From the brink of bankruptcy to the F1 world championship: the McLaren story and the people behind it

The British team has an epic history: from the founding by “dad” Bruce McLaren, through the golden years with Senna and Prost, the financial struggles, and Zak Brown’s drastic measures, up to the recent triumphs under Andrea Stella’s leadership.

From Bruce to Lando

For over sixty years, the McLaren name has been inseparably linked with motorsport, and in particular Formula 1. During this time, the team now based in Woking, southwest of London, has made history in the pinnacle of motorsport, winning ten Constructors’ Championships and thirteen Drivers’ World Championships. These successes were achieved thanks to timeless cars and legendary drivers, most notably Ayrton Senna. However, it would be unjust not to mention other motorsport icons such as James Hunt, Niki Lauda, Alain Prost, Mika Häkkinen, Lewis Hamilton, and many more who enriched the team’s record book.

The journey was not without difficult moments, both on the sporting and financial fronts. Yet the team has repeatedly bounced back, as seen in recent years when McLaren, under Zak Brown’s brilliant guidance, went from the brink of bankruptcy to sporting paradise. Lando Norris fulfilled his lifelong dream in Abu Dhabi, bringing the Drivers’ Championship back to Woking after 17 years. The story of this British team deserves to be revisited and celebrated.

The foundation and early years

Founded in 1963 by New Zealand driver Bruce McLaren, the British racing team began producing its first sports cars the following year. From its earliest days, McLaren built vehicles not only for Formula 1 but also for other competitions, including Formula 2, IndyCar, and other American championships. Its Formula 1 debut came in 1966, with the first positive results arriving in 1968. During these years, before changing liveries to reflect sponsorships, the team raced in its iconic papaya color, revived in recent seasons. Tragically, Bruce McLaren, the “father” of the team, did not live to see the successes of his creation. He died on June 2, 1970, during a test at Goodwood. From that moment until the early 1980s, the team was managed by Teddy Mayer, who had previously overseen its commercial operations.

1970s and first victories

McLaren’s first World Championship came in 1974 with Emerson Fittipaldi. Alongside the Drivers’ Championship for the Brazilian, the team also secured the Constructors’ title. The double victory eluded them in 1976, when James Hunt took the Drivers’ Championship, benefiting from Niki Lauda’s absence for much of the season due to his recovery from a horrific crash at the Nürburgring. These early successes were closely tied to Marlboro, which sponsored McLaren from 1974 to 1996, creating an enduring partnership in the minds of F1 fans. It was Marlboro, or rather Philip Morris, that pushed in the early 1980s for Ron Dennis to replace Mayer at the helm—a decision that proved brilliant, as Dennis would guide McLaren for the next 34 years, cementing its place at the pinnacle of motorsport.

The golden era of McLaren

The 1980s were McLaren’s decade of domination. While Ferrari experienced a title drought from 1979 to 2000, the British team achieved victory after victory, giving rise to perhaps the most iconic rivalry in F1 history. In 1984, Niki Lauda, once a rival at Maranello, brought the Drivers’ Championship to Woking, while the team also won the Constructors’ title that year. In 1985, Alain Prost won the first of his four championships, repeating the feat in 1986. Two pivotal agreements in 1988 changed McLaren forever: a Honda engine supply deal and the signing of Ayrton Senna. A dream team was born, combining the best car, the best engine, and the best driver duo. That season, McLaren won 15 out of 16 Grands Prix, a true emblem of dominance. Senna claimed the Drivers’ title, with Prost taking revenge in 1989 after a controversial collision in Japan.

From Senna to Häkkinen

In 1990, Prost joined Ferrari, becoming McLaren’s rival once more. The title battle continued between him and Senna, with the Brazilian taking revenge at Suzuka to win his second World Championship, repeating the triumph in 1991. The Honda partnership ended in 1992, and by 1994, Senna had moved to Williams, closing another chapter. From 1995, Mercedes supplied McLaren engines, launching a new iconic collaboration, even influencing the livery as the cars adopted the Silver Arrows colors. World Championship success returned in 1998 and 1999 with Mika Häkkinen, with McLaren taking the Constructors’ crown in 1998, while Ferrari claimed it in 1999. Häkkinen’s reign ended with Michael Schumacher and Ferrari, who in 2000 reclaimed the Drivers’ Championship for Maranello after 21 years.

The spy scandal, Hamilton, and decline

After Schumacher’s Ferrari dominance (2000–2004) and Fernando Alonso’s titles with Renault (2005–2006), McLaren returned to championship contention in 2007. That year, marked by the internal rivalry between Alonso and rising star Lewis Hamilton, was also the infamous spy scandal. McLaren was fined $100 million and excluded from the Constructors’ Championship after Ferrari’s F2007 technical drawings were found at the home of McLaren chief designer Mike Coughlan. While initially absolved for not using the information, new evidence later resulted in penalties. Alonso and Hamilton were still free to fight for the Drivers’ Championship, culminating in Brazil, where Kimi Räikkönen won, marking Ferrari’s most recent title until then. In 2008, Hamilton claimed his first World Championship, taking revenge on Ferrari after missing out the previous year due to reliability issues.

Dennis leaves McLaren

After several underwhelming seasons, McLaren made a dual return in 2015: Honda engines and Fernando Alonso as driver. Both ventures failed, as the Japanese power units were initially uncompetitive, leading to a difficult relationship with Alonso, who announced his retirement in 2018 (though he later returned). In 2016, Ron Dennis, who had taken McLaren to the top, was forced out due to poor recent results and financial struggles. He was replaced by American Zak Brown, first as executive director and then, from 2018, CEO.

McLaren’s rebirth

Zak Brown’s arrival marked a financial and commercial turning point for McLaren. The Californian manager revitalized the brand’s appeal, securing partnerships with global giants like Lego, Dell, Hilton, and Google. Strategic moves, including selling part of McLaren’s car collection to balance finances, allowed the team to recover losses and increase revenue. The restructuring extended beyond business, encompassing technical and infrastructure improvements. Andrea Stella, a former Ferrari engineer, was appointed team principal in 2022, and a new wind tunnel was built. Within a decade, McLaren rebounded, reclaiming the Constructors’ title in 2024 and securing the Drivers’ Championship in 2025 with Lando Norris at Abu Dhabi. The team now boasts ten Constructors’ titles and thirteen Drivers’ crowns, reinforcing its legacy in F1 and beyond, including iconic road cars like the McLaren F1 and P1, cementing McLaren’s timeless appeal for fans across generations—from those who witnessed Bruce McLaren’s early days to those captivated by Lando Norris’s era.