Information about McLaren

History of McLaren in F1

McLaren joined Formula One in 1966 and they have since picked up 8 world championships. In 1968, Bruce McLaren claims the team’s first victory in Belgium and helps McLaren to second place in the constructors’ championship. In 1976, James Hunt takes the title and in 1984, it is fought for between two McLaren team mates: Alain Prost and Ayrton Senna. 1985 and 1986 see Prost winning both years before sharing the title with Senna from 1988-1991. Mika Hakkinen completed a double in 1998 and 1999, with McLaren winning the constructors’ championship in 1998. 2005 saw the worst start in years for McLaren and 2006 was poor, finishing the campaign without a win for the first time in ten years. In 2007, the team was stripped of the constructors’ title and heavily fined after being found guilty of possessing classified Ferrari records. British driver Lewis Hamilton made his debut season and finishes one point shy of the title. Last year the team enjoyed success with relative newcomer Lewis Hamilton, claiming victory in the final minutes of the last race. Heikki Kovalainen and Lewis Hamilton partnership proved weaker than Ferrari’s, with McLaren ending the constructors’ campaign in second position, a massive 21 points behind their arch rivals.

McLaren information

The principal of McLaren is Martin Whitmarsh and the team is based in English town of Woking. They have racked up an impressive 162 wins, 140 pole positions and have set 136 fastest lap times. McLaren currently use the Bridgestone Potenza tyres, a Mercedes-Benz FO 108W engine with a MP4-24 chassis. Hamilton and Kovalainen both retain their team places for the 2009 campaign.

Technical details and statistics

The chassis’s front wing sits lower and wider than before and will improve the airflow around the car for 2009. The rear diffuser consists of channels all matching in height and length, with no difference in height to the central and side sections. Modifications to the front wheel rim fairings will channel air to help cool the brakes and direct the rest of the air towards the rear of the car.

Base: Woking, England
Team principal: Martin Whitmarsh
Main drivers: Lewis Hamilton and Heikki Kovalainen
Engine: Mercedes-Benz FO 108W
Chassis: MP4-24
Tyres: Bridgestone Potenza
Debut F1 season: 1966
World Championship titles: 8
Highest race finish: 1st (x162)
Pole positions: 141
Fastest lap times: 136

Driver no.1: Lewis Hamilton

Born in 1985 in Stevenage, England, Lewis Hamilton joined the F1 circuit in 2007 and has already gained 22 podium finishes, 207 points, nine wins, 13 pole positions and a drivers’ championship. He started his professional career in 2002 and by 2005 he had dominated the Formula Three Euroseries, before winning the GP2 championship in his debut season in 2006. In 2007, he joined McLaren and battled team mate Fernando Alonso for the title and only lost after slipping points in the last two races. Last year saw victory for the English driver, as he became the youngest ever driver to win the championship and he has since signed with McLaren until the end of 2012.

Statistics
Nationality: British
Date of birth: 07/01/1985
World Championship titles: 1
Number of Grands Prix won: 9
Pole positions: 13
Career points: 207
Podiums: 22

Driver no.2: Heikki Kovalainen

The Finnish driver was born in Suomussalmi in 1981 and has been racing in Formula One since 2007. He won his first race last season, earned one pole position, 83 points and has featured on the podium four times. Since starting his career in 2001, Kovalainen made his way from a World Series driver to a Formula One test driver in 2006 with Renault before making his F1 debut in 2007 at the Australian Grand Prix. Before joining McLaren in 2008, he notched his first podium in Japan and finished the race in second place. Last season saw success for the Fin as he won his first Grand Prix, set his first fastest lap time and gained his first pole.

Statistics
Nationality: Finnish
Date of birth: 19/10/1981
World Championship titles: 0
Number of Grands Prix won: 1
Pole positions: 1
Career points: 83
Podiums: 4