SHAPED BY CHAMPIONS
From performance-enhancing carbon brakes to cutting-edge aerodynamics – including active aero and ground effects – so many of our supercar technologies have been inspired by Formula 1.
World titles on the track lead to world-beating supercars on the road – that's our formula.
Founded in 1963 as a small, committed racing team, we won the very first championship we entered, when our founder Bruce McLaren triumphed in the 1964 Tasman Series held in New Zealand and Australia. By 1968, we were winning races in Formula 1, and since then we've won 12 Formula 1 Drivers' Championships and now nine Constructors' Championships.
That 60-year record of success has ingrained a fierce sense of competition in every member of staff across Racing and Automotive. And, in the push for performance, many of our technical achievements in motorsport have crossed over into our supercars. Amongst the most important of these is the lightweight carbon chassis. After making its revolutionary Formula 1 debut in the 1981 MP4/1, we pioneered carbon on the road with our 1992 F1 supercar, and since 2011 the lightweight carbon fibre MonoCell (and its derivatives) has been the basis for every one of our road cars.
In 1998 we became the first team to develop a hybrid Formula 1 car, long before it became the sport's default powertrain. With that pioneering electrification knowledge, we went on to be the first to unveil a hybrid hypercar – the legendary P1™ of 2012 – and then brought electrification to series production with our V6 High-Performance Hybrid Artura.In 1998 we became the first team to develop a hybrid Formula 1 car, long before it became the sport's default powertrain. With that pioneering electrification knowledge, we went on to be the first to unveil a hybrid hypercar – the legendary P1™ of 2012 – and then brought electrification to series production with our V6 High-Performance Hybrid Artura.
This synergy between Racing and Automotive isn't just about technology. Our Formula 1 team's ethos of continuous improvement, its keen eye for detail and a total commitment to pushing the boundaries permeates every aspect of our supercars.
Formula 1 provides our road-car operation with the world's most prestigious testing ground for cutting-edge technologies, while our supercars showcase this precision engineering to our customers around the world. Together, we continue to push the boundaries of speed, performance and innovation, both on the track and on the road.
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Senna 30 - From Track to Road
Chief Design Officer Tobias Sühlmann on why Senna and his greatest cars have such a powerful and enduring influence on McLaren design.
From Race Wins to Road Cars: How Success Inspires Innovation
McLaren Racing this weekend have celebrated a significant milestone victory in getting to the top of the Constructors Championship for the first time in over a decade. So we celebrate with our colleagues in racing, and reflect on how our racing heritage continues to influence our future innovation.
Five with Lando
Lando Norris has firmly established himself as a top Formula 1 driver, but he also has a passion for beautiful automotive design and engineering. We take five minutes to talk to Lando about his favourite bits of our Real Supercar, the W1.
McLaren Racing - 2024 Formula 1 Constructors' Champions
After a nail-biting finish to the 2024 Formula 1 season, we secured our ninth Formula 1 Constructors' Championship at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.