McLaren

2026 Drivers

Team History

McLaren is one of the most storied names in Formula 1. Founded by New Zealander Bruce McLaren in 1966, the team has been a constant presence in Grand Prix racing for nearly six decades. After Bruce McLaren’s tragic death in a testing accident in 1970, the team continued under the guidance of Teddy Mayer and later Ron Dennis, who transformed McLaren into the most professional and technologically advanced operation in the paddock during the 1980s and 1990s.

The team’s first great era came in the 1970s with Emerson Fittipaldi and James Hunt, the latter winning the 1976 Drivers’ Championship in one of the most dramatic seasons ever. The arrival of Ron Dennis and designer John Barnard in the early 1980s ushered in a new level of excellence. Niki Lauda, Alain Prost, and Ayrton Senna all drove for McLaren during its golden age, with Senna and Prost forming perhaps the most famous and fiercely competitive driver pairing in motorsport history. The team’s 1988 season with Honda power remains the benchmark — Senna and Prost won 15 of 16 races.

Mika Häkkinen brought back-to-back titles in 1998 and 1999, and Lewis Hamilton burst onto the scene in 2007, narrowly missing the championship in his rookie year before winning it in 2008. McLaren then endured a difficult period, particularly during an ill-fated partnership with Honda from 2015 to 2017 that produced some of the team’s worst results in decades.

A revival began under the leadership of Zak Brown and Andrea Stella, with Lando Norris emerging as a future champion. McLaren won their first race since 2012 when Norris triumphed in Miami in 2024, and both Norris and Oscar Piastri established themselves as one of the strongest driver line-ups on the grid. Heading into 2026 with Mercedes power and a state-of-the-art wind tunnel at the McLaren Technology Centre, the Woking team are genuine contenders for both championships once again.

Championship Record & Notable Achievements

• Constructors’ Championships: 8 (1974, 1984, 1985, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1998)
• Drivers’ Championships: 12 (Fittipaldi, Hunt, Lauda, Prost x3, Senna x3, Häkkinen x2, Hamilton)
• Race Victories: 180+ Grand Prix wins
• 1988 Season: 15 wins from 16 races with Senna and Prost
• Notable Drivers: Ayrton Senna, Alain Prost, Mika Häkkinen, Lewis Hamilton, Lando Norris
• Second most successful team in F1 history by wins

How to Watch McLaren

Follow McLaren throughout the 2026 Formula 1 season live on Sky Sports F1, with highlights available on Channel 4. Every practice session, qualifying, sprint, and race is covered across the season’s 24-round calendar.

For the complete broadcast schedule including session times, streaming options on Sky Go and NOW TV, and free-to-air coverage details, visit our dedicated F1 TV schedule page.

View Full TV Schedule →