The McLaren Formula 1 team - currently racing under the name of Vodafone McLaren Mercedes - celebrates its 50th birthday today.
It marks the day that Bruce McLaren Racing Limited was originally formed back in 1963, when Bruce McLaren managed to gather a small crew to design, build and race cars from a tiny and cramped workshop in Surrey.
50 years on and McLaren, who now operate from the impressive McLaren Technology Centre, is the most successful British Formula 1 team in the sports history and second, only to Ferrari, in the world.
12 driver's world champions, eight constructor's titles and 182 race victories later and the team is still racing at the pinnacle of motorsport.
The team marked this special anniversary by throwing a celebratory event for all 2,000 staff members at the MTC. Part of the celebration saw them witness the historic running of several classic McLaren F1 cars. The London premier of new F1 film 'Rush' will also have a significant McLaren presence for the occasion.
Since the start of the season, McLaren has been running a campaign of 50th anniversary events. This kicked off at the MTC on the launch of the 2013 McLaren MP4-28, with some of their most iconic race cars making appearances. The classic cars also travelled to the British Grand Prix and the Goodwood Festival of Speed.
The team's Tooned animation series has also commemorated the anniversary in its second series and the team will officially celebrate the milestone in the Monza paddock at this weekend's Italian Grand Prix.
Speaking about the milestone, Ron Dennis - McLaren group chairman - said: "McLaren started as the dream of one man, and it’s since grown to encompass the hopes and dreams of more than 2000 men and women, who work as tirelessly as Bruce McLaren himself once did to ensure that everything we do reflects well when compared with everything we’ve ever achieved.
"So, our 50th anniversary provides an opportunity for every single McLaren employee to realise that he or she is an utterly crucial part of an organisation with a history and a culture that really mean something.
"Call it McLaren’s DNA, if you like. Call it McLaren’s brand continuity, if you prefer. Call it McLaren’s corporate culture, if you will. Call it McLaren’s undiminished hunger to win in everything we do, and you’d probably be getting closest to what I mean, what I think, and what I feel."
Current Vodafone McLaren Mercedes team principal Martin Whitmarsh said: "Marking McLaren’s 50th anniversary is an extremely proud moment for me, and for every single person who works for this organisation.
"We are a group that thrives on the passion, determination and belief of our employees. We are also grateful to have received outstanding support from all our partners over the decades, whose backing has given our world-class engineers and drivers the tools they need to win races.
"We make no secret of the fact that we are a hugely specialist set of businesses, but far from that being a limiting factor, our adaptability and determination have made us restless, dynamic and inventive.
"To witness the scope and scale of our growth across the past five decades has been truly astonishing. From our humble beginnings, McLaren has not only become a world-renowned sporting force, but also a byword for superlative technical excellence and attention to detail.
"That’s an incredible legacy, and a testament to the consistent adherence to the highest of standards. Everything we do – from racing grand prix cars around the world to developing groundbreaking new medical technologies – is approached with the same mindset: how can we be better? How can we be the best?
"That is the methodology that continually motivates me and still makes me feel incredibly proud to work for McLaren."
Current race driver Jenson Button said the team was an "inspiration to everyone in motorsport" while team-mate Sergio Perez said that driving for such an iconic team has been "a great personal achievement."
I will be running two special pieces on McLaren this week, so keep an eye out for those.
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| (c) Octane Photographic |
50 years on and McLaren, who now operate from the impressive McLaren Technology Centre, is the most successful British Formula 1 team in the sports history and second, only to Ferrari, in the world.
12 driver's world champions, eight constructor's titles and 182 race victories later and the team is still racing at the pinnacle of motorsport.
The team marked this special anniversary by throwing a celebratory event for all 2,000 staff members at the MTC. Part of the celebration saw them witness the historic running of several classic McLaren F1 cars. The London premier of new F1 film 'Rush' will also have a significant McLaren presence for the occasion.
Since the start of the season, McLaren has been running a campaign of 50th anniversary events. This kicked off at the MTC on the launch of the 2013 McLaren MP4-28, with some of their most iconic race cars making appearances. The classic cars also travelled to the British Grand Prix and the Goodwood Festival of Speed.
The team's Tooned animation series has also commemorated the anniversary in its second series and the team will officially celebrate the milestone in the Monza paddock at this weekend's Italian Grand Prix.
 |
| (c) Vodafone McLaren Mercedes |
Speaking about the milestone, Ron Dennis - McLaren group chairman - said: "McLaren started as the dream of one man, and it’s since grown to encompass the hopes and dreams of more than 2000 men and women, who work as tirelessly as Bruce McLaren himself once did to ensure that everything we do reflects well when compared with everything we’ve ever achieved.
"So, our 50th anniversary provides an opportunity for every single McLaren employee to realise that he or she is an utterly crucial part of an organisation with a history and a culture that really mean something.
"Call it McLaren’s DNA, if you like. Call it McLaren’s brand continuity, if you prefer. Call it McLaren’s corporate culture, if you will. Call it McLaren’s undiminished hunger to win in everything we do, and you’d probably be getting closest to what I mean, what I think, and what I feel."
Current Vodafone McLaren Mercedes team principal Martin Whitmarsh said: "Marking McLaren’s 50th anniversary is an extremely proud moment for me, and for every single person who works for this organisation.
"We are a group that thrives on the passion, determination and belief of our employees. We are also grateful to have received outstanding support from all our partners over the decades, whose backing has given our world-class engineers and drivers the tools they need to win races.
"We make no secret of the fact that we are a hugely specialist set of businesses, but far from that being a limiting factor, our adaptability and determination have made us restless, dynamic and inventive.
"To witness the scope and scale of our growth across the past five decades has been truly astonishing. From our humble beginnings, McLaren has not only become a world-renowned sporting force, but also a byword for superlative technical excellence and attention to detail.
"That’s an incredible legacy, and a testament to the consistent adherence to the highest of standards. Everything we do – from racing grand prix cars around the world to developing groundbreaking new medical technologies – is approached with the same mindset: how can we be better? How can we be the best?
"That is the methodology that continually motivates me and still makes me feel incredibly proud to work for McLaren."
Current race driver Jenson Button said the team was an "inspiration to everyone in motorsport" while team-mate Sergio Perez said that driving for such an iconic team has been "a great personal achievement."
I will be running two special pieces on McLaren this week, so keep an eye out for those.
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