McLaren previews its 2025 Formula 1 car, the MCL39

• McLaren has revealed the MCL39 as its contender for the 2025 Formula 1 season
• The MCL39 will be piloted by Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri in the new season
• The first race will be the Australian Grand Prix, taking place on March 16

McLaren is the first to reveal its new Formula 1 race car for the 2025 season, though the reigning Constructors’ Champion is saving the full details, including the livery, for a formal debut on Feb. 18.

The new car carries the MCL39 designation (the previous car was the MCL38) and will be piloted by Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri in the new season, with Andrea Stella continuing as team principal. Norris finished second in the Drivers’ Championship last season, behind Red Bull Racing’s Max Verstappen.

The 2025 F1 cars follow most of the same design regulations as last year’s models, with power unit rules remaining fixed ahead of the new regulations set for 2026. A minor change this year includes tighter restrictions on DRS designs and wing deflections. Additionally, cars must now be fitted with a driver cooling system if the weather forecast predicts a race-day temperature exceeding 88 degrees F. The bonus point for the fastest lap has also been removed for the new season.

McLaren is likely to have developed some innovations for the MCL39, though details will remain unknown until the official debut.

F1 cars feature carbon-fiber composite honeycomb structures for the chassis and hybrid power units that combine a turbocharged 1.6-liter V-6 with two motor-generators—one on the driveline and another integrated with the turbo—for a peak output of around 1,000 hp. McLaren continues to use a power unit supplied by Mercedes-Benz AMG.

McLaren’s performance last season was one of the biggest surprises, as the team enjoyed a major resurgence in the second half. After struggling early on, Norris and Piastri became regular front-runners and secured multiple podium finishes. Norris was even in title contention for much of the season, and thanks to Piastri’s contributions, McLaren secured the Constructors’ Championship—its first since 1998, when David Coulthard and Mika Häkkinen drove for the team.

The MCL39 is scheduled to join the rest of the 2025 fleet at the Bahrain International Circuit on Feb. 26 for pre-season testing. The first race of the season, the Australian Grand Prix, will take place on March 16. There will be 24 races this season, including three U.S. stops in Miami, Austin, and Las Vegas.