VODAFONE MCLAREN-MERCEDES

NEWS

 

Pedro de la Rosa rejoins Vodafone McLaren Mercedes March 9, 2011
 

Vodafone McLaren Mercedes is pleased to welcome Pedro de la Rosa back as its official test and reserve driver.

The Spaniard originally joined McLaren-Mercedes in 2003.

Working closely with our race and test teams for seven seasons, he helped develop cars that won 29 grands prix and, most memorably, the 2008 drivers’ world championship with Lewis Hamilton.

As a Formula 1 racing driver, Pedro has driven 84 grands prix for Arrows, Jaguar, McLaren-Mercedes and BMW-Sauber.

But it is as a Formula 1 test driver that his experience, expertise, discipline and communications skills have been most notably brought to bear - qualities that have always been very highly prized by his McLaren Mercedes team-mates.

Indeed, motor racing statisticians may be interested to learn that Pedro has driven a mammoth 361 Formula 1 test days in his long career (fourth on the all-time list behind only Luca Badoer [469], Alex Wurz [382] and Jarno Trulli [381]), encompassing 22,763 laps and 104,248 kilometres.

We will benefit significantly from being able to draw on his enormous experience once again.

Furthermore, we are equally delighted that we will also be retaining the services of 2005 German Touring Car (DTM) champion and 2002 German Formula 3 champion Gary Paffett.

Gary will dovetail his Vodafone McLaren Mercedes test and development commitments in 2011 with a full racing campaign for Mercedes-Benz in the DTM series.

Although he will therefore no longer attend grands prix during what promises to be the most intense Formula 1 season in the history of the sport, encompassing races on five continents, he will work for Vodafone McLaren Mercedes away from the world's racetracks to ensure that we maintain our high standards of race simulation and vehicle engineering – increasingly important areas of development given the lack of in-season track running.

PEDRO DE LA ROSA
“Of all the teams I’ve driven for in Formula 1, Vodafone McLaren Mercedes is the one that really feels like home.
“So I’m very excited about returning to the team to help push the development of the MP4-26.
“Lewis and Jenson already have an extremely positive and productive working relationship - so, building on and adding to their existing rapport, I'm aiming to do everything I can to help them get even more from our car, our engineers and our technical resources back at the McLaren Technology Centre.”

MARTIN WHITMARSH
“I know I speak for all my colleagues when I say that I'm delighted that Pedro has chosen to return to Vodafone McLaren Mercedes.
“He rejoins us with even greater experience, and his motivation and attention to detail remain as sharp as ever.
“His recruitment adds considerable strength in depth to our driver line-up.
"With two world champion race drivers in Lewis and Jenson, and two of the world's most experienced and capable development drivers in Pedro and Gary, we feel we have a quartet of talent that is absolutely second-to-none.
“Our partners - Vodafone, ExxonMobil, Santander, Johnnie Walker, Hugo Boss and all the others - are also delighted that, once again, they'll be able to draw on Pedro's readiness to involve himself with marketing programmes during grand prix weekends, which he has always performed with enthusiasm and skill.
“Meanwhile, we wish Gary a very successful season in the DTM series with Mercedes-Benz - and are delighted that, away from the world's racetracks, he'll continue to give us the benefit of his considerable technical and developmental abilities.”

 

Vodafone McLaren Mercedes Launches MP4-26 February 4, 2011
 

Berlin, Germany, Friday 4th February 2011: In a unique event attended by hundreds of fans, Vodafone McLaren Mercedes this morning brought together members of the public to construct and reveal its new MP4-26 chassis, the team's challenger for the 2011 FIA Formula 1 World Championship.

Revealed at Berlin's Potsdamer Platz, the famous public space that sits on the fringe of the old Berlin Wall, the car was built up by dozens of Vodafone competition-winners, fans and customers carrying components into the arena, where the new chassis was gradually pieced together in front of a huge crowd.

This culminated in our race drivers - 2008 world champion Lewis Hamilton and 2009 world champion Jenson Button - assembling the very final pieces to reveal the completed racecar.

Looking radically different from last year's race-winning chassis, MP4-26 features a range of aerodynamic features designed to take advantage of new rules significantly limiting the amount of downforce that can be derived from the car's underbody.

These most notably include distinctive U-shaped sidepods - to feed air more efficiently to the car's rear-end - and a drag reduction system [active rear-wing], introduced for 2011 to increase the potential for overtaking.

Beneath the skin, the car houses an all-new electric KERS [hybrid] system. Vodafone McLaren Mercedes, along with our engine partners Mercedes-Benz HighPerformanceEngines, became the first-ever Formula 1 team to win a grand prix using a hybrid device in 2009, and this new system is expected to further refine that race-winning package.

The team continues for 2011 with the proven driver pairing of world champions Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button. Between them, they helped Vodafone McLaren Mercedes to five grands prix victories, three one-two results and second overall in the 2010 constructors' championship.

JENSON BUTTON
"It’s strange to think that this is only the start of my second season at Vodafone McLaren Mercedes, because I’ve felt so comfortable since joining the team last January.
"Even so, I’d still consider 2010 something of a building year, albeit, with two victories, a pretty solid one! For the new season, I’ve not only got a year’s Vodafone McLaren Mercedes experience under my belt, but I’ve also been able to offer input into the design and development of the new car – something that I was naturally unable to do last year."
"I’m really looking forward to getting to drive the new car for the first time. Our pre-season simulations suggests that the new Pirelli tyres should be well-suited to my particular driving style, so I’m hopeful of being able to derive a good advantage from the tyres during the races.
"Today really marks the beginning of our 2011 season after what seems a very long time away from the track. It’s been a really exciting event for all the fans who attended, and now I can’t wait to get behind the wheel of MP4-26 for the first time next week."

LEWIS HAMILTON
"It’s great to see how many fans braved the Berlin weather to come to today’s event. I hope it’s been an exciting day for everyone: I think people saw a unique way of revealing our 2010 car, something that’s never been done before. I hope the car proves just as innovative once we take to the track next week.
"This will be my fifth season in Formula 1. I’m an experienced driver now, and I’ve won the world championship, scored lots of pole positions and taken many race wins. So my aim for this year is to ensure that everything comes together in the best possible way and that, like last year, I’m able to fight for the title right down to the final race.
"Of course, Jenson and I will be racing alongside three fellow world champions in 2011, and that’s a testament to the strength of Formula 1 right now. It’s incredibly hard to say who’ll be up at the front, but I’m an absolute racer and I’m looking forward to some fantastic, close racing and another thrilling conclusion to the season – hopefully with a Vodafone McLaren Mercedes driver on top!"

MARTIN WHITMARSH
Team principal, Vodafone McLaren Mercedes
"I think today’s innovative launch demonstrates the enthusiasm within Vodafone McLaren Mercedes to engage the general public; to show them that our sport is intense and exciting, and that we’re very keen to showcase Formula 1 to the wider world.
"With Lewis and Jenson, we have two of the most exciting, charismatic and high-profile personalities in the sport, and the whole team feels a powerful sense of responsibility to provide them with the very best machinery with which to showcase their very evident talents to the world.
"The MP4-26 is the result of an incredible amount of hard work, innovative thinking and dynamic teamwork. While we’re all hopeful of once more adding to our tremendous record in Formula 1, this sport is so unpredictable and finely pitched at the moment that it’s impossible accurately to forecast the state of play until the season starts next month."

TIM GOSS
Engineering Director, McLaren Racing
“I think there are some novel features on the car. The long wheelbase and U-shaped sidepods are probably the most obvious examples. The thinking behind that is to feed as much good-quality air as possible to the rear-lower mainplane and the floor of the car.
"We want to get the rear-end working as well as possible following the loss of performance caused by the banning of the double-diffuser. Once again, we’ve really pushed the car’s cooling configuration: we’ve got a second air intake on the engine cover for gearbox and hydraulic cooling.”

 

Vodafone McLaren Mercedes Launches MP4-25 January 29, 2010
 

Newbury, UK, Friday 29th January 2010: The Vodafone McLaren Mercedes team today revealed its brand new MP4-25 chassis - the car in which reigning world champion Jenson Button and 2008 world champion Lewis Hamilton will contest the 2010 FIA Formula 1 World Championship.

Unveiled at Vodafone UK's stunning headquarters in Newbury, the 2010 car looks noticeably different from last year's race-winning MP4-24. MP4-25 features a radical aerodynamic overhaul and a significantly larger fuel tank to take full advantage of this year's new regulations, and its design team is confident it has explored every possible avenue to maximise the car's performance.

Horsepower once again comes from our friends in Stuttgart. Mercedes-Benz's FO 108X V8 subtly improves upon an engine that has become the benchmark in Formula 1, winning the last two drivers' world championships.

The team kicks off its 2010 campaign with a stunning driver pairing: 2009 world champion Jenson Button and 2008 world champion Lewis Hamilton. It is the first time since 1989 - when it ran Alain Prost and Ayrton Senna - that the team has fielded a joint-world champion driver line-up, and marks the first time in Formula 1 history that the sport's two most recent world champions have been partnered together.

However, the driver line-up represents only a fraction of the team's remarkable strength in depth. Members of the design team who contributed to the development of MP4-25 can also trace their involvement back through an incredible seven of the team's 12 drivers' world championships, five of the team's eight constructors' world championships and 112 of the team's 164 grand prix victories.

The Vodafone McLaren Mercedes team begins pre-season testing with MP4-25 at the Circuit de la Comunitat Valenciana Ricardo Tormo on Monday.

JENSON BUTTON
"I'm incredibly proud to be standing here today knowing I'll be carrying the number one for the whole season: that's a great responsibility but also a great honour. It's something I'm relishing.
"From the very first day of testing, I'll be working with the team to learn about the car and to develop it ahead of the first race. I've said it before: the pace of development in those opening tests could well determine the outcome of the championship.
"I've got a great team around me, and I already feel very at home here. I just can't wait to get in the car and start driving again. It really can't come soon enough!"

LEWIS HAMILTON
"I've seen just how much effort and attention has gone into making this car what it is. We've been pushing like crazy to find the performance and the result is something that looks very special and very uncompromising.
"Both Jenson and I are world champions, and we both want to add to the team's incredible winning legacy. I think a strong driver line-up will be very important this year as there are a lot of very competitive teams and drivers - and the stronger we can be, the better chance we'll have of winning races. We all understand that.
"Obviously, I want to win the drivers' world championship, that's clear. But, just as important, I want to help the team win the constructors' world championship. I think it's set to be a great year for Formula 1 - it should be brilliant."

MARTIN WHITMARSH
Team principal, Vodafone McLaren Mercedes
"At Vodafone McLaren Mercedes, we've demonstrated that strength in depth is the best approach to take in Formula 1. The group of engineers, designers and strategists we've assembled demonstrates how much can be achieved by a very focused team operating at the very limit of their abilities.
"In Jenson, we saw a champion driver hungry for more success. We've already seen those qualities in Lewis, too. I'm convinced that we have one of the very strongest driver line-ups in Formula 1, and that both Jenson and Lewis are committed to working together to enhance the team's prospects in what promises to be a fiercely competitive season."

DAVID WHELDON
Vodafone Global brand director & CEO of VIML
"As we enter into the fourth season of this partnership, we will continue to create real engagement with our customers, utilising the unique opportunities the team partnership delivers, through a powerful integrated marketing platform. With the 2010 season starting, we welcome newly crowned world champion Jenson Button and wish all the team a successful 2010 season."

 

Jenson Button Joins Vodafone McLaren Mercedes November 18, 2009
 

Woking, UK, Wednesday 18th November 2009: Vodafone McLaren Mercedes is delighted to announce the signing of the reigning World Champion Jenson Button to a multi-year deal. He will be partnered by 2008 World Champion Lewis Hamilton, who will be embarking on his fourth consecutive season as a Vodafone McLaren Mercedes driver.

This unique partnership will mark:
- The first time in Formula 1 history that a team has started the new season with a line-up featuring the most recent two successive World Champions
- The first pairing of two British World Champions since Graham Hill [1962, 1968] partnered Jim Clark [1963, 1965] at Lotus in 1968

Jenson Button
2009 Formula 1 World Champion
Vodafone McLaren Mercedes car #1
“It’s always a difficult decision to leave a team when you’ve been there for so long. But life is all about challenges – and, most important of all, it’s about challenging yourself. So, although I won the World Championship with Brawn GP last year, and I’ll never forget that, I was always adamant that I wanted to continue to set myself fresh challenges.

“So that’s why I’ve decided to join Vodafone McLaren Mercedes. You can’t help but be affected by this team’s phenomenal history. McLaren is one of the greats of world sport, and its achievements and list of past champions read like a Who’s Who of Formula 1 – Emerson Fittipaldi, James Hunt, Niki Lauda, Alain Prost, Ayrton Senna, Mika Hakkinen and of course my new team-mate Lewis Hamilton. I’ve followed the McLaren team ever since I was a small boy, and it feels unbelievable to finally be a part of it.

“When I visited the McLaren Technology Centre earlier this month, it wasn’t simply the technical resources and the incredible standards of excellence that impressed me. No, I was equally struck by the ambition, the motivation and the winning spirit that flow through everybody there. And then there’s the team’s epic history: put it this way, the trophy cabinets seem to stretch for miles.

“From a personal point of view, it’s also a great pleasure to be joining a fellow British World Champion. Lewis has achieved an incredible level of success in a very short period of time, and he’s a wonderfully gifted driver who has earned the respect of every Formula 1 driver. I’m sure there’s plenty that we can learn from each other, and I’m really looking forward to using our combined knowledge to push the team forward.

“Also, I think it’s fantastic that we’ll be forming an all-British line-up. I know that we both fly the flag with pride, and I sincerely hope we can make the whole of the United Kingdom, as well as Vodafone McLaren Mercedes fans across the world, proud. Nothing means more to me than to be able to represent my country, and I’m looking forward to both of us painting Formula 1’s circuits red, white and blue for many years to come.

“While I’m fully aware that there’s a tremendous amount of hard work ahead, I’m absolutely certain that Vodafone McLaren Mercedes will be able to deliver where it matters: on track. I’m already looking forward to starting work with the engineers at the McLaren Technology Centre as we begin our preparations for the 2010 season – and the defence of my world championship. This is a team that always goes racing to win, and I’m looking forward to being part of that.

“Last but very far from least, I want to say that the 2009 season will always have a special place in my memory, and I’m absolutely sure that everybody at Brawn GP who worked so hard to achieve our World Championship successes feels exactly the same way about it. Equally, I want to thank the guys at Mercedes-Benz HighPerformanceEngines, without whom we’d never have been as competitive as we were. I’m so pleased that I’ll still be using their engines in 2010 and beyond.

“So I wish all my old Brawn GP mates well in their new Mercedes Grand Prix adventure, just as I hope they’ll wish me well in my new Vodafone McLaren Mercedes adventure.”

Lewis Hamilton
2008 Formula 1 World Champion
Vodafone McLaren Mercedes car #2
“It’s fantastic news that Jenson has decided to join Vodafone McLaren Mercedes – and I’m looking forward to working with him and our engineers to make sure we kick off the 2010 season with a car that’s competitive enough to win the World Championship – but I want to send my best wishes for the future to my 2008-09 team-mate and now good friend Heikki Kovalainen, who is one of the nicest human beings I’ve ever met.

“I already know Jenson, and we get on very well together. We both really want our team to succeed. Although we’ll be pushing each other hard, I’m sure we’ll very quickly establish a great working relationship. He’s an exceptional driver: very controlled and very smooth, and he has a real depth of knowledge and experience. I think we’ll complement each other very well, and our collaboration will make the team stronger as a result. Also, I’m delighted to be racing alongside a fellow British World Champion, and I believe we can pull together to make Vodafone McLaren Mercedes the best team on the grid.

“I’m sure Jenson has already started to appreciate our team’s unique culture and the special family atmosphere that makes it such an incredible place to live and work. We really are like one big family – and I’m sure Jenson will feel the warmth of that welcome from day one.

“Obviously, as a British driver, I’m also thrilled that we’ll be flying the flag for the United Kingdom, and I think today’s announcement is fantastic news for all British sports fans. I hope they’ll be giving us their full support when the season kicks off next March. I’m already looking forward to Silverstone – it’ll be massive!

“Looking ahead, I think the results from the second half of 2009 speak for themselves, and I’m convinced we can carry that momentum through the winter and into the new season. I’ve been closely following the development of our 2010 challenger, the MP4-25, and I think it’s going to be a state-of-the-art car that will enable both of us to consistently fight for victories.”

Martin Whitmarsh
Team principal, Vodafone McLaren Mercedes
“Everybody at Vodafone McLaren Mercedes is absolutely delighted to be able to welcome Jenson to our team. It has always been our policy to employ the two very best possible drivers – and, in Jenson and Lewis, we feel we not only have the fastest pairing on the 2010 grid, but also the two most complete, professional and dedicated drivers in Formula 1.

“Moreover, I’m confident that we’ll be able to successfully balance and harness Jenson’s and Lewis’s complementary skill-sets. Our engineers are already looking forward to working with Jenson, and I’m convinced that such a strong and dynamic driver line-up will make us an even more complete and competitive operation. Now we have to provide Jenson and Lewis with race-winning machinery.

“I want to make clear that Jenson’s decision to join us was in no way motivated by money. We’ll be paying him no more than he could be getting elsewhere, and that fact is a reflection of not only Jenson’s belief in Vodafone McLaren Mercedes but also his desire and ambition to build on the phenomenal results he achieved during the 2009 season.

“I also want to thank Heikki for his selfless contribution over the past two years. As well as being very quick, Heikki was and remains a great character whom we’ll all miss considerably. It goes without saying that we wish him all the best for next season, and would be very pleased if he were to secure a good drive for 2010.

“We’re ambitious, we’re motivated and we’re hungrier than ever. We make no secret of our ambition for next year: Vodafone McLaren Mercedes wants to win both World Championships – and, with Jenson and Lewis, we believe we’re better equipped than any other team in the pitlane to do exactly that.”

Jenson Button (GBR)
Date of birth: 19 January 1980 (29)
World championships: 1 (2009)
Wins: 7
Pole positions: 7
Points: 327
GP starts: 170

Lewis Hamilton (GBR)
Date of birth: 7 January 1985 (24)
World championships: 1 (2008)
Wins: 11
Pole positions: 17
Points: 256
GP starts: 52

 

McLaren And Mercedes Announce Realigned Alliance November 16, 2009
 

McLaren and Mercedes-Benz are delighted to announce a realigned long-term strategic alliance.

The agreement covers the next six Formula 1 seasons (2010-15) and also provides mechanisms whereby the partnership may continue beyond 2015.

The reaffirmation of the two companies’ commitment to each other is the result of many weeks of careful and co-operative discussion between the McLaren Group and Daimler AG (the parent companies of, respectively, McLaren Racing and Mercedes-Benz) and covers both parties’ continued involvement in the Vodafone McLaren Mercedes Formula 1 partnership as well as a shared intention to act in the overall best interests of the sport of Grand Prix racing. It also reflects the independent vision of both companies with regard to their automotive production strategies.

The realigned long-term strategic alliance is reflected in three principal resolutions, as follows:

Mercedes-Benz: to power McLaren’s Formula 1 cars until 2015
Having begun in 1995, the McLaren/Mercedes-Benz partnership is already one of the longest engine-supply associations in Formula 1 history; 2009 was its 15th consecutive year and 2015 will be its 21st consecutive year, by which time it will have become by some margin the longest such association in Formula 1 history. Both the McLaren Group and Daimler AG were therefore committed to securing its continuation as part of a realigned long-term strategic alliance, and to have provided mechanisms whereby the partnership may continue beyond 2015. The team will continue to be known as Vodafone McLaren Mercedes, its distinctive silver-with-red livery will remain unchanged, and Mercedes-Benz will continue as both an engine supplier and a partner.

McLaren Group: to purchase Daimler AG’s 40 per cent shareholding
In a transaction structured so as to be completed by 2011, the McLaren Group will undertake a phased purchase of the 40 per cent shareholding currently owned by Daimler AG. As a result, the McLaren Group will become a fully independent stand-alone corporate entity.

McLaren Automotive: spun out of the McLaren Group
The McLaren Group will continue as the parent company of McLaren Racing (and Vodafone McLaren Mercedes), McLaren Marketing, McLaren Electronic Systems, McLaren Applied Technologies and McLaren Electronics Inc (USA), focusing chiefly on Formula 1 and associated technologies, while McLaren Automotive has been spun out of the McLaren Group and from 2011 will begin to manufacture its own range of high-performance production sports cars, targeted to penetrate a series of meticulously-selected premium automotive market segments. As such, McLaren Automotive will continue to develop according to a robust business strategy that has been formulated with McLaren’s customary prudence and rigour. The McLaren Group and McLaren Automotive will continue to evolve in line with their respective business strategies, and may in time adopt slightly different shareholder groupings, but they will always share a common goal: to be the best in the world in their respective fields.

Ron Dennis (Executive Chairman, McLaren Automotive; Founding Shareholder, McLaren Group) said:
“This is a win-win situation, for both McLaren and Daimler.

“I’ve often stated that it’s my belief that, in order to survive and thrive in 21st-century Formula 1, a team must become much more than merely a team. That being the case, in order to develop and sustain the revenue streams required to compete and win Grands Prix and World Championships, companies that run Formula 1 teams must broaden the scope of their commercial activities.

“Nonetheless, all of our partners will of course continue to play a crucial role in our Formula 1 programme. For that reason, and because the engines they produce are very competitive, we’re delighted that Mercedes-Benz has committed to continue not only as an engine supplier but also as a partner of ours until 2015 – and perhaps thereafter.

“The next few years will be a very exciting time for McLaren, during which period we intend to become an ever-stronger technological and economic force. Formula 1 will always be a core activity, for sound business reasons as well as for historical sporting reasons: to be clear, our Formula 1 business has traditionally enjoyed great financial security, largely as a consequence of the longevity of our contracts with our partners, many of which have exceeded 15 years of continuous involvement with McLaren. Indeed, two of our partners have been with us for more than 25 years.

“We’re risk-averse by design. Over the past two years we’ve analysed in great detail the challenge of entering the high-performance production sports car market. In the MP4-12C, which will be introduced to market in 2011, we have a car that has inherited the genes of the iconic McLaren F1 of 1994 and has already been the subject of much global media acclaim. It is proposed that it will be produced in a new state-of-the-art production facility adjacent to the existing award-winning McLaren Technology Centre at Woking [Surrey, UK].”

 

 

NEWS ARCHIVE

 

2011 SEASON

 

MP4-26










 

 

 

















 

Engine
Type Mercedes-Benz FO 108Y
Capacity 2.4 litres
No. of cylinders 8
Max. RPM 18,000
Bank angle 90˚
Piston bore maximum 98mm
 
Number of valves 32
Fuel ExxonMobil High Performance Unleaded (5.75% bio fuel)
Spark Plugs
 		 NGK racing spark plugs specially designed for Mercedes-Benz F1 engine
Lubricants
 		 Mobil 1 – combining greater performance, protection and cooling with increased economy and lower emissions
Engine Weight 95kg (minimum FIA regulation weight)

KERS [hybrid]
Type Mercedes-Benz
e-Motor Engine-mounted electrical motor/generator
ESS Integrated energy storage cells and power electronics
Power 60 kW

Transmission
Gearbox
 		 McLaren-moulded carbonfibre composite. Integral rear impact structure
Gears Seven forward and one reverse
Gear selection McLaren seamless shift, hand-operated
Clutch Carbon/carbon, hand-operated
Lubricants Mobil

Chassis
Monocoque
 		 McLaren-moulded carbonfibre composite incorporating front and side impact structures
Front suspension
 		 Inboard torsion bar/damper system operated by pushrod and bell crank with a double wishbone arrangement
Rear suspension
 		 Inboard torsion bar/damper system operated by pullrod and bell crank with a double wishbone arrangement
Electronics

 		 McLaren Electronic Systems. Including chassis control, engine control, data acquisition, dashboard, alternator, sensors, data analysis and telemetry
Bodywork

 		 Carbon-fibre composite. Separate engine cover, sidepods and floor. Structural nose with intergral front wing Driver-operated drag reduction system [active rear wing]
Tyres Pirelli P Zero
Radio Kenwood
Race Wheels Enkei
Brake calipers Akebono
Master cylinders Akebono
Batteries GS Yuasa Corporation
Steering McLaren power-assisted
Instruments McLaren Electronic Systems
Paint solutions AkzoNobel Car Refinishes using Sikkens Products

 

Team Drivers

Jenson Button 
Car No. 4
Nationality British
Date of Birth 19 January 1980
Place of Birth Frome, Somerset, UK
Marital Status Single
Height 1.82m
Weight 70.5kg
Resident Monaco
Favourite Music Dance, British alternative
Hobbies Cycling, cars, music
Website www.jensonbutton.com

Formula One
2011
Vodafone McLaren Mercedes: Driver
2010
Vodafone McLaren Mercedes: fifth in the drivers' championship (214 points, two wins Australia, China), 7 podiums, 1 fastest lap.
2009
Brawn GP F1 Team: Champion (95 points, 6 wins Australia, Malaysia, Bahrain, Spain, Monaco, Turkey), 9 podiums, 4 pole positions, 2 fastest laps.
2008
Honda Racing F1 Team: World Championship position: 18th, 3 points; best result: 6th, Spanish Grand Prix
2007
Honda Racing F1 Team: World Championship position: 15th, 6 points; best result: 6th, Chinese Grand Prix
2006
Lucky Strike Honda Racing F1 Team: World Championship position: 6th, 56 points; best result: 1st, Hungarian Grand Prix
2005
Lucky Strike BAR Honda: World Championship position: 9th, 37 points; best result: 3rd, German and Belgian Grands Prix
2004
Lucky Strike BAR Honda: World Championship position: 3rd, 85 points; best result: 2nd, San Marino, Monaco
2003
Lucky Strike BAR Honda: World Championship position: 9th, 17 points; best result: 4th, Austrian and Japanese Grands Prix
2002
Mild Seven Renault F1 Team: World Championship position: 7th, 14 points; best result: 4th, Malaysian and Brazilian Grands Prix
2001
Mild Seven Benetton Renault: World Championship position:17th, 2 points
2000
BMW WilliamsF1 Team: World Championship position: 8th, 12 points; best result: 4th, German Grand Prix

Competition History
1999
Formula 3: 3rd in the British Formula 3 Championship, 3 wins; 2nd in the Macau Grand Prix; 2nd in the Korean Grand Prix.
1998
Formula Ford: 1st in the British Formula Ford Championship, 7 wins.






















 
Lewis Hamilton 
Car No. 3
Nationality British
Date of Birth 7 January 1985
Place of Birth Stevenage, UK
Marital Status Single
Height 1.74m
Weight 68kg
Resident UK
Favourite Music R & B, Reggae, Hip-Hop, and funky house
Hobbies Playing the guitar, music, training
Website www.lewishamilton.com

Formula One
2011
Vodafone McLaren Mercedes: Driver
2010
Vodafone McLaren Mercedes: fourth in the drivers' championship (240 points, 3 wins Turkey, Canada, Belgium), 9 podiums, 1 pole position, 5 fastest laps.
2009
Vodafone McLaren Mercedes: fifth in the drivers' championship (49 points, two wins - in Hungary, and Singapore). Lewis is limited by his car's performance in the opening half of the season, but, once his engineers have unlocked the car's pace, he invariably fights at the front in the closing half, setting four pole positions and three additional podium finishes.
2008
Vodafone McLaren Mercedes: Champion (98 points, 5 wins Australia, Monaco, Britain, Germany, China), 10 podiums, 7 pole positions, 1 fastest lap. At just 23 years old, he is formula 1's youngest ever world champion.
2007
Vodafone McLaren Mercedes: 109 Points; second in the Drivers' World Championship narrowly missing out on the title with two points; the most successful rookie season in the history of the Formula 1 World Championship with consecutive podiums in his first nine races; winner in Canada, the US, Hungary and Japan; second in Malaysia, Bahrain, Spain, Monaco and Italy and third in Australia, France and Britain. Runner-up in BBC Sports Personality of the Year; voted GQ magazine Man of the Year in Germany and Sportsman of the Year in the UK; awarded the prestigious Golden Steering Wheel by Bild am Sonntag; presented with the BRDC Gold Star; received five F1 Racing awards including Man and Driver of the Year; winner of three Autosport awards.

Competition History
2006
GP2 Series: Champion with ART Grand Prix; five wins; six fastest laps; first double win at the Nürburgring; pole position and winner of Monaco GP2 race; second double win at Silverstone in home race; seven 2 nd place and two 3 rd place podiums
2005
F3 Euroseries: Champion with ASM F3 Dallara-Mercedes; 15 wins; 10 fastest laps; 13 pole positions; secured championship with four races remaining; winner of F3 Masters at Zandvoort including pole position and lap record; winner of the Monaco F3 Grand Prix including two pole positions and two race wins and one fastest lap; winner of Pau F3 Grand Prix in France; two pole positions, two race wins and two fastest laps
2004
F3 Euroseries: fifth; one win and third place at the Norisring and the Nürburgring; winner of Bahrain F3 Superprix
2003
British Formula Renault: Champion; 10 wins; nine fastest laps and 11 pole positions; Champion before final two rounds
2002
British Formula Renault: third; three wins; three fastest laps; three pole positions; Formula Renault EuroCup Championship fifth; one win three podiums; competed in four out of nine rounds
2001
British Formula Renault Winter Series; fifth overall.
2000
Formula A: European Champion; winner of all four rounds; World Cup Champion; awarded Karting World Number 1; winner of Masters at Bercy; Founder member of BRDC ‘Rising Star' membership
1999
Intercontinental A (ICA): Italian "Industrials" Champion, Junior ICA (JICA): Vice European Champion; winner Trophy de Pomposa, 4th Italian Open Championship
1998
Junior ICA (JICA): second in McLaren Mercedes Champions of the Future series; fourth in Italian Open Championship; signed by McLaren and Mercedes-Benz to Young Driver Support Programme
1997
Junior Yamaha: Super One British Champion; winner of McLaren Mercedes Champions of the Future series
1996
Cadet Class: winner of McLaren Mercedes Champions of the Future series; Sky TV Kart Masters Champion; Five Nations Champion
1995
Cadet Class: Super One British Champion; STP Champion
 
 

 

Test Drivers

Pedro de la Rosa 
Nationality Spanish
Date of Birth 24 February 1971
Place of Birth Barcelona, Spain
Marital Status Married to Reyes, one daughter (Georgina)
Height 1.77m
Weight 74kg
Resident Spain
Favourite Music Bruce Springsteen
Hobbies Radio controlled helicopters, cycling, cross country skiing
Website www.pedrodelarosa.com

Formula One
2011
Vodafone McLaren Mercedes: test driver
2010
BMW Sauber F1: World Championship position: 17th, 6 points; best result: 7th, Hungarian Grand Prix
2009
Vodafone McLaren Mercedes: test driver.
2008
Vodafone McLaren Mercedes: test driver.
2007
Vodafone McLaren Mercedes: test driver.
2006
Team McLaren Mercedes: competed in eight races after replacing Juan Pablo Montoya from the French Grand Prix onwards, 19 points; 11th in the Drivers' Championship; second in Hungary
2005
Team McLaren Mercedes: test driver: competed in the Bahrain Grand Prix when he replaced Juan Pablo Montoya; set fastest lap and finished fifth; four points; 20th in the Drivers’ Championship
2004
Team McLaren Mercedes: test driver.
2003
Team McLaren Mercedes: test driver.
2002
Jaguar Racing: 19th in the Drivers’ Championship; eighth in Australia and Brazil.
2001
Jaguar Racing: three points; 16th in the Drivers’ Championship; debut race round five in Spain; fifth in Italy, sixth in Canada.
2000
Arrows Grand Prix: two points; 17th in the Drivers’ Championship; sixth at the European GP at the Nürburgring and German GP.
1999
Arrows Grand Prix: one point; 17th in the Drivers’ Championship; sixth in Australia.
1998
Test driver for Jordan Grand Prix.

Competition History
1997
Japanese F3000 Champion; 10 podium finishes. All Japan GT Champion
1996
Japanese F3000; eighth in the Drivers' standings. All Japan GT Championship: eighth in the Drivers' standings
1995
Formula 3 Japanese Champion; third in the Macau Grand Prix.
1994
British Formula 3 Series.
1993
British Formula 3 Championship ; sixth in the Drivers’ standings.
1992
British Formula Renault Champion. European Formula Renault Champion.
1991
Spanish Formula Renault Championship; fourth in the Drivers’ standings.
1990
Spanish Formula Ford 1600 Champion. Races British Formula Ford 1600 (2 podiums out of 6 races).
1989
Spanish Formula Fiat Uno Champion.
1988
Karting in Spanish Junior Championships.


 
Gary Paffett 
Nationality British
Date of Birth 24 March 1981
Place of Birth Bromley, England
Marital Status Married to Lisa, two sons
Height 1.75m
Weight 76kg
Resident UK
Favourite Music Gorillaz, Black Eyed Peas, Maroon 5, Robbie Williams
Hobbies Karting, football, golf, computers and games
Website www.garypaffett.com

Formula One
2011
Vodafone McLaren Mercedes: test driver
2010
Vodafone McLaren Mercedes: test driver
2009
Vodafone McLaren Mercedes: test driver
2008
Vodafone McLaren Mercedes: test driver
2007
Vodafone McLaren Mercedes: test driver
2006
Team McLaren Mercedes: test driver.

Competition History
2011
DTM driver with Mercedes-Benz
2010
DTM: 2010 AMG Mercedes C-Class, HWA team; finished second overall with three wins, two pole positions.
2009
DTM: 2009 AMG Mercedes C-Class, HWA team; finished second overall with four wins.
2008
DTM: 2007 AMG Mercedes C-Class, Persson Motorsport; finished ninth overall.
2007
DTM: 2006 AMG Mercedes C-Class, Persson Motorsport; finished ninth overall with one win at Oschersleben.
2005
Champion in the DTM (German Touring Car Masters) with AMG-Mercedes C-Class and the HWA team: five wins, four pole positions. Announced as Team McLaren Mercedes Test driver in December.
2004
DTM runner-up Series with AMG-Mercedes C-Class and the HWA team: four wins, one pole position.
2003
Gary competed in one F3000 race before signing for DTM with Rosberg's Mercedes AMG team. He finished 11th overall.
2002
Winner of the German F3 Championship never losing the lead throughout the championship.
2001
German F3 Championship racing with Keke Rosberg's race team; finished 6th overall.
2000
BRDC Silver Award Winner, The youngest driver ever to be awarded a BRDC silver award. BRDC Formula 3 Scholarship Class Champion, 13 wins, 13 fastest laps, 13 pole positions.
1999
Formula Vauxhall Junior Champion; two track records, four wins, five fastest laps, three pole positions; Awarded McLaren Autosport BRDC Young Driver of the Year.
1998
Formula Vauxhall Junior Class B Champion; 13 fastest laps, 13 poles, 13 races. Won every race of the year; the only class ‘B’ car to set a track record.
1997
Winner of the Formula Vauxhall Junior Winter Series; Best newcomer.
1996
McLaren Mercedes Karting Champion of the Future. MSA-RAC second in the British Junior ICA Championship.
1995
British Junior TKM Champion. Second in the Junior ICA European Championship.
1994
Second in the British Junior TKM Championship.
1993
Third in the British Cadet Championships.
 

 

Management Team

Martin Whitmarsh
Team Principal, Vodafone McLaren Mercedes

Martin Whitmarsh joined McLaren in 1989 and took over as team principal in 2009. The 52-year-old Englishman graduated from Portsmouth polytechnic in 1980 with a degree in mechanical engineering, and immediately joined British Aerospace as a structural analysis engineer. Nine years later, he joined McLaren as head of operations and since then has been instrumental in assisting McLaren’s growth and diversification as a company as well as overseeing the race team’s engineering and manufacturing functions. He was promoted to managing director in 1997 to allow McLaren's then team boss Ron Dennis to spend more time on the TAG McLaren Group. In 2005 Whitmarsh was appointed chief operating officer of McLaren Racing, a subsidiary company of the McLaren Group. Then, following Dennis's decision to step back from race operations ahead of the 2009 season, Whitmarsh took over as team principal. Having started the 2009 season with a relatively uncompetitive car, the McLaren team under Whitmarsh improved impressively to take two grand prix victories and secure third place in the Constructors' World Championship; indeed, McLaren scored the most points of any team in the second half of the 2009 season. McLaren have started the 2010 season in fine style, both Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton winning grands prix impressively in the first half of the year. Whitmarsh was voted chairman of the Formula One Teams Association (FOTA) in 2010.
Martin Whitmarsh

 

Jonathan Neale
Managing Director, McLaren Racing

After spending 10 years working at a senior level on the technical and operational side of military and commercial aerospace company BAE Systems, Jonathan joined McLaren Racing as operations director. In 2004, he became the company's managing director – a key role in defining and implementing the team's technical and operational strategy.

 

Technical Team

Paddy Lowe
 Engineering Director, McLaren Racing

Paddy Lowe joined McLaren from Williams in 1993 as the team's head of research and development. Instrumental in introducing a number of key technical innovations to the cars, his remit consistently broadened and he was appointed engineering director in May 2005. In January 2011, he graduated to the role of technical director, which will afford him even greater levels of focus as he will be spearheading new and innovative technical projects related to the team's Formula 1 future.

 

Neil Oatley
 Design and Development Director, McLaren Racing

Like so many venerable motorsport engineers, Neil’s Formula 1 career began in the Williams Grand Prix drawing office in the late 1970s. He rose to become race engineer, working alongside drivers such as world champions Keke Rosberg and Nigel Mansell. He enjoyed a brief stint as chief designer for the shortlived Team Haas Lola team before moving to McLaren in 1986, where he oversaw the design and development of a slew of title-winning cars. As design and development director, Neil has wide-ranging brief to oversee the specification, design and build programme for each new Vodafone McLaren Mercedes car.

 

Simon Roberts
Operations Director, McLaren Racing

A rich background in mechanical and automotive engineering – including roles at BMW's powertrain division – perfectly prepared Simon Roberts for McLaren Racing. Joining the team in 2003 as general manager, he became operations director the following year. For 2009, he was seconded to the Force India F1 team as chief operating officer but returned to McLaren Racing at the end of last season.

 

Tim Goss
 Engineering Director, McLaren Racing

Tim Goss entered Formula 1 with Cosworth in 1986 before joining McLaren as a design engineer in 1990. He has held many roles within the team, including stints as chief test team engineer, head of vehicle dynamics and chief engineer powertrain – a role in which he oversaw the introduction of the sport’s first-ever seamless-shift gearbox. Until January 2011, Tim was one of the team’s two chief engineers, alternating with Pat Fry. He was responsible for the complete specification, design and race development of the 2010 MP4-25 car. He has assumed a larger role within the car development programme since then, becoming engineering director.

 

Andrew Bailey
 Head of Vehicle Design, McLaren Racing

Andrew Bailey began his career designing fast maritime craft in Australia. After a series of senior design and development roles he joined McLaren from QinetiQ in 2008. Overseeing the latter half of the design development of the championship-winning MP4-23, he currently has charge over McLaren Racing's vehicle design, wind tunnel delivery and model design teams.

 

John Iley
 Head of Aerodynamics, McLaren Racing

Joining Vodafone McLaren Mercedes at the start of 2010, John Iley heads up the team’s aerodynamics department, overseeing the efficient operation and day-to-day running of the group. He previously occupied the same role at Ferrari from 2003 until the middle of last year, and has also worked for Renault F1 and Jordan. He began his motorsport career in 1990, and has worked in sports cars, and also for the Newman Haas Indycar team.

 

Doug McKiernan
 Chief Aerodynamicist, McLaren Racing

After gaining his PhD in Aeronautical Engineering at Manchester University Doug McKiernan joined BAE Systems, specialising in wing design. His expertise in CFD made him a natural asset in BAE Systems’ technical partnership with McLaren-Mercedes, and in 1999 he came to Woking to develop CFD models. After three months he decided to make the move permanent. Since joining the team he has worked as a CFD, wind tunnel and trackside aerodynamicist. Since 2006 Doug has acted as principal aerodynamicist and then chief aerodynamicist, responsible for the aerodynamic design and performance of every car since the MP4-22.

 

Mark Williams
 Head of Vehicle Engineering, McLaren Racing

After graduating from Imperial College, London, with a degree in mechanical engineering, Mark devoted himself to motorsport, working at the Ensign Formula 1 team, engineering firm Ricardo and as a designer at Lola. After a stint working in the North American IndyCar series, he returned to Europe, firstly to look after the engineering side of McLaren’s sports car racing programme before joining the Formula 1 team in 1997. As head of vehicle engineering, he is responsible for integrating all aspects of the team’s vehicle development.

 

David Redding
Team Manager, McLaren Racing

David Redding took on his first motorsport role in 1988, working in the Benetton Formula 1 team’s gearbox department. In 1995, he became number one mechanic at McLaren, before leaving at the end of 1996 to help set up the fledgling Stewart Grand Prix team. When he rejoined McLaren in 2000, he moved to the team’s engineering department, working as a systems engineer before becoming assistant race engineer on David Coulthard’s car, alongside Phil Prew. Becoming more and more involved in the team’s operational side, he was appointed head of race operations in 2009, becoming team manager after the first two races of the year.

 

Philip Prew
Principal Race Engineer, McLaren Racing

Philip Prew started his McLaren career in vehicle dynamics and modelling in 1997. The following year he joined the race team, working as an assistant race engineer to Mika Hakkinen. In 2001, he was promoted to race engineer, a role he oversaw until the end of last season, working with David Coulthard, Juan Pablo Montoya, Pedro de la Rosa and Lewis Hamilton. For 2010, he becomes the team’s principal race engineer.

 

Jakob Andreasen
Jenson Button's Race Engineer, McLaren Racing

Danish-born Jakob Andreasen initially worked at McLaren in the mid 1990s, engineering the Group’s GT and Le Mans sports car programmes. He returned in 2001 as a test engineer and joined the race team in 2005, where he most recently worked as assistant race engineer on Lewis’s car. He has also worked in the BTCC and Champ Car and has been a race engineer in Formula 3000 and DTM.

 

Andy Latham
Lewis Hamilton's Race Engineer, McLaren Racing

Andy Latham joined McLaren in 2000, and has taken on a range of technically challenging positions within the company, including roles developing software and the team simulator. With more than six years of trackside experience, including stints working with Kimi Raikkonen and Fernando Alonso, he is perfectly placed to become Lewis's new race engineer.

 

PARTNERS

 

Title Partner

The world’s leading mobile telecommunications company, providing a wide range of services including voice and data communication

Vodafone is title sponsor and 'official mobile partner' of the Vodafone McLaren Mercedes team. This partnership is Vodafone's major global sponsorship and is part of an ongoing commitment to the Formula 1 World Championship, a sport which continues to deliver massive global television coverage and which has significant appeal for Vodafone's consumer and business customers and racing fans around the world.

The title sponsorship, including the team name 'Vodafone McLaren Mercedes' and 'official mobile partner' of the team, continues to give Vodafone dominant title sponsorship branding on the new 2010 cars, drivers' and pit crews' overalls and helmets. As we enter into the fourth season of this partnership the associative rights acquired provide unique opportunities that will continue to raise brand awareness through the team name and branding.

The team partnership delivers a powerful integrated marketing platform through advertising, hospitality, mobile content, handset offers and promotions, as well as exclusive benefits and access for Vodafone customers through innovative activation programmes. There are clear synergies between the attitudes and values of Vodafoneand the McLaren Mercedes team and this will result in an ongoing successful partnership.

Vodafone is the world's leading international mobile communications group with approximately 323 million proportionate customers as of 30 September 2009.Vodafone currently has equity interests in 31 countries across five continents and more than 40 partner networks worldwide.

 

Engine Partner

Leading producer of premium passenger cars and the largest manufacturer of commercial vehicles in the world.

Mercedes-Benz is the best-known premium automotive brand in the world. It can trace its history to the dawn of the motor car. The three-pointed star, the logo of the company which invented the motor car, has come to symbolise the highest standards of quality, safety and performance. Its Formula 1 partnership with McLaren began in 1995, and since then Mercedes-Benz engines have powered four Drivers’ World Championship titles. In 2010, the 16th consecutive year of the partnership, it is entering F1 as a constructor in its own right while maintaining a strategic alliance with Vodafone McLaren Mercedes.

 

Technology Partners

World Leaders in technology for fuel and synthetic lubricants

ExxonMobil – through its Mobil 1 brand – has been a Technology Partner of McLaren since 1995.

ExxonMobil is the world’s largest publicly traded international oil and gas company, with roots extending back 125 years to the US Standard Oil Company of John D Rockefeller. It now operates across the globe, pioneering and leading the way in the exploration, production, manufacture and transportation of crude oil, natural gas and petroleum products.

Mobil 1 is the world’s first fully synthetic motor oil, first introduced to the consumer market in 1973. By working with teams in the technically demanding world of motorsport – particularly supplying fuels and Mobil 1 lubricants, and working with the Vodafone McLaren Mercedes team in Formula 1 – ExxonMobil has used motorsport as a high-performance test bed to improve its consumer products, taking what it has learned in the extremes of motorsport to consumers, through better protection, reduced friction and improved fuel economy.

The official tyre supplier for the Formula One World Championship

Pirelli is officially back in F1 as the only new supplier for the world championship and for a three-year period starting from 2011. The legendary PZero Formula One will be back on the single-seater F1s after 20 years, thereby taking the Italian brand to the Olympus of international automobiles.

Pirelli is already at work to ensure peak performance and top entertainment in Formula 1.

A team of specialists is developing PZero Formula One tyres to meet the demands of teams, organisers and FIA rules. High-performing PZero Formula One will therefore star in the great Circus spectacle thanks to Pirelli’s capacity to develop tyres through technically-advanced solutions.

The new PZero Formula One tyres have been successfully tested on circuits in Mugello and Monza (Italy), Le Castellet (France) and Jerez (Spain). Over the next few months, before the start of the 2011 Championship, test sessions are already scheduled on other circuits.

The world’s largest business software company

SAP is the world’s leading provider of business software, and plays a vital role in optimising the efficiency and performance of the Vodafone McLaren Mercedes team in the demanding, time-pressured world of Formula 1.

Founded in 1972 by five former IBM employees in Mannheim, Germany, SAP has grown to become one of the world’s top four independent software vendors, with sales and development locations in 50 countries around the world.

SAP’s comprehensive range of advanced business software solutions help companies to reduce costs, and optimise their performance. With around 92,000 customers in over 120 countries, SAP’s products are now used by 12 million people every day.

In Formula 1, SAP’s advanced software has been used to hone the design, build, development and on-track running of the Vodafone McLaren Mercedes MP4-25, helping the team to decide on the best solutions, fast.

 

Corporate Partners



 


The world’s bestselling Scotch whisky brand


 

The leading international fashion and lifestyle group


 

Global banking group offering corporate and consumer financial services


 





The world’s best known hotel brand


 
 Leading manufacturer of high-quality Swiss watches, timing devices, sun and optical glasses. Official timekeeper of Vodafone McLaren Mercedes


 




Leaders in portable audio and video players


 


Specialising in foreign exchange, commodity and stock market investments


 


The leading global provider of risk management services, insurance and reinsurance brokerage, and human capital consulting


 


Largest global paints and coatings company focused on developing sustainable solutions

 

Associate Partners
 



Creators of the world’s finest diamonds

 

Official Suppliers



 
 Leaders in home audio, car audio and communications equipment. Supplier of radio communications equipment to the team


 
The leading specialist in car care products


 
Global leader in optical and camera technology


 
Leading supplier of advanced battery power technology


 
World leader in street and race wheels


 
Leaders in advanced brake and friction material development and production


 
Leaders in personalising live events for sports fans


 

World’s leading supplier of computer-controlled machine tools and machining systems


 





Sikkens is part of AkzoNobel, one of the world's leaders in the car refinishes market


 


Independent specialist in global sports marketing research


 

World leaders in desktop and notebook personal computers


 

World Leaders in shock absorber technology


 



Leaders in Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) solutions


 




World leaders in spark plugs


 




Develops and markets computer-aided coordinate measurement and scanning devices and software

 

 

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