The story behind McLaren's nine Formula 1 Constructors' titles

The victory of Lando Norris during the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, ahead of the Ferraris of Carlos Sainz et Charles Leclerc, offered to McLaren enough points to win the Constructors' Championship in 2024. With 14 points more than the Team, the British team has won its ninth title, 26 years after its last one. A look back at the Woking team's crowned models.

1974 – M23: The first title

© DPPI

In 1974, it's the M23 which rose to first place in the Constructors' Championship. That year, Emerson Fittipaldi left Lotus to join McLaren alongside Denny Hulme. A strategic transfer that allowed the arrival of major sponsors and the creation of the Texaco-Marlboro McLaren super-team. Thanks to this new funding, the single-seaters could evolve to become truly competitive on the grid. The Brazilian driver participated in the development of this car designed by Gordon Coppuck after winter testing on the Paul Ricard circuit.

With adjustments to aerodynamics and work on the suspensions, the car gains momentum. With improved weight distribution, improved cornering traction, wheelbase variations with the "winklepicker", and wider fenders that generated more downforce at the front, the M23 is a winning combination of handling, predictability and performance.

Despite a fierce battle against Ferrari, who were also emerging in the discipline, the developments introduced on the single-seater powered by a Ford-Cosworth V8 and the assured driving of Emerson Fittipaldi – who won his second world title in the same season – allowed McLaren to secure its first world crown among Constructors.

1984 – MP4/2: First for Prost, second for McLaren

Alain Prost at the German Grand Prix in 1984 © DPPI

McLaren returns to victory, 10 years after the MP4 / 2. Designed by John Barnard, the 1984 single-seater was the heir to the MP4/1 E of the previous year: thanks to a better understanding of the TAG V6 engine of Porsche, the car can produce 50 horsepower more than its predecessor. Its "coke bottle" silhouette and redesigned chassis are born from advances in the wind tunnel that have allowed real optimization of aerodynamics, thus offering remarkable grip.

Despite unreliable braking and gearbox systems, the McLaren triumphed in 12 of the 16 races and dominated both Championships. Handicapped by the FIA's new regulations on flat bottoms, Alain Prost won seven races and his teammate Niki Lauda the other five. It was the Austrian driver who won the world title, his third in Formula 1, half a point ahead of the Frenchman who suffered a bad wheel fixation in Dijon. In the Constructors' Championship, McLaren won the title with an 86-point lead over Ferrari at the end of an almost perfect season.

1985 – MP4/2B: A great year for the Porsche V6

The MP4/2B at the South African Grand Prix in Kyalami in 1985 © Yann Guichaoua / DPPI

MP4 / 2B follows in the footsteps of its big sister, champion in 1984. The development work led by John Barnard focuses on engine issues, including a new pair of "mirror" turbochargers. The single-seater decorated as a packet of cigarettes improves further after the winter break, to the great displeasure of its rivals: the change in the layout of the turbos, placed closer to the engines to limit damage caused by debris, has borne fruit.

While the removal of Michelin tyres could have been a disadvantage, the Woking team quickly adapted to its new tyre supplier, Goodyear. The rule changes banning rear wing extensions to reduce downforce had raised fears of a drop in performance for the single-seater, but this was not noticeable. In 1985, the British team won another Constructors' title by 90 points and gave France its first World Champion, Alain Prost, who shares the track with Niki Lauda for his final year in F1.

1988 – MP4/4: The last of the turbocharged engine

The McLaren MP4/4 during the German Grand Prix in 1988 © Eric Vargiolu / DPPI

After just a few laps aboard the new MP4/4 from 1988, Alain Prost reportedly told team principal Ron Dennis that he was certain he would win the World Championship. As the season saw new rule changes that were supposed to disadvantage teams that used turbos, McLaren dominated the championship. Powered by a new Honda V6 engine producing over 700 horsepower, the car won 15 of the season's 16 races.

Ayrton Senna took advantage of this good momentum from the English team to win his first world title, while Alain Prost finished in 2nd place, three points behind his teammate. To bid farewell to turbos, banned from the 1989 season, the team won the Constructors' title with 199 points, a score three times higher than Ferrari, second in the standings.

1989 – MP4/5: Senna / Prost, the duel at its peak

Ayrton Senna aboard the MP4/5 at Silverstone in 1989 © DPPI

Following the ban on turbos for the 1989 season, McLaren adapted to the new rules requiring 3,5-litre naturally aspirated engines by designing the MP4 / 5 Powered by the Honda-designed V10 engine under Neil Oatley. Despite reliability issues, including lubrication and a transverse gearbox introduced mid-season, McLaren continued to lead the competition.

Senna and Prost won ten races between them, consolidating the team's rise to a new Constructors' title. On the drivers' side, tensions intensified. Between public accusations and a total breakdown in communication between the drivers, the atmosphere was heavy and internal conflicts regular. Which did not shake the team's competitiveness. Finally, it was the Frenchman who, with his consistency and fuel management, won the Drivers' title with a 16-point lead after a season of fratricidal battles.

1990 – MP4/5B: The advent of the Honda V10

Ayrton Senna's MP4/5B in action against Nigel Mansell's Ferrari at the 1990 British Grand Prix © DPPI

Following the departure of Alain Prost and technical director Steve Nichols to Ferrari, McLaren had to adjust to continue to perform. While Gordon Murray was developing a road car project, Neil Oatley and the rest of the team chose to refine the previous year's winning MP4/5 rather than start from scratch. Powered by an upgraded Honda V10 engine, the single-seater also featured a stronger monocoque, revised suspension geometry and an aerodynamic tweak that proved particularly effective.

Despite damage to the first chassis during pre-season testing, the car showed its potential in the first race at Phoenix (USA), where Ayrton Senna held off Jean Alesi. Thanks to a light and powerful machine, the Brazilian driver, joined by his teammate Gerhard Berger, obtained ten pole positions and six victories in the sixteen races of the 1990 calendar. The Brazilian thus won a second world title, in a controversial climate at Suzuka ahead of his rival and former teammate, Alain Prost. McLaren also won its third consecutive Constructors' Championship in the face of increasing competition from Ferrari and Williams.

1991 – MP4/6: The last coronation of the Senna era

The MP4/6 at the French Grand Prix at Magny-Cours © DPPI F1 / DPPI

With an estimated power of 720 horsepower, the MP4/6 is equipped with a Honda V12 engine, heavier and more fuel-hungry than the previous V10. A new weight that does not convince Senna during the tests: the Brazilian fears that these additional horses are not enough to compete with the V10 Renault improved. The appearance of the single-seater does not change particularly, although the aerodynamics have benefited from a significant improvement thanks to the expertise of Henri Durand, formerly of Ferrari. Throughout the season, the problems of friction and fuel consumption must be remedied.

Ayrton Senna had an impressive season despite the challenges of fuel consumption and the technical adjustments required to the engine. He remained unbeaten until Monaco, taking four consecutive victories and consolidating McLaren's position at the top of the championship. Showing his consistency once again, the Brazilian managed to bag his third world title at Suzuka while also securing the Constructors' title for the Woking team, with the help of his team-mate, ahead of Williams by 14 points.

1998 – MP4/13: Adrian Newey's first McLaren

The McLaren MP4/13 during the French Grand Prix in 1998 © DPPI

Despite Adrian Newey's late arrival at McLaren, the MP4-13 reveals an ingenious design focused on increasing downforce while complying with the new regulations. The innovations made by the engineer attentive to the smallest detail are subtle, but have given the single-seater a formidable efficiency. The switch to Bridgestone tires prompts corrections to the car's geometry and suspension. Equipped with a V10 Mercedes, the McLaren stood out from the start of the 1998 season.

On track, Mika Hakkinen and David Coulthard exploited the potential of the MP4-13, giving McLaren an eighth Constructors' title with 156 points. Hakkinen dominated with six wins and nine pole positions, while Coulthard took another victory. Their consistency and speed saw a comeback for the team, which had not won since 1991. In the final race of the season at the Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka, Hakkinen fought a fierce battle with his main rival of the season, Michael Schumacher, to win the Drivers' title with a 14-point margin.

2024 – MCL38: First title in the XNUMXst century

The MCL38 at the 2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix © ANTONIN VINCENT / DPPI

26 years after the British team's last World Championship victory, the MCL38 – designed under the supervision of Andrea Stella – brought McLaren its ninth Constructors' Championship title with 666 points, fourteen more than Ferrari, at the final round of the 2024 season. From the middle of the season, the single-seater became one of the best on the grid, even managing to raise hopes of an exceptional comeback in the Drivers' Championship with Lando Norris, against the three-time title holder Max Verstappen, whose car had some setbacks. Officially, the team has not had any retirements in the 24 races of the season, even if Lando Norris did not finish the Austrian Grand Prix (this is not counted as a retirement since the Briton completed more than 90% of the laps.)

Lando Norris and Oscar piastri win their first Formula 1 Grand Prix in 2024, and remain in the Top 10 after their time on the Spielberg circuit. Consistent performances from the papaya teammates were not enough to dethrone the now four-time World Champion, Max Verstappen, who was crowned in Las Vegas. The British driver still climbs to second place in the Drivers' Championship and his Australian counterpart occupies fourth place.

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