UNITED KINGDOM: McLaren Racing has launched its 2023 F1 team with a new car, the MCL60, in honour of its 60th anniversary since founder Bruce McLaren established the team.
McLaren unveils new MCL60 Challenger
The MCL60 will feature Lando Norris as the senior driver in his fifth season in F1 and rookie Oscar Piastri, the 2021 Formula 2 champion, replacing Daniel Ricciardo. The car features the same papaya orange as McLaren, with light blue and black streaks.
The MCL60’s on-track debut will come in the pre-season test at the Bahrain International Circuit on February 23. The first race of the season in Bahrain will start on March 5.
The team’s leadership has also changed, with Andrea Stella taking over Andreas Seidl’s position as team principal. Stella said it was an “honour” to lead McLaren Racing during the team’s 60th-anniversary season.
CEO Zak Brown expressed excitement over McLaren’s 2023 F1 driver lineup, citing Norris as an “intelligent and confident” driver and Piastri as “one of the biggest up-and-coming talents in motorsport”.
He also noted the challenges of the previous season in pushing towards the front of the grid. He added that the team had learnt a lot and was using the off-season to prepare for the new season.
Piastri expressed his excitement about the MCL60 and his upcoming F1 debut, stating that the car was “very impressive” and predicting it would be a “memorable year” for both him and the team.
Norris said he was looking forward to getting back behind the wheel of the new car and carrying the “positive momentum” from his 2022 F1 season into the new campaign.
The McLaren F1 team aims to improve their performance in the upcoming season after a challenging 2022 season, with the team learning a lot from the previous year.
The team will be spearheaded by Stella and the young driver duo of Norris and Piastri, and every one is entirely focused and committed to making their 60th-anniversary year a special one.
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