McLaren will compete in a special livery at its home Formula 1 Grand Prix at Silverstone this weekend. As the team from Woking revealed on Monday evening, fans can look forward to a special chrome(e) finish.
It pays homage to McLaren design from 2006 to 2014, shaped by Lewis Hamilton’s first world championship title in 2008 with McLaren-Mercedes. In the same year, Google, current main sponsor of the McLaren team, launched the Chrome internet browser.
The Chrome logo paired with a return to the iconic chrome/silver colors is the focal point of the special livery that will grace Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri’s MCL60. The racing suits and helmets will also be adjusted accordingly for the Silverstone race weekend.
“It’s no secret that racing fans love McLaren’s classic chrome finish,” McLaren CEO Zak Brown commented on the special design. “Google Chrome wanted to bring back elements of this iconic livery to celebrate our team’s history at the British Grand Prix.”
McLaren serves Formula 1 fans
“I’m sure this livery will bring back great memories for many of our fans and can’t wait to see it on track at our home race.”
Nick Drake, Marketing Specialist at Google, added: “It has been a privilege for the Google Chrome team to work with McLaren to recreate elements of an iconic livery and inspire this acquisition.”
“We were delighted with the reaction from fans to the branded hubcaps that started our partnership and now Google Chrome is bringing chrome back to the McLaren at its home race.” In doing so, the team continues the ongoing celebrations of McLaren’s 60th birthday.
For this reason, other historic McLaren liveries have already been revived in Monaco and Barcelona this season. There, the team drove with a color scheme that combined the designs of three cars that allowed the marque to win the coveted “Triple Crown”.
In 1974 she won the Indianapolis 500, in 1984 the Monaco Grand Prix and in 1995 the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The look was made up of the colors of the winning cars.
Lando Norris enthuses: “The paintwork was fantastic”
So now the comeback of the chrome finish, which should make Norris particularly happy. Because he has been pushing the team to bring back the iconic colors for quite some time. “The paint job was fantastic,” enthuses the Brit.
“There’s no other car these days quite like the Vodafone McLaren Mercedes I grew up with back then. “That’s what I fell in love with. In many ways I can say that it inspired me to become a Formula 1 driver. Before that I was more involved with MotoGP.”
“I didn’t really know much about racing and then I looked at Formula 1 and it was Lewis versus Fernando (Alonso) even though they were on the same team and that’s what got me excited. Every year I’ve I pushed Zak to go back in that direction a bit,” Norris reveals.
In Silverstone this wish comes true. “I know it’s just for one race, but it’s cool to be reliving a little of what got me into Formula 1.”