McLaren becomes the first F1 team to unveil its 2025 car, launching the MCL39 in a camo livery at Silverstone.
McLaren has set the pace for the 2025 Formula 1 season by unveiling its MCL39 at a high-profile Silverstone event, becoming the first team to showcase its new car. However, fans will have to wait a little longer to see the full livery, as the team revealed the car in a temporary camouflage design.
The reigning constructors’ champions presented the MCL39 in a striking geometric print featuring McLaren’s signature papaya orange and black. Due to F1’s restrictions, all teams are reserving their official liveries for the F1 75 Live event in London’s O2 Arena next Tuesday. Williams, set to launch its FW47 on Friday, will also adhere to these rules.
McLaren’s launch included a filming day, with drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri getting their first taste of the new machine. Norris took the first laps before Piastri stepped in, giving fans an early glimpse of the team’s latest engineering innovations.
Images of the MCL39 reveal that McLaren has retained its pull-rod front suspension while making notable refinements to the bodywork. One major change is the redesigned, more ovoid air intake above the engine cover.
McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown called the unveiling a “big milestone” in the team’s 2025 title campaign.
“It’s great to get our championship challenger, the MCL39, on track for the first time and to launch the culmination of the team’s hard work,” he said. “We must be realistic—every team has made progress over the winter, and the competition is fiercer than ever. We believe we’ve taken another step forward, but we won’t truly know where we stand until qualifying in Australia.”
Team principal Andrea Stella echoed the sentiment, stressing that despite winning last year’s constructors’ title, McLaren can’t afford to be complacent.
“2024 showed just how competitive the grid is, and we expect that to continue into this season,” he said. “We’ve learned a lot from our battles last year, and we’re using that knowledge to push even harder.”
Both Norris and Piastri expressed excitement about the MCL39’s debut. Norris, commenting on the temporary colour scheme, said, “The camo livery is a fun one—it’s great to showcase something different before the official F1 75 launch.” Piastri added, “It’s great to finally get behind the wheel ahead of testing in Bahrain.”
McLaren will face immense pressure in 2025, not only to defend its constructors’ crown but also to break a long-standing drought in the drivers’ championship. While the team secured its first title in 26 years last season, Norris lost a long-shot battle to Red Bull’s Max Verstappen. If McLaren can carry its momentum into this season, it could be on course for its first championship double since Mika Häkkinen’s triumph in 1998.
With the grid expected to be closer than ever, all eyes are now on McLaren to see if its early reveal signals a season of dominance—or an all-out war for F1 supremacy.
