McLaren F1 returns to chrome livery for Silverstone, but managed to fail on their social media launch. On the eve of the 2023 British Grand Prix, the McLaren team has unveiled a chrome livery for its MCL60, which will be driven by Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri at Silverstone this weekend.

This weekend, fans of the British team can look forward to the return of the famous chrome livery, which will only be used for the British Grand Prix.

This special livery is part of the ongoing celebrations by the McLaren team, which is celebrating its 60th anniversary this year, hence the name of the 2023 single-seater: the MCL60. This, yet another ‘celebration’ of achievement past, a seemingly annual occasion since Zak Brown took over as CEO after the seminal Ron Dennis stepped down.

Notable examples of this include the use of orange, or ‘papaya’ as the team insists it’s called. The traditional colours used by McLaren founder, Bruce McLaren, who used it on his sportscars (never an F1 car however). We’ve also had the famous Gulf style liveries too. 

Chrome liveries from the past

Throughout its history, the team has showcased various iconic liveries that have captured the imagination of fans worldwide, perhaps one of the biggest fans of McLaren being Zak Brown. Since taking over McLaren, the American seems obsessed with celebrating past successes by McLaren. Some could argue that the obsession is a form of pastiche, but I digress.

One particular livery that stands out from the past history of the team is the famous chrome livery, which McLaren introduced during the 2006 Formula 1 season.

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The chrome livery marked a departure from the traditional colour schemes seen in Formula 1. Instead of vibrant and bold colours, McLaren opted for a sleek and futuristic look with its chrome livery. The cars gleamed under the sun, reflecting their surroundings and creating a visually striking presence on the track.

This colour scheme represented a new era for McLaren. It symbolized the team’s commitment to pushing boundaries and embracing cutting-edge technology. It was a visual representation of McLaren’s determination to be at the forefront of innovation in Formula 1.

The overall impact of McLaren’s new colours not only looked impressive, but it also had practical benefits. The reflective surface helped to reduce the heat absorbed by the car, thus keeping the internal temperature lower. This was particularly advantageous during hot races where heat management was crucial for optimal performance.

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Chrome special edition for 2023 Silverstone GP

Throughout the 2023 British Grand Prix race weekend, the Chrome livery will be used on both of the McLaren team’s single-seaters, while both drivers will be wearing special overalls, as well as helmets and boots used solely for the occasion.

“It’s no secret that racing fans love McLaren’s classic chrome livery. Team partner Google Chrome wanted to bring back elements of this iconic livery to celebrate our team’s history at the British Grand Prix, and we’re delighted to be able to give our fans what they want,” said McLaren CEO Zak Brown.

“I’m sure this livery will bring back fond memories for many of our fans, and I can’t wait to see it on track at our home race.”

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McLaren social media fail

Something of note. On the third of July, the team issued a tweet showcasing the livery launch with a rather neat animation using photographic stills of older chrome liveried Mclaren F1 cars. Perhaps whoever generated the animation isn’t too hot of the recent history of Formula 1, and appears to have mistakenly placed an image of a Force India F1 car near the beginning of the video.

Modern McLaren with this seemingly poor attention to detail, coupled with the obsession with past glories instead of creating its own new ones, Ron Dennis would be turning in his grave (if he was dead).

Ahead of the British Grand Prix, the McLaren team is sixth in the Constructors’ World Championship, 21 points behind Alpine.

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