McLaren timeline

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1995-97 McLaren partners with Mercedes-Benz and brings in David Coulthard (’96) alongside Mika Häkkinen. They struggle, but Adrian Newey joins in ’97 to ignite a hot streak for the Woking-based team. 

1998 Newey’s impact is immediately felt and McLaren wins the ’98 constructors championship while Häkkinen takes the first of two titles.

2000-2004 The purple patch fades and Häkkinen retires from F1 after ’01. Ferrari spoils the party; in ’04, the MP4-19B leaves McLaren fifth – its worst standing since ’83.

2005-2006 Coulthard and Newey move to Red Bull. Juan Pablo Montoya and Kimi Räikkönen come close to the 2005 title (constructors) in a resurgent MP4-20, but the team misses out. The drivers leave after a mixed ’06.

2007 ‘Spygate’ scandal breaks and poleaxes McLaren after Ferrari accuses it of theft and espionage. A fine of $100m and exclusion from the constructors championship is imposed while Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso engage in a fierce rivalry, losing out to Räikkönen in the title race.

2008 Hamilton clinches his first drivers championship in dramatic style.

2009 Ron Dennis retires as team principal and the team is given a three-race suspended ban for misleading stewards.

2013 Hamilton leaves for Mercedes.

2014 Dennis returns as CEO but the following year the team ends its engine deal with Mercedes and struggles with Honda hybrids.

2017 McLaren remains off the pace while Dennis is forced out by shareholders.

2018 McLaren battles for fourth in the championship for constructors with its new Renault engines.