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McLaren’s Stunning Constructors’ Triumph Shatters F1’s ‘Works Team’ Myth

Harry Stone by Harry Stone
December 12, 2024
in Motorsports
Reading Time: 4 mins read
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McLaren’s Stunning Constructors’ Triumph Shatters F1’s ‘Works Team’ Myth

Formula One F1 - Abu Dhabi Grand Prix - Yas Marina Circuit, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates - December 8, 2024 McLaren's Lando Norris leads into the first corner at the start of the race REUTERS/Jakub Porzycki

The 2024 Formula 1 season delivered an extraordinary twist as McLaren defied decades of convention to secure the Constructors’ Championship, proving once and for all that a customer team can beat even the most dominant works outfits. It’s a victory that rewrites the narrative of modern F1, turning the age-old belief that only works teams can reign supreme on its head.


“A Decade of Transformation: From Crisis to Champions”

McLaren’s 2024 triumph marks the culmination of a decade-long transformation. In 2014, the team parted ways with long-time partner Mercedes to embrace a doomed works partnership with Honda. That disastrous era left McLaren floundering, out of title contention, and searching for direction.

By 2018, the team’s leadership was resigned to the notion that winning a championship as a customer was impossible. But under the guidance of CEO Zak Brown and team principal Andrea Stella, McLaren rejected that defeatist mindset, opting to focus on what truly mattered: building a great car and fostering a harmonious relationship with its engine supplier.

“It’s an excuse to say you need to be a works team,” Stella declared. “You need a competitive power unit, but the differentiation lies in the quality of work on the chassis side.”


“Why the ‘Works Team’ Advantage Isn’t What It Used to Be”

For much of F1’s history, works teams had a decisive edge, particularly in the V6 turbo-hybrid era. The ability to tailor engine maps, energy deployment systems, and chassis integration gave works teams a significant performance advantage over their customer counterparts.

However, since 2018, F1’s regulatory framework has leveled the playing field. Today, power unit manufacturers must supply identical engines to both works and customer teams, including identical software and engine modes. This means customer teams like McLaren now receive the same power units as Mercedes’ factory team.

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff even embraced this parity. “I’d rather be beaten by a customer team and know where the benchmark lies,” he remarked, underscoring the spirit of fair competition.


“McLaren’s Semi-Works Relationship with Mercedes”

While McLaren is technically a customer, its relationship with Mercedes High Performance Powertrains (HPP) is far from standard. McLaren has earned a seat at the table, providing input into engine packaging and development, and receiving advanced notice of changes to the power unit.

This collaboration allowed McLaren to design its own gearbox, a crucial factor in optimizing suspension geometry and achieving a performance edge over the factory Mercedes team.

“We respect that Mercedes GP will always have the final word,” Stella said. “But we’re also comfortable making proposals to HPP, and they recognize when an idea benefits everyone.”


“Breaking Barriers Through Superior Chassis Development”

At the heart of McLaren’s success was its relentless focus on chassis development. By building a car capable of extracting every ounce of performance from its Mercedes engine, McLaren turned the tables on its supplier’s factory team.

“Where works teams might have an advantage is in packaging awareness,” Stella noted. “But we’ve proven this year that with great work, you can overcome that.”

This philosophy, paired with meticulous execution, allowed McLaren to outperform even the mighty Red Bull and Mercedes teams, whose historical dominance seemed unassailable.


“A Paradigm Shift for F1’s Power Dynamics”

McLaren’s triumph is a watershed moment, showing that the era of customer teams being second-class citizens is over. With regulations ensuring engine parity and a customer team finally besting its works counterpart, the playing field has been forever changed.

It’s a message to every team on the grid: excuses about power unit limitations no longer hold water. Success now hinges on ingenuity, execution, and maximizing every opportunity—something McLaren demonstrated in spectacular fashion.


“What’s Next for McLaren?”

As McLaren celebrates its Constructors’ Championship, it’s clear that the team isn’t resting on its laurels. Its relationship with Mercedes is stronger than ever, and its focus remains on delivering consistent excellence across all aspects of car development.

For the first time in decades, McLaren has proven that being a customer team is not a barrier to greatness. It’s a lesson that will resonate across Formula 1 for years to come.

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