Bruce McLaren’s agency made its Formulation 1 world championship debut in 1966 and the New Zealander scored its maiden victory within the 1968 Belgian Grand Prix. Since then, 21 different drivers have taken wins for McLaren and eight have received drivers’ titles.
PLUS: The numbers that reveal McLaren’s revival
For the number of the highest 10 McLaren F1 drivers, Autosport has thought of the quantity of success the drivers scored with the workforce, the affect they’d on McLaren and the circumstances of their time there. We didn’t embrace their data elsewhere.
Should you’d additionally wish to see which McLaren F1 automobiles we thought have been finest, take a look here.
Pole sitter Jenson Button, McLaren
Photograph by: Andrew Ferraro / Motorsport Images
McLaren years: 2010-16, 2017 (one-off)
McLaren begins: 136
McLaren wins: 8
McLaren titles: 0
Jenson Button or his McLaren team-mate Fernando Alonso might have made this listing. Alonso had two stints on the workforce, got here nearer to successful a title and it’s straightforward to argue he managed extra with poor McLaren equipment than anybody else. However he was additionally disruptive, whereas Button helped carry concord throughout his time alongside Lewis Hamilton.
Becoming a member of Hamilton for 2010, after successful the world title with Brawn, raised eyebrows, however Button held his personal. He received as early as spherical two in Australia and was usually in a position to match Hamilton within the races, if not qualifying.
Over their three seasons collectively Button scored extra factors, although Hamilton took extra wins. Maybe Button’s most interesting season was 2011, when he received three races and was an excellent runner-up within the drivers’ championship, whereas Hamilton languished in fifth.
PLUS: Button’s 10 best F1 drives ranked
Hamilton’s departure to Mercedes for 2013 coincided with a downturn for McLaren. Button outscored new team-mate Sergio Perez, who created some stress on-track, however was solely ninth within the championship and had already taken his ultimate F1 win.
Button continued to carry out whilst the brand new McLaren-Honda partnership floundered, ending 5 factors forward of team-mate Alonso in 2015. Alonso had the higher hand in 2016 and Button bowed out of F1 on the finish of the 12 months, other than a one-off at Monaco the next season subbing for the Indianapolis 500-contesting Alonso.
Kimi Raikkonen, McLaren, 2005 Chinese language GP
Photograph by: Sutton Photographs
McLaren years: 2002-06
McLaren begins: 87
McLaren wins: 9
McLaren titles: 0
Raikkonen received his F1 title with Ferrari however he was in all probability at his peak throughout his earlier stint at McLaren.
The younger Finn joined McLaren in 2002, following a promising F1 rookie marketing campaign at Sauber. He was outscored by skilled team-mate David Coulthard in his first 12 months at Woking however was one of many stars of the next season.
Armed with the revised MP4-17D after the unconventional MP4-18 was canned, Raikkonen scored persistently. Ferrari’s Michael Schumacher (six wins) and Williams driver Montoya (two) took extra victories however eight podium finishes to go together with his maiden F1 success meant Raikkonen went to the Suzuka finale with an opportunity of the crown.
Schumacher put in a scrappy drive to eighth whereas his team-mate Rubens Barrichello took victory, limiting Raikkonen – who wanted to win with Schuey failing to attain – to second.
Ferrari was unstoppable in 2004 and McLaren took a step backwards, however Raikkonen nonetheless scored an excellent victory over Schumacher at Spa regardless of a gearbox glitch.
High 10: Kimi Raikkonen’s greatest F1 drives ranked
Rule modifications and the single-set-of-tyres-per-race rule threw Ferrari off its stride in 2005. The Raikkonen-MP4-20 mixture was the quickest of the season, however unreliability damage in his struggle with Alonso, who put in an excellent marketing campaign to take the crown with Renault.
McLaren was much less aggressive in 2006 and, with Alonso signed early for 2007, Raikkonen joined Ferrari and changed Schumacher. He would go on to beat McLaren drivers Alonso and Hamilton to the title by a single level in his first Ferrari season…
Lando Norris, McLaren
Photograph by: Michael Potts / LAT Photographs through Getty Photographs
McLaren years: 2019-present
McLaren begins: 158
McLaren wins: 11
McLaren titles: 1 (2025)
Norris hasn’t made it onto this listing simply because he received the 2025 F1 title, although changing into the eighth McLaren driver to take the crown is definitely an element. He’s additionally been a part of the workforce’s revival underneath Zak Brown and has now began extra races for McLaren than former stalwart David Coulthard, who was on an earlier model of this listing.
Having had McLaren help since successful the McLaren Autosport BRDC Award in 2016, Norris arrived in F1 in 2019 and confirmed promise alongside Carlos Sainz. All the time self-critical, Norris continued to enhance and scored his first podium on the 2020 Austrian GP, although nonetheless completed behind Sainz within the ultimate factors desk.
Partnered with skilled race winner Daniel Ricciardo in 2021, Norris got here of age and comfortably beat the Australian, although it was Ricciardo who led a McLaren 1-2 at Monza. Norris took his first pole in Russia and got here agonisingly near his maiden victory, solely letting it slip in a late rain bathe.
McLaren’s progress briefly took a step again early on in the course of the ground-effect period however Norris battled on and have become a constant podium finisher as McLaren improved throughout 2023.
An improve to the MCL38 helped Norris to his first F1 victory within the 2024 Miami GP and he turned the closest factor to a problem for Max Verstappen as McLaren gained the sting over Crimson Bull.
McLaren set the tempo for a lot of 2025, Norris and team-mate Oscar Piastri placing on a battle that allowed an excellent Verstappen into the title struggle. Although Norris made errors, there have been additionally very good wins, notably in Australia and Mexico, and it was unreliability and workforce errors that meant the championship struggle went all the way down to the wire.
Norris did what he needed to within the Abu Dhabi finale to complete third and win the title by two factors. If McLaren can keep its competitiveness and Norris attain a fair higher stage now that he’s received a championship, he might but climb larger on this 10.
7. James Hunt
James Hunt, McLaren, 1976 United States Grand Prix
Photograph by: David Phipps / Motorsport Images
McLaren years: 1976-78
McLaren begins: 49
McLaren wins: 9
McLaren titles: 1 (1976)
When Emerson Fittipaldi made a shock swap to his brother’s workforce, McLaren was left in search of a alternative. Hunt, already a winner with Hesketh, acquired his huge probability and made essentially the most of it.
Arguably sooner than the extra skilled Fittipaldi, Hunt acquired the utmost from the ageing M23 and took the struggle to Lauda and Ferrari. It was a battle Niki Lauda was successful when he suffered his horrific crash on the German GP.
Hunt took benefit of Lauda’s absence and carried on successful after the Austrian’s heroic return, establishing a dramatic finale. Lauda famously withdrew from the appallingly moist Japanese GP and Hunt completed third regardless of a late puncture to take the 1976 title by a single level.
High 10: F1 title deciders ranked
He maybe drove even higher in 1977 and took three straight poles firstly of the marketing campaign. Hunt additionally scored three wins within the new M26 however, simply as with Lotus’s Mario Andretti and Brabham’s John Watson, unreliability prevented a problem to the constant Lauda/Ferrari mixture.
McLaren was a fading pressure in 1978 as Lotus moved the goalposts with ground-effect and Hunt left for Wolf on the finish of the 12 months. He solely contested seven GPs earlier than retiring from the game, whereas McLaren’s stoop continued – it wouldn’t win once more till a administration change and the 1981 British GP.
PLUS: How good was James Hunt?
6. Emerson Fittipaldi
Emerson Fittipaldi, McLaren, 1974 US Grand Prix
Photograph by: David Phipps / Motorsport Images
McLaren years: 1974-75
McLaren begins: 28
McLaren wins: 5
McLaren titles: 1 (1974)
We’ve switched Fittipaldi and Hunt round because the unique model of this listing. As Karun Chandhok factors out, Fittipaldi introduced Marlboro sponsorship with him when he joined McLaren from Lotus, beginning a relationship that might final many years. And he didn’t do badly on-track both!
Already a world champion, Fittipaldi’s shock transfer to McLaren for 1974 proved a masterstroke. The Teddy Mayer-run workforce already had a title-contending automobile in Gordon Coppuck’s M23, now it had a topline driver to go along with it.
Lauda set the tempo however suffered an excessive amount of misfortune. Fittipaldi received as early as spherical two in Brazil, held off Lauda to win in Belgium and put collectively a constant marketing campaign to place himself in title competition.
Victory within the Canadian GP despatched Fittipaldi into the US GP decider tied on factors with Ferrari’s Clay Regazzoni, with Tyrrell driver Jody Scheckter additionally mathematically nonetheless in it. Fittipaldi was the one one of many three to make it to the top with out points, his fourth spot sufficient for the Brazilian to take the crown by three factors.
PLUS: The story of Emerson Fittipaldi’s 1974 title with McLaren
Fittipaldi received the primary race of 1975 in Argentina, took a fortuitous victory within the British GP and scored 4 second locations. However that was not sufficient to cease the Lauda/Ferrari mixture and Fittipaldi completed as runner-up.
He would in all probability have been a frontrunner once more in 1976 however left to affix his brother Wilson’s eponymous workforce with Copersucar backing, leaving the best way clear for Hunt.
5. Lewis Hamilton
Lewis Hamilton, McLaren celebrates his World Championship in parc ferme
Photograph by: Sutton Photographs
McLaren years: 2007-12
McLaren begins: 110
McLaren wins: 21
McLaren titles: 1 (2008)
It says rather a lot about Hamilton’s exceptional profession at Mercedes that his time at McLaren has nearly turn into a footnote. However his six years there included a sensation rookie season, the 2008 crown, 21 wins and very good performances.
Hamilton’s tempo on his arrival in 2007 and McLaren’s incapacity to handle its drivers meant each he and team-mate Alonso misplaced out to Ferrari’s Raikkonen within the championship struggle.
There have been some errors within the early years, most notably within the pitlanes at Shanghai (2007) and Montreal (2008) however his pace and racecraft have been by no means doubtful. Hamilton, with 5 wins to Felipe Massa’s six, was maybe lucky to win the 2008 title and was arguably higher the next season. Saddled with the initially tough MP4-24, workforce and driver labored onerous to turn into winners within the second half of the 12 months.
Joined by reigning world champion Button in 2010, Hamilton had each sensible and tough moments. That was significantly so in 2011 when a troubled Hamilton had a number of clashes and completed properly behind Button within the standings regardless that they took three wins apiece.
Hamilton’s 2012 marketing campaign was extra spectacular however unreliability hampered his efforts in opposition to Crimson Bull’s Sebastian Vettel and Alonso at Ferrari. Shedding the Abu Dhabi GP was painful and helped Lauda woo Hamilton to Mercedes for 2013, simply as McLaren’s fortunes took a dive.
4. Niki Lauda
Niki Lauda, McLaren, 1984 Portuguese GP
Photograph by: Motorsport Images
McLaren years: 1982-85
McLaren begins: 58
McLaren wins: 8
McLaren titles: 1 (1984)
McLaren boss Ron Dennis relentlessly chased the retired double world champion and, following a check to show the Austrian nonetheless had it, Lauda returned to F1 for 1982. It took simply three races for Lauda to turn into a winner, at Lengthy Seaside.
Lauda felt he had the measure of team-mate John Watson, regardless that the Northern Irishman beat him in each the 1982 and 1983 drivers’ standings. However when Alain Prost changed Watson for 1984, the dynamic modified.
Prost’s arrival coincided with the TAG Porsche-powered MP4/2, which Lauda had helped develop, and McLaren was the dominant pressure in 1984. The duo received 12 of the 16 races, waging a fierce however pleasant struggle that went to the ultimate spherical. Lauda’s second place within the Portuguese GP gave him the crown by half some extent over race winner Prost.
Race of my life: Niki Lauda on the 1984 Portuguese GP
Lauda was not often a match for Prost in 1985 and suffered dangerous luck. Whereas Prost lastly took his first title, Lauda managed only one extra victory at Zandvoort – the twenty fifth of his profession and eighth for McLaren – earlier than hanging up his helmet for good.
The explanation Lauda is so excessive on this listing – one spot larger than within the unique model – is that his work with designer John Barnard and clout with Marlboro’s John Hogan helped lay the groundwork for McLaren’s successes all through the Nineteen Eighties.
Extra: Niki Lauda’s greatest F1 drives
Mika Hakkinen, McLaren MP4-14 Mercedes
Photograph by: Rainer W. Schlegelmilch / Motorsport Images
McLaren years: 1993-2001
McLaren begins: 131
McLaren wins: 20
McLaren titles: 2 (1998-99)
Hakkinen shaped a robust bond with Dennis, significantly following his life-threatening crash at Adelaide in 1995. The Finn needed to wait a very long time for his F1 breakthrough – his 1997 European GP victory coming in his 96th begin – however he then turned Schumacher’s sternest rival.
Hakkinen had induced a stir by outqualifying Ayrton Senna on his McLaren debut within the 1993 Portuguese GP regardless that he crashed out of the race. He turned a full-time McLaren driver in 1994 however Hakkinen’s rise coincided with a fallow interval for the Woking squad.
Mercedes energy arrived in 1995 and Coulthard joined the next 12 months. Coulthard scored extra factors and two wins in 1997, although Hakkinen was unlucky to lose doable victories at Silverstone and the Nurburgring.
Adrian Newey’s McLaren MP4-13 was the quickest automobile of 1998 and Hakkinen rose to the event, tending to have the benefit over Coulthard. Regardless of a resurgent Ferrari and the banning of McLaren’s uneven braking system, Hakkinen stormed to victory within the Japanese GP to beat Schumacher to the crown.
Race of my life: Mika Hakkinen on the 1998 Monaco GP
Having scored McLaren’s first drivers’ title since 1991, Hakkinen doubled-up in 1999 nevertheless it ought to have been simpler than it was. Schumacher’s leg-breaking crash on the British GP was adopted by numerous workforce slip-ups that introduced Eddie Irvine and Jordan’s Heinz-Harald Frentzen into title competition.
Regardless of Schumacher’s return, Hakkinen’s sensible win on the Suzuka finale meant he beat Irvine by two factors, regardless that Ferrari took the constructors’ crown.
Ferrari was getting stronger and Schumacher lastly took the title in 2000, this time successful his duel with Hakkinen in Japan. Hakkinen was nonetheless nonetheless second, his 4 victories together with his well-known flat-out go of Schumacher within the Belgian GP.
Hakkinen’s motivation was maybe flagging by 2001 and Coulthard turned Schumacher’s closest challenger, albeit in the end a distant one. Hakkinen nonetheless managed two of his most interesting wins, at Silverstone and Indianapolis, earlier than taking an F1 sabbatical that turned retirement.
2. Alain Prost
Alain Prost, McLaren, 1986 Australian GP
Photograph by: Motorsport Images
McLaren years: 1980, 1984-89
McLaren begins: 107
McLaren wins: 30
McLaren titles: 3 (1985-86, 1989)
When Renault dumped Prost after their failed 1983 title bid, Dennis pulled off a masterstroke by signing the Frenchman alongside Lauda. With John Barnard’s TAG Porsche-engined MP4/2, the superteam crushed the opposition in 1984 and received 12 of the 16 races.
Prost, who received seven GPs to Lauda’s 5, was unlucky to lose the title by half some extent, however made amends the next season together with his long-awaited first crown.
Williams-Honda turned the pacesetting pressure in 1986 however Prost put in one of many nice F1 campaigns to reap the benefits of the Nigel Mansell-Nelson Piquet scrap and retain the title. He couldn’t carry out sufficient heroics in 1987, although there have been nonetheless three wins.
Prost initially welcomed Senna to the workforce for 1988 and the MP4/4’s dominance made it a two-horse race for the crown. Prost scored extra factors however Senna took eight wins to seven and the championship because of the dropped scores rule of the time.
Except for Senna’s sturdy defence on the Portuguese GP, the connection between the 2 had remained comparatively civil in 1988, however that modified the next 12 months. Prost was livid at what he thought to be Senna reneging on a non-overtaking pact on the primary lap at Imola, was sad on the Brazilian’s aggressive driving and suspected Senna favouritism from engine provider Honda.
Senna was primarily wresting management of the workforce from Prost, however unreliability meant he was on the again foot going into the closing phases of the 1989 marketing campaign. Senna’s controversial exclusion from the Japanese GP after a collision with the opposite McLaren and restoration drive sealed the title in Prost’s favour.
It meant Prost – who had began his F1 profession on the then beleaguered McLaren in 1980 – had taken three titles in his six-year second spell with the workforce. However the working relationship with Senna was not tenable and he was already on his method to Ferrari as he celebrated the 1989 success.
1. Ayrton Senna
Ayrton Senna, McLaren MP4-6 Honda
Photograph by: Rainer W. Schlegelmilch / Motorsport Images
McLaren years: 1988-93
McLaren begins: 96
McLaren wins: 35
McLaren titles: 3 (1988, 1990-91)
The nice Brazilian will ceaselessly be related to McLaren, the place he scored 35 of his 41 F1 wins and all three of his world titles. It’s a close-run factor together with his arch-rival for this spot, however Senna scored extra wins and poles for McLaren – and in the end was the rationale Prost left the workforce.
Senna joined Prost for 1988, making a superteam that additionally had the McLaren MP4/4. They’d solely lose one of many 16 races and it quickly turned obvious it was a straight duel between the 2 McLaren drivers for the crown.
Prost was arguably extra constant however Senna scored extra poles (13) and wins (eight) to safe his first F1 title.
The stress between the 2 turned poisonous throughout 1989 and each made errors. Senna was the sooner however suffered extra reliability points. When Senna was excluded from victory within the Japanese GP following their conflict, Prost turned champion earlier than heading to Ferrari.
With Prost gone, Senna was the clear workforce chief. Though new team-mate Gerhard Berger outqualified him on the 1990 opener, there was little doubt that Senna was the workforce’s championship challenger.
After an excellent battle that swung forwards and backwards between Senna and Prost, the Brazilian intentionally crashed into the Ferrari firstly of the Japanese GP. Dennis was not impressed however one other title was received.
PLUS: How McLaren revamped its 1990 challenger to fight Ferrari
Begin motion, Alain Prost, Ferrari 641 leads Ayrton Senna, McLaren MP4/5B Honda
Photograph by: Sutton Photographs
Williams-Renault turned an actual risk throughout 1991, however a mixture of Senna’s high-quality begin to the season and Williams points saved McLaren-Honda forward. Key was Senna pushing for developments and taking advantage of what he had, and he was rewarded with a 3rd crown on the finish of what was arguably his most interesting marketing campaign.
PLUS: How Senna won his greatest F1 title
Mansell and the Williams FW14B have been unstoppable in 1992, limiting Senna to a few fortuitous wins, and he was even overwhelmed by Benetton’s rising star Schumacher within the ultimate standings.
Whereas Senna labored to try to get right into a Williams seat, he began 1993 driving for McLaren on a race-by-race foundation. Regardless of having to make use of buyer Ford engines after the withdrawal of Honda, Senna produced a few of his best drives to take 5 wins in opposition to the superior Williams FW15Cs of Prost and Damon Hill.
PLUS: Ayrton Senna’s greatest F1 drives
Appropriately, Senna took pole and victory in his final McLaren outing, within the 1993 Australian GP, earlier than making his ill-fated transfer to Williams. It was his thirty fifth win in 96 begins for McLaren, which was then a document for a driver at a single workforce, and he stays the squad’s most prolific winner. It might be greater than three years earlier than McLaren received one other GP.
If there’s one criticism when it comes to Senna’s affect on McLaren, it’s that his wage calls for in direction of the top of his time there hampered its skill to maintain up with Williams within the growth race. However that’s minor in comparison with the sensible wins and titles, some in opposition to the chances, Senna scored for McLaren throughout a golden period for the squad.
Ayrton Senna, McLaren MP4/6 Honda
Photograph by: Sutton Photographs
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