Based at an imposing, ultra high-tech headquarters in Woking, England, that would put a Bond villain to shame, McLaren is the epitome of modern Formula 1: slick, high-tech, well-funded and focused on detail to the point of obsession.
Sometimes McLaren can be too conservative; occasionally it overcomplicates. But invariably, the silver chrome-clad team is at the front of the field challenging for victory.
That ultra-sophisticated, uber-regimented approach has paid dividends over the last five decades. With 169 wins to its credit, McLaren is the second-most successful team in Formula 1’s history, and one of only three – alongside Ferrari and Williams – to have survived since the 1980s.
However, McLaren has been in the headlines for wrong reason on far too many occasions in the last five years and this sort of distraction doesn’t help during a serious title challenge: The team missed the 2007 title by a single point and having strung together a title season in 2009 (which was almost derailed in the final race in Brazil) the 2009 season was a disaster. Last year showed some promise, with both drivers winning races. But the car was never quite quick enough, or for that matter fast for both drivers at the same time.
British world champions Hamilton and Button remain with the team to offer stability in the cockpit, while Engineering Director Paddy Lowe moves up to become Technical Director. The new car missed the first three-day test in Valencia but the team claims that has given it an advantage in extra development time. That sounds a little optimistic but McLaren has arrived at the first race before and scored a one-two.
Jenson ButtonLewis Hamilton