With a bold new approach, McLaren aims to defend its Constructors’ crown—but can it stay ahead of Red Bull, Ferrari, and Mercedes?
McLaren’s MCL39 has hit the track for the first time, marking a major step in the team’s quest to retain its Constructors’ Championship in the 2025 Formula 1 season.
Revealed in a striking camouflage livery during a shakedown at Silverstone, the MCL39 signals McLaren’s intent to build on its breakthrough 2024 campaign—a season in which the British squad ended its 16-year title drought.
But with Red Bull, Ferrari, and Mercedes all closing in, McLaren knows the fight will be tougher than ever.
“Today is a big milestone in our journey in the fight for the 2025 title,” said McLaren 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.”
No Room for Complacency: McLaren’s “Brake Risk” Strategy
Despite its dominant finish to 2024, McLaren remains realistic about the challenge ahead. Brown emphasized that every team has made strides over the winter, making 2025 a wide-open battle for supremacy.
“We must be realistic that every team will have made progress over the winter. Last year highlighted just how much the grid has closed up, which is a brilliant thing for F1.”
However, McLaren hasn’t played it safe. The team’s aggressive “brake risk” approach to car development has delivered notable gains, though its full impact remains uncertain until qualifying in Australia.
“We believe we have made further steps forward since the Championship-winning MCL38, but we won’t know where we sit in the standings until we get into qualifying in Australia,” Brown added.
“We’re a team that never stops racing and we’ll be giving it our all to bring both championships back to Woking.”
Andrea Stella: “2025 Will Be Even More Competitive”
Since taking over as McLaren’s team principal in late 2022, Andrea Stella has overseen one of the most dramatic team turnarounds in modern F1 history.
But past success guarantees nothing, and Stella is bracing for an even tighter title race in 2025.
“We finished last year as champions, but 2024 highlighted how highly competitive the grid is, which is something that will carry through to this year’s championship.”
McLaren outpaced Red Bull in the second half of 2024, but Ferrari’s resurgence and Mercedes’ anticipated revival ensure that 2025 will be a brutal fight at the front.
“We must stay focused to compete at the front in this tight field. It’s going to be an exciting but incredibly challenging year ahead.”
“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.”
McLaren vs. Red Bull: Can Woking Stay on Top?
- Red Bull dominated early in 2024, but struggled with mid-season setbacks.
- Ferrari ended the year as a serious threat, taking wins and pushing McLaren to the final round.
- Mercedes has promised a comeback, after a frustrating 2024 campaign.
With the MCL39 set to undergo full testing in Bahrain (Feb. 19-21), all eyes will be on how much ground McLaren has gained—or lost—over the winter.
What’s Next for McLaren?
- February 18 – Official MCL39 livery reveal at F1 75 Live
- February 19-21 – Pre-season testing in Bahrain
- March 16 – Season-opening Australian Grand Prix
The Constructors’ Championship is McLaren’s to defend, but with Red Bull, Ferrari, and Mercedes all sharpening their weapons, will the MCL39 be enough to fend off the challengers?
One thing is certain—2025 will be the tightest F1 battle in years.
