McLaren celebrated its 1,000th Formula One start at the 2023 Monaco Grand Prix, the same track where it debuted 60 years earlier in 1963 [1, 2]. Today, McLaren stands as the second most successful team in F1 history [1, 2].
Zak Brown joined McLaren in late 2016, taking over as chief executive in 2018 [1, 2]. When he arrived, McLaren was struggling, ranking ninth out of ten teams in the 2017 championship with only 30 points [1, 2]. That season included a highly anticipated but ultimately disappointing partnership with Honda engines, known for being slow and unreliable [1, 2].
Brown described the team environment at that time as dark and cold, saying, "Our factory is amazing. It kind of looks like Star Wars. I felt we were Darth Vader. We were dark, we weren't very warm." He added that the atmosphere was unhappy among partners, drivers, and team members, with "a lot of conspiracy theories running around" [1]. The black and dark grey paint on the race cars and factory walls reflected this mood [1, 2].
The team's history includes dominant periods under former CEO Ron Dennis, who led McLaren to success in the late 1980s and early 1990s with drivers Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost [1, 2]. Dennis was ousted by majority shareholders in late 2016 after several years of upheaval, coinciding with Brown's arrival [1, 2].
McLaren's car livery has changed multiple times to reflect its partners: from the red and white Marlboro sponsorship years to Mercedes' silver and then an all-black scheme [1, 2].
Brown explained the team's turnaround with the Star Wars metaphor, saying, "I think we're a much more vibrant team now. There was a huge amount of talent in here. It was just about unlocking it, providing motivation, excitement, bringing some fun back." He concluded, "And it was like 'let's go over to the Luke Skywalker side and be warm and welcoming and inclusive.'" [1, 2]
McLaren marked its milestone of 1,000 F1 starts during the 2023 Monaco Grand Prix weekend as reigning champions, highlighting the team's resurgence on the sport’s biggest stage [1, 2].