Fresh off their ninth Constructors’ Championship victory, McLaren sets the tone for the 2025 season, which, according to Lando Norris, can be described as positive yet focused.
Today, McLaren surprised everyone by unexpectedly unveiling a special livery for the new Woking-built single-seater. This design could offer a sneak peek at the official livery that will be seen on track and officially presented during F1-75, the event organized in London by Formula 1 management to celebrate the championship’s platinum jubilee.
During the past season, the British team achieved what every Formula 1 team aspires to—winning the Constructors’ Championship. This triumph came after 26 years of waiting, setbacks, and rebuilding. However, despite the success, Andrea Stella’s squad learned numerous valuable lessons on track, all of which will serve as a springboard for the upcoming championship, expected to be fiercely competitive across the grid.
Yet, Zak Brown, McLaren’s CEO, remained cautious. While celebrating last season’s success and the first laps of the team’s new challenger, he acknowledged the strength of the competition, stating: “We won’t know where we stand in the pecking order until we get to qualifying in Australia.”
McLaren Team Principal Andrea Stella echoed Brown’s sentiment, thanking the team for their hard work as well as Mercedes HPP, the supplier of McLaren’s power units. The Italian engineer also emphasized the need for absolute focus to “compete at the front in such a tight field.”
Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri Set Their Goals for the New F1 Season
For Lando Norris, last season was arguably the best of his Formula 1 career since debuting with McLaren in 2019. His first victory in Miami, followed by three more race wins, nearly saw him challenge Max Verstappen for the Drivers’ Championship.
Looking ahead to the new season, which kicks off at Albert Park, the young Brit—who has already been preparing intensively—offered insights into the atmosphere at Woking: “It’s exciting to hop in the MCL39 for the first time and see what it can do on track, ahead of pre-season testing in Bahrain (…). I’ve been back at the MTC prepping for the season ahead and the mood is feeling positive but focused. We’re all looking forward to getting the car on track in Bahrain ahead of our competitive debut in Australia and to see where we net out amongst the other teams. It’s shaping up to be an exciting season. “.
On the other side of the garage, Oscar Piastri has set his own targets for his third season in Formula 1. Many expect intense battles between him and Norris for the team’s top driver status, especially after last year’s much-debated “papaya rules” stirred controversy within McLaren: “Winning Grands Prix early in my career has given me the taste for success, and I want much more. As a team, we can take great momentum into 2025 after such a brilliant year in 2024 “
Photo: McLaren, Formula 1.