McLaren

McLaren is one of Formula 1’s all-time great teams, and what a story they’ve got to tell right now. A legacy spanning nearly six decades, nine Constructors’ Championships — including the 2025 title that ended a 27-year drought. Founded by New Zealand racing legend Bruce McLaren in 1966, this team has been home to some of the greatest drivers to ever sit in an F1 car: Ayrton Senna, Alain Prost, Mika Hakkinen, Lewis Hamilton. That papaya orange livery is one of the most recognisable colour schemes in world motorsport, and it’s never looked better than it does right now.

Based at the McLaren Technology Centre in Woking, UK, the team operates from one of the most striking facilities in the sport. McLaren’s journey through the 2020s has been a remarkable redemption arc — rising from the back of the midfield to genuine championship glory under Andrea Stella’s leadership. Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri have formed one of the most exciting and dangerous driver pairings on the grid. It’s been something to watch.

McLaren holds a truly special place in Australian motorsport. Oscar Piastri, Melbourne’s own, became the first Australian to race for the team and has quickly established himself as one of F1’s brightest talents. The Australian Grand Prix at Albert Park is effectively a home race for Piastri, and his presence at McLaren has energised a whole new generation of Australian F1 fans. The team’s popularity in Australia has absolutely surged, with papaya-clad fans turning Albert Park into a sea of orange each March.

Team Information

Team Profile

McLaren enters 2026 as the defending Constructors’ and Drivers’ Champions, with Lando Norris carrying the #1 alongside Australian star Oscar Piastri. Their 2025 triumph — winning both championships for the first time since 1998 — completed one of the most remarkable resurgences in the sport’s history, built on smart recruitment, outstanding driver development, and relentless aerodynamic performance. The 2026 regulation changes present both a challenge and an opportunity to defend those crowns, but with arguably the strongest driver pairing on the grid and a factory firing on all cylinders, McLaren are the team everyone else needs to catch.

NC — Staff sports writer, australiafootball.com