McLaren

McLaren is a Formula One team based in Woking, Surrey, UK. Founded in 1963 by New Zealander Bruce McLaren, McLaren is best known as a Formula One constructor but has also competed in the Indianapolis 500-Mile Race and Canadian-American Challenge Cup. The team is one of the most successful teams in Formula One, having won over 160 races, 12 Drivers’ Championships and 8 Constructors’ Championships. The team were the first to design a car using a carbon fibre monocoque, which is now ubiquitous in its use by all teams.

The current team was formed by the merger of Bruce McLaren Motor Racing with Ron Dennis’s Project Four Racing in 1981. Shortly after the merger, Dennis organised a buyout of the original McLaren shareholders to take full control of the team. McLaren is part of McLaren Racing, a member of the McLaren Group. Engines are supplied by McLaren shareholder Mercedes-Benz through Mercedes-Benz High Performance Engines. Dennis has been team principal since the 1981 merger, although he has agreed to transfer his position to longtime McLaren employee Martin Whitmarsh effective 1 March 2009. Dennis will continue to work within the McLaren Group.

Formula One World Championship Career:

Debut			1966 Monaco Grand Prix
Latest race		2008 Brazilian Grand Prix
Races competed		649
Championships		8
			(1974, 1984, 1985, 1988, 1989, 1990,
			1991, 1998)
Drivers' Championships	12
			(1974, 1976, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1988,
			1989, 1990, 1991, 1998, 1999, 2008)
Race victories		162
Pole positions		141
Fastest laps		137
2008 position		2nd (151 points)