27/01/2021
NEWS STORY
McLaren has successfully fired up the Mercedes engine that will power the MCL35Ms of Daniel Ricciardo and Lando Norris this season, the first time the German manufacturer and the Woking team have worked together since 2014.
With racing postponed until late March and the launches as likely to be as unexciting as ever, fans are reduced to engine fire-ups as they wait for the real action to begin.
Today McLaren fired up its 2021 power unit, the Mercedes, the first time the Three-Pointed Star has powered the Woking team since 2014, ironically the first year of the hybrid formula which the German manufacturer has gone on to dominate.
During their previous partnership, which ran from 1995, McLaren won drivers' titles with Mika Hakkinen twice and Lewis Hamilton, while it won the Constructors' Championship in 1998.
While there are many changes this season, not least the rebranding of Renault and Racing Point, McLaren is the only team changing power unit supplier.
Though the pandemic has resulted in the basic 2020 cars being carried over for another season, earlier this week, McLaren's F1 Production Director, Piers Thynne revealed that due to the change of engine supplier the team's 2021 contender is essentially a new car.
The MCL35M is due to take to the track on 12 March, when pre-season testing gets underway in Bahrain.
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