The bright orange McLaren cars are easily recognisable on the Formula 1 grid. McLaren enjoyed a strong season in 2025, winning the constructors’ championship and securing the drivers’ title with Lando Norris.

Bruce McLaren founded his own Formula 1 team in 1966 after earlier success with Cooper. The team claimed its first victory in 1968 in Belgium, followed by a win in the Canadian Grand Prix. Despite these successes, a championship remained out of reach at the time. McLaren also excelled in other racing categories such as Can-Am, but Bruce McLaren died in 1970 during a test session. His name has remained closely linked to the team ever since.

Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri will once again race for McLaren in 2026. Norris aims to defend his title, while Piastri looks to respond after missing out in 2025. The team enters the new season with an updated Mercedes power unit.

In 1974, McLaren won its first Formula 1 world championship with Emerson Fittipaldi. The team remained competitive with drivers such as James Hunt and Niki Lauda, while also facing strong competition from Ferrari and Williams. The switch to Honda engines in 1988 marked a new era of success with Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost, although that dominance did not last. By 1992, Honda was no longer the benchmark and both drivers had left the team.

McLaren returned to the top in 1998 by winning the constructors’ championship with Mika Hakkinen. Further success followed with drivers such as Lewis Hamilton, Fernando Alonso and Kimi Raikkonen. After 2010, Red Bull Racing became the dominant force in Formula 1, while McLaren experienced inconsistent results. The return of Honda in 2015 did not deliver the expected success, leading to leadership changes. Under Zak Brown and former team principal Andreas Seidl, McLaren began rebuilding with a new structure and approach.

After winning the constructors’ title in 2024, McLaren aimed to secure the drivers’ championship in 2025. For much of the season, the battle appeared to be between Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, but Max Verstappen rejoined the fight after closing a 104-point gap following the Dutch Grand Prix.

Towards the end of the season, pressure increased on McLaren. The team had already secured the constructors’ title after the Singapore Grand Prix. During the sprint race in Austin, Piastri made contact with Norris after being hit by Nico Hulkenberg. In Las Vegas, both McLaren drivers were disqualified due to excessive plank wear. In Qatar, the team lost a strong position by not pitting during a safety car period.

The championship was decided in Abu Dhabi. Norris, Verstappen and Piastri all had a chance at the title going into the final race. Verstappen won the race, but Norris secured the championship by finishing third, beating Verstappen by two points.

McLaren has changed engine suppliers several times in recent years. In 2017, the team used Honda engines before switching to Renault for four seasons. Since 2021, McLaren has used Mercedes power units, returning to a competitive level with regular podiums and victories. In 2026, the team continues with an updated Mercedes engine following the regulation changes.

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