On Monday 13 February, McLaren presented its MCL60 car, which will compete in the 2023 Formula One World Championship. The event was broadcast live from the team’s headquarters in Woking, UK.
McLaren unveiled the MCL60, which will be driven by Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, at a live event on Monday 13 February.
There are no big surprises in the McLaren livery this year as the British team has remained faithful to its colour code with a black and papaya car, although some parts of the bodywork are now less heavy in paint to save a few grams on the scales. The livery is very similar to that seen on the team’s Formula E championship cars.
The biggest news for McLaren in 2023 is of course the driver pairing of Lando Norris and young Oscar Piastri, who joins the British team this year to replace his compatriot Daniel Ricciardo, whose contract was terminated a year earlier than expected due to the Australian’s lack of results.
The team manager is now Italian Andrea Stella, who directly replaces German Andreas Seidl who has joined the Sauber group.
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Designed under the direction of technical director James Key and produced by the Woking team, led by operations director Piers Thynne, the MCL60 will be powered by the Mercedes-AMG F1 M14 E Performance engine integrated into the McLaren chassis and gearbox with support from Mercedes HPP in Brixworth, UK.
Initially, the McLaren for this 2023 season was to be called the MCL37 in line with the nostalgic moniker started in 2017 with the MCL32. However, the British team is celebrating its 60th anniversary this year and has therefore decided to shake things up by naming its F1 car MCL60, paying tribute to its founder Bruce McLaren.
Bruce McLaren founded his own team in 1963, with the New Zealander taking much of his inspiration from Jack Brabham. After starting out in various championships, Bruce McLaren finally took the plunge in 1966 and entered his team in the Formula One World Championship.
“An honour to run McLaren”
McLaren’s new chief executive, Italian Andrea Stella, made his first official appearance on Monday and believes the whole team is now ready to start the 2023 Formula One season after a studious winter in Woking to develop an MCL60 he hopes will be competitive.
“It’s an honour to lead McLaren Racing into the team’s 60th anniversary season,” said Andrea Stella at the MCL60 presentation.
“We have a committed and talented group of people at McLaren, and we are all looking forward to getting the MCL60 on track, after the hard work and effort of the past few months, in all areas of the team.”
“During our time away from racing, we have enjoyed welcoming Oscar [Piastri] to the McLaren Technology Center and we have worked together to build a strong relationship and be fully prepared for the start of his Formula 1 career.”
“He has quickly integrated into the team and has gained a lot of respect, thanks to his humility, brilliant intelligence and dedication. It has also been great to get back to work with Lando, who is now showing the qualities of a leader by supporting the team’s journey.”
“Lando and Oscar make such a strong and talented driver team and we look forward to the 2023 season with them behind the wheel of the MCL60.”
“Together with our colleagues at Mercedes HPP [engine department], we can be very proud of our strong collaboration in the realisation of the MCL60 and the joint efforts to continue our climb up the grid.”
“We are aware that we have work to do as we enter the 2023 season, but everyone in the team is fully focused and committed to making our 60th anniversary a special year.”
The MCL60 will take to the track for the very first time during winter testing at Bahrain from February 23-25, a week before the start of the 2023 season at the same track.
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You will find all the presentation dates in the table below
Haas | 31 Jan |
Red Bull | 3 Feb |
Williams | 6 Feb |
Alfa Romeo | 7 Feb |
AlphaTauri | 11 Feb |
Aston Martin | 13 Feb |
McLaren | 13 Feb |
Ferrari | 14 Feb |
Mercedes | 15 Feb |
Alpine | 16 Feb |
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