McLaren History

By Karl King
February 13 2006

1963 saw the birth of the McLaren Formula One team when New Zealander Bruce McLaren founded 'McLaren Motor Racing Limited'. Three long years of hard work later, the team found itself on the grid for it's debut race at the 1966 Monaco GP.

Bruce McLaren drove his own Ford powered car to a well-deserved victory in 1968. Sadly however, two years later, McLaren lost his life at a Can-Am test at Goodwood.

His team continued to strive winning both the Drivers' and Constructors' Championships in 1974 with Emmerson Fittapaldi's Ford-powered M23.

To date the team has a record 11 Drivers' World Championships, and 8 Constructors'. Four of them were won as doubles, consecutively from 1988 through to 1992.

More recently, the team landed two major scoops. Vodafone comes on board as title sponsor in 2007 direct from Ferrari, and 2005 World Champion makes the transition from Renault for the 2007 season.

Presently Team McLaren-Mercedes has the talented duo of Iceman Kimi Raikkonen and Juan Pablo Montoya to head it's title attack for the 2006 season.

McLaren's Constructor Trophy Wins:

Constructor	Season
McLaren Ford	1974
McLaren TAG Porsche Turbo	1984, 1985
McLaren Honda Turbo	1988
McLaren Honda	1989, 1990,1991
Team McLaren Mercedes	1998