Fresh off a stunning championship-winning season, McLaren continues its evolution with the all-new MCL39. But can they stay on top?
McLaren has officially confirmed that its 2025 Formula 1 contender will be named the MCL39, keeping in line with the team’s long-standing naming tradition. Under the leadership of Zak Brown, McLaren’s F1 machines have all carried the MCL prefix since 2017, a nod to the team’s deep-rooted history while also marking its modern era.
But while the name may follow tradition, the stakes in 2025 are higher than ever. After clinching the Constructors’ Championship for the first time since 1998, McLaren now faces a massive challenge—defending its crown against a grid determined to strike back.
McLaren’s Naming Evolution: A Legacy Preserved
McLaren has followed a sequential numbering system since the 1980s, but there have been a few notable exceptions:
- MCL60 (2023) was introduced to celebrate McLaren’s 60th anniversary.
- MCL37 was skipped, with the team reverting to its original sequence for the MCL38 in 2024.
Now, the MCL39 is set to take center stage in 2025, and expectations couldn’t be higher.
A New Era: McLaren’s Championship Breakthrough
2024 was the season McLaren had been waiting for. After years of rebuilding, the MCL38 emerged as the benchmark car, propelling the team to its first Constructors’ Championship since 1998 and finally ending their 16-year title drought.
Led by the dynamic pairing of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, both now multiple-time Grand Prix winners, McLaren took the fight to Red Bull and Ferrari in a thrilling championship battle.
But winning is one thing—staying on top is another.
The Pressure is On: Can McLaren Go Back-to-Back?
With Red Bull, Ferrari, and Mercedes all reloading for 2025, McLaren will need the MCL39 to be an absolute weapon if they want to pull off the championship double—both the Constructors’ and Drivers’ titles.
Norris and Piastri will have another season of experience under their belts, but McLaren can’t afford any missteps. The dominant force of 2024 is now the hunted, and the competition will be relentless.
The Countdown Begins: McLaren Set for February 18 Reveal
McLaren will pull the covers off the MCL39 at the highly anticipated F1 75 season launch event at the O2 in London on February 18, alongside the rest of the grid.
With the papaya livery returning once again, McLaren is ready to showcase the machine they hope will carry them to more championship glory.
But the big question remains:
Can McLaren defend its title and cement its place at the top of Formula 1?
The battle begins soon.
