Formula E and as we continue to electrify our vehicles.

    Ashwani Gupta, Nissan’s Chief Operating Officer.

    As we are shaping the team for its first season as McLaren in Formula E, we are naturally seeking the best partnerships and opportunities on every front – with the technical aspect being one of the key areas. Nissan have proven their knowledge, craft and commitment over the last four seasons in Formula E, and heading into the Gen3 era, we have full confidence that the collaboration will bring both parties much success. This will be a true partnership that will drive both the team’s performance and the development of the Nissan Formula E powertrain technology.

    Zak Brown, CEO, McLaren Racing.

    We are proud to announce this multi-year deal with a great motorsports brand such as McLaren Racing. Our partnership begins next season with Formula E’s exciting new Gen3 regulations, which will see the performance of the all-electric race cars reach incredible new heights. At Nissan, we are in Formula E not only to race, but also to showcase to a diverse range of viewers just how impressive, powerful, and efficient our electric vehicles are. And our collaboration with McLaren will provide us with even more opportunities to accelerate the development of our technology and showcase it to fans all over the world.

    Tommaso Volpe, General Manager, Nissan Formula E and Managing Director, Nissan e.dams Formula E team.
    https://www.instagram.com/p/CfI–ZOLttg/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

  • McLaren to enter Formula E

    McLaren Racing has confirmed that they will be competing in the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship from next season, the start of the Gen3 era.

    McLaren, has long committed to competing with the best teams, at the leading edge of technology on the world’s biggest stages. The latest addition to the iconic teams’ racing portfolio is also squarely aimed at accelerating McLaren Racing’s understanding of EV technology as part of their sustainability journey whilst reaching a new, more diverse audience.

    The McLaren Formula E Team will be formed through the acquisition of the Mercedes-EQ Formula E Team, expected to be complete later this year, following an agreement between both teams, that will see the reigning Formula E Word Championship team transfer into the McLaren family.

    Ian James, Team Principle of Mercedes EQ Formula E Team, will continue to lead the team, enabling a smooth transition as the team prepares to feature on the grid, under the iconic McLaren name.

    The name McLaren is among the greatest names in motorsport, since the team’s foundation by Bruce McLaren in 1963, and its Formula 1 debut in 1966, it has amassed 20 Formula 1 World Championship titles, more than 180 Grand Prix wins, three Indianapolis 500 victories and won the Le Mans 24 Hours at their first attempt.

    McLaren Racing always seeks to compete against the best and on the leading edge of technology, providing our fans, partners and people with new ways to be excited, entertained and inspired. As with all forms of the sport we participate in, Formula E has racing at the centre but will be strategically, commercially and technically additive to McLaren Racing overall. I firmly believe that Formula E will give McLaren Racing a competitive advantage through greater understanding of EV racing, while providing a point of difference to our fans, partners and people, and continuing to drive us along our sustainability pathway.

    Zak Brown, McLaren Racing CEO.

    My Opinion-

    Ahhhh finally!! After it being spoke about and rumours flying around, its finally confirmed. Good news for McLaren, now in another championship and they are overtaking the current World Champions.

    It will be interesting to see how the transition goes and who they decide on their driver line-up, could Stoffel Vandoorne be making a return to McLaren?…

    https://www.instagram.com/p/Cdh0uRDoAJc/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link