McLaren Unveils Special Livery for 1000th Grand Prix Milestone

McLaren has unveiled a special one-off livery to mark its 1000th Formula 1 Grand Prix, a milestone only Ferrari has reached before. The celebration takes place in Monaco, where the team made its debut in 1966. The livery, featuring a darker shade of papaya with black and white accents, will be used at both the Monaco and Spanish Grands Prix.

Why it matters:

Reaching 1000 Grands Prix is a testament to McLaren's enduring legacy in Formula 1. Only two teams in history have achieved this, highlighting the team's consistency and impact over six decades.

The details:

• The MCL40 will sport a tweaked color scheme: dark papaya and black, with white race numbers and '1000' motifs woven into the design.
• References to past achievements are included, such as title-winning seasons and the record 1.8-second pit stop from 2023.
• Drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri will wear predominantly black race suits with '1000' branding on the left shoulder.
• A pre-weekend ceremony will feature the team's first car, the M2B, lining up alongside the MCL40 on the grid.
• Every living McLaren Grand Prix winner has been invited, along with F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali.

The big picture:

This milestone underscores McLaren's resilience through both success and difficult periods. Team CEO Zak Brown emphasized the team's grit, saying: 'McLaren Never Quits, and this livery and the moment on Thursday is a special way to celebrate how far we’ve come.' The celebration looks both back at history and forward to the future.