Formula One champions McLaren marks a historic milestone this Sunday: their 1,000th Grand Prix in Monaco, the same principality where the team debuted in 1966.
From a small, passionate crew of 38 New Zealanders to a global powerhouse of nearly 1,000 employees, the team’s journey is told through the voices of those who shaped it.
The First Champion
Brazilian Emerson Fittipaldi, now 79, recalls the crushing pressure before winning McLaren’s first drivers’ title in 1974 at Watkins Glen. Level on points with Ferrari’s Clay Regazzoni, he slept only three hours before the race. "Equal points to the last race-that was maximum pressure a driver can get," he said. The team then was small but starving for victory.
The Latest Champion
Lando Norris, who won McLaren’s 13th drivers’ title last year by ending Max Verstappen’s four-year reign, says his love for McLaren is lifelong. "It’s always been the team I supported since a kid," he said. "Different teams are special for different reasons; McLaren is special for the amount of champions they’ve had."
The Winning Designer
Neil Oatley, chief designer from 1989 to 2003, helped create title-winning cars for Senna, Prost, and Häkkinen. He recalls the 1993 car as an "engineers’ playground"-the last year Ayrton Senna drove for the team, before regulations tightened. Oatley first saw Bruce McLaren at Brands Hatch in the 1960s and calls him a hero: driver, team owner, engineer-"almost unthinkable in modern times."
The Team Boss
Andrea Stella, team principal since 2023, defines the team today by its investment in talent and core values. "For us it was very important last year, when we had the possibility to fight for the championship with both drivers, that we race with fairness, with equality, with respect." Stella says that principled approach made their success especially proud.
McLaren’s 1,000th race is not just a number; it’s a celebration of a culture that balances innovation, heritage, and integrity.