McLaren has unexpectedly revealed its new Formula 1 car for the 2025 season in action at Silverstone.
The reigning constructors’ champions became the first test to uncover their latest chassis, running in a special testing livery. They will reveal their 2025 season livery at next week’s official pre-season launch event, F1 75.“Today is a big milestone in our journey in the fight for the 2025 title,” said McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown. “It’s great to get our championship challenger, the MCL39, on track for the first time and to launch the culmination of the team’s hard work.”
Lando Norris, who finished runner-up to Max Verstappen in the world championship last year, predicted the team’s rivals will give them a harder fight this year.
“This year will be more competitive than ever, so we’ve got a lot to do to be able to retain our constructor’s title and go for the drivers’ as well,” he said. “I’ve been back at the MTC [McLaren Technology Centre] prepping for the season ahead and the mood is feeling positive but focused.”
McLaren clinched their first constructors’ championship for 26 years by winning the final race of last season. Team principal Andrea Stella said the team cannot afford to relax if they are to keep their place at the head of the field.
“Whilst we finished last year as champions, 2024 highlighted how highly competitive the grid is, which is something that will carry through to this year’s championship. We therefore must keep focused to compete at the front in this tight field. It’s going to be an exciting but incredibly challenging year ahead.
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“The team have worked extremely hard to prepare as best as possible for the start of the season. We learned a lot from our battles last year, so we take this and use it to push our goal for the year.”
Pictures: McLaren MCL39 launched at Silverstone
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Jere (@jerejj)
13th February 2025, 11:53
A great testing livery, & if anything, I prefer it to the standard recent-past design.
Sonny Crockett (@sonnycrockett)
13th February 2025, 15:11
I was just thinking that!
Nulla Pax (@nullapax)
13th February 2025, 15:58
Looks really aggressive to me.
Like a wild, hungry, beast :)
El Pollo Loco
13th February 2025, 17:43
It’s far better than their normal livery, but as a rule, their liveries have looked bleh since they went to papaya.
They’ve gone very aggressive with this year’s suspension geometry. That looks like one of the biggest changes.
DaveD (@daved)
14th February 2025, 1:17
Totally agreed
DonSmee (@david-beau)
13th February 2025, 12:44
They should stop playing around and make Piastri a number two from race one!!
BasCB (@bascb)
13th February 2025, 12:58
I don’t think it makes sense to to that. It would be enough if they are a lot more clear in what they want to achieve and make sure that they get the results in (avoid stuff where both start at the front and the guy in second focusses too much on getting ahead instead of keeping all the other cars behind, there were at least 3 situations where Piastri cost the team that way).
Todfod (@todfod)
14th February 2025, 4:52
After last season, it looks entirely possible that Mclaren aren’t considering themselves as WDC contenders despite having the best car on the grid.
I think 2025 is their last chance to win a WDC championship for a while. I don’t see them being stronger than factory Mercedes 2026 onwards.
BasCB (@bascb)
14th February 2025, 7:15
I would hope that they have learned a lesson there @todfod. But I agree that they were doing a lot to avoid being able to win the WDC last season, if they do not internalize that and learn, they yes, their drivers (which ever of them turns out to end up ahead) will have a VERY hard task to make good on the potential.
David
13th February 2025, 13:18
And what other unsporting things would you like the teams to do in order to benefit your favourites?
t1redmonkey (@t1redmonkey)
13th February 2025, 13:38
Well that would be silly, seeing as I don’t think we can say for sure who the quicker of the two is yet. Remember, Lando has had triple the number of seasons that Piastri has had (6 vs 2), so Piastri still probably has things he can work on to get closer (or surpass) Lando.
El Pollo Loco
13th February 2025, 17:55
I’m sorry, but it’s completely obvious Piastri will never be as fast as Norris. As history has shown, the best drivers had all the pace they would ever have either instantly or by the end of their first season. Only consistency has ever been something that’s improved for some. Considering, Oscar was down 21-3 in quali, we know who is faster. However, McLaren still shouldn’t favor Lando in the way OP (original poster, not Oscar Piastri lol) has suggested.
Craig
13th February 2025, 14:21
No.
Nulla Pax (@nullapax)
13th February 2025, 14:38
Whoever qualifies higher is number one for the race – UNTIL it becomes obvious which is the best bet for the wins.
Greg
13th February 2025, 16:03
Unless the contract between the parties specifies that Piastri is the number 2 driver, it would be a complicated situation.
Surely the team promised him a competitive car and a similar status to his teammate. Defining the second driver out of necessity during the season is not the same as doing it from day one.
anon
13th February 2025, 16:58
Whilst it’s probably inevitable that someone would make that suggestion, given how last season played out, you are likely to be in a minority.
In practice, McLaren have tended to wait and see which driver is in the best position before wanting to throw their weight behind one of them. Whilst some might feel they were a bit too slow to do so last season, it’s an approach that the drivers are more comfortable with and one that keeps both drivers motivated for longer.
Coventry Climax
13th February 2025, 17:35
So Norris can make more of his -now near signature- mistakes for free?
El Pollo Loco
13th February 2025, 18:00
Ironically, none of those situations happen without Norris blowing the start as usual. So, yeah, what’s Oscar supposed to do? Drop 3 places at the start while other drivers passes Lando so both end up behind their competitors?
El Pollo Loco
13th February 2025, 17:50
The most ironic part about arguments like this is that had Oscar given up his position to Lando when ahead last season it makes almost no difference in the points. It was an issue just three timesall season and Norris was miles behind at the end. So, this entire narrative’s existence is an excuse for Lando’s failure to deliver when it mattered.
Jungle
14th February 2025, 8:03
Race 1 is his home GP, Webber is his manager. Should be an easy sell….
Stoo (@stewart51)
14th February 2025, 14:05
I agree whole heartedly, as it should have been done last season from the start. Piastri is still the new boy and should wait his turn at being No1.
That doesn’t mean that Piastri is less of a driver, as many drivers have proved in the past from the No2 slot, just not mugging your No1 at any opportunity, unless Norris has indicated that he’s slow and can’t keep up speed or good handling.
Then team orders apply to let him through.
Coventry Climax
13th February 2025, 17:33
Love it.
Not so much just the livery as the fact they too sort of torpedoed the joint launch event, which I’ve thought the wrong idea right from the start.
anon
13th February 2025, 21:20
It seems that many posters like yourself seem to be strangely obsessed with the launch event and constantly strive to bring it up solely because you want to make the point of boasting about how you are above such things.
PacificPR (@streydt)
13th February 2025, 22:59
Show dogs. Miss Universe. F1 – which one doesn’t belong.
anon
14th February 2025, 7:27
@streydt thanks for helping to prove the point that those who seem most obsessed with the event are those who are more interested in showing off how contemptuous they are for their own egotistical purposes.
Coventry Climax
14th February 2025, 10:14
Quit the direct personal attacks, you’re starting to behave like a perfect ah, actually.
I don’t always agree with you on topics, but there’s no cause whatsoever for personal grudges and animosity.
Or, be the man and tell me where this personal hurt comes from, like what I commented on, where it regarded you personally, when and such. Spit it out man.
PacificPR (@streydt)
14th February 2025, 10:32
Egotistical? It was just a lighthearted analogy. Changing a sport into an entertainment show will never go without some people objecting. But by all means enjoy it!
El Pollo Loco
14th February 2025, 6:01
I don’t consider myself above it, but I do think it’s totally ridiculous and pointless, especially since most of the cars won’t even be their new models.
Simon
13th February 2025, 18:25
I like the design. Looks like their OKX logo gone rogue :)
Bullfrog (@bullfrog)
13th February 2025, 18:38
I like this Fred Flintstone livery. My favourite one-off McLaren livery of the season so far, and there’ll be plenty to choose from.
Jungle
14th February 2025, 8:05
Nice one
Maciek (@maciek)
13th February 2025, 19:12
That livery is kickass
Alonslow
13th February 2025, 19:16
Bring back the silver arrows or white red marlboro.
Konstantinos
13th February 2025, 20:51
The livery still looks like a mess to me no matter how they move the orange and black around but I understand it’s all personal taste.
As a side note, McLaren’s greatest marketing achievement (ok, a bit hyperbolic) is convincing everyone to call an orange car papaya, they turned a regular old colour into a distinct identity. I just can’t… it’s orange.
El Pollo Loco
13th February 2025, 22:40
It’s awful. They went from classic liveries under Dennis to this hideous, back marker look under Brown.
PacificPR (@streydt)
13th February 2025, 23:01
That is the point of the livery..
BasCB (@bascb)
14th February 2025, 7:19
Exactly as @streydt mentions – this livery is 1. a temporary testing livery, so you don’t have to get used to it and they won’t be marketing it apart from “hey we are the first out with our new car” (they aren’t even ALLOWED to show their final 2025 livery before the official F1 “launch event”) and 2. yes, this livery is as confusing explicitly to obfuscate the lines of the car and make it harder to sport what new bits are on it, to make it hard and unpleasant to look at.
MacLeod (@macleod)
14th February 2025, 8:01
This is how cammoflage works it’s to protect things you don’t want to show while it’s right for someone nose.
It’s a Flintsone design :) some like it others don’t but this isn’t the livery they will race with as Sponsors will hate this.
PacificPR (@streydt)
13th February 2025, 23:00
Testing the baseline? Quite interesting they do this so early.
Crawliin-from-the-wreckage- Special Unhinged Edition (@davedai)
14th February 2025, 1:12
So is the guy on the left late for Halloween, or is it a side effect of neural implants?
Jungle
14th February 2025, 8:28
Well spotted. Fred Flinstone and Halloween. I feel a caption competition coming on…