McLaren’s impressive development across the 2023 Formula 1 season was a timely boost as the legendary team marked its 60th birthday. It’s not taken a title since 2008, but McLaren is still second on two of the most important F1 metrics: grand prix wins and drivers’ titles.
To celebrate the team’s rich history, a 60th anniversary celebration was organised and co-hosted by former long-term McLaren engineering and design employee Matthew Jeffreys and the team’s former sponsorship coordinator Richard West. Held on 8 November at the Old Thorns Hotel in Liphook, Hampshire, more than 300 past and current employees, many of whom are members of the ‘McLaren Old Boys and Girls Association’, joined guest of honour Ron Dennis for a very special evening. And the organisers kindly allowed Motorsport.com to come along too.
McLaren’s story across F1, Indycar and Can-Am was represented by former staffers stretching back to employee number three Howden Ganley, as well as important relatives, including Amanda McLaren, daughter of founder Bruce, Teddy Mayer’s widow Sally Dean, and Freddie Hunt, son of 1976 world champion James.
Designers Gordon Coppuck, John Barnard, Steve Nichols, Neil Oatley and Adrian Newey – taking time out from penning the next of Red Bull’s dominant line of ground-effect machines – also attended, along with key figures such as Kathy Ojjeh, Jo Ramirez, Ekrem Sami and Martin Whitmarsh. Some may now work for other teams, but their presence underlined the affection they still hold for McLaren.
The Ron Dennis era, which ran from the end of 1980 to 2017, stands as McLaren’s most successful, with 158 of its 183 GP wins, 10 drivers’ titles (of the team’s overall total of 12) and seven constructors’ crowns (of eight). At times during that period, McLaren could seem a pretty cold place from the outside, but the evening proved that the feeling within the camp was very different.
Dennis made a moving speech that many used to his addresses would have been surprised to hear. The stories of others also revealed the care Dennis took to look after his employees when needed. The word ‘family’ was used a lot and it didn’t feel forced, even though there were figures in the room who haven’t always got along.
Photo by: Jeffreys/West/Harman
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