Vodafone McLaren Mercedes represent one of the most successful Formula One teams in history. The success of the England-based team has largely been down to a combination of early innovations and gifted drivers, and a powerful grip on Grand Prix races during the turbo racing era of the sport. WhileMcLaren’s recent history has not been as illustrious as its success in the 1980s and 1990s, the team remain one of the most significant competitors in Formula One.
As per associates from Grand Prix Merchandise, McLaren was formed in 1963 by New Zealander Bruce McLaren, and were initially based in Colnbrook; early success was found racing in the United States, with a move into Formula One following in the late 1960s. The team won its first drivers’ championship in 1974 through Emerson Fittipaldi, before enjoying a second victory in 1976 through the charismatic English driver James Hunt. During this time, McLaren primarily used M23 and M26 cars, but suffered competitively by the end of the decade due to their late take up of ground effect cars compared to other teams in Formula One
In the early 1980s, McLaren was merged with Ron Dennis’ Project Four Formula Two team, with Dennis taking over team principal. Hiring young drivers like Alain Prost, and creating the McLarenMP4, as well as moving their base to Woking, helped a new McLaren to emerge. The team’s use of turbocharged engines particularly anchored a significant period of success, with Prost winning Formula One Drivers’ Championships in 1985 and 1986. Partnerships with Honda also underpinned Championship victories for Ayrton Senna in 1988, Prost in 1989, and Senna again in 1990 and 1991.
The early 1990s saw McLaren struggle to compete with the new, computer controlled traction controls used by rival team Williams, while the departure of Senna and his subsequent death on the track cast a further shadow over the team. It took McLaren until 1998 to regain the Drivers’ Championship, this time through Mika Hakkinen, who retained hist title in 1999, with McLaren now tied to Mercedesengines.
However, reliability issues plagued McLaren in the early 2000s, as did driver rivalries between racers like Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton. The team were also hit by a scandal involving stolen documents from rivals, and by the retirement of Ron Dennis. Although Lewis Hamilton took the 2008 Drivers’ Championship, McLaren as a whole continued to struggle in building the consistent formula for success of the 1980s.
The recent departure of Hamilton to Mercedes has done little to help McLaren’s stability, with the team yet to take a podium finish in the 2013 season with drivers Sergio Perez and Jenson Button.McLaren could stage a comeback, though, with the announcement of a deal with Honda for new engines for the 2015 season. Just in time for the engine regulation changes, Honda engines could provide McLaren with the edge they’ve been lacking for some time.