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The Paddock
2 0 0 0 t e a m s
1 + 2  |
 West McLaren Mercedes
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| Formula One record: [1-1-2000] |
| Starts |
492 |
| Poles |
103 |
| Wins |
123 |
| Constructors' titles |
8 ('74, '84, '85, '88, '89, '90, '91, '98) |
| Drivers' titles |
'74(Fittipaldi), '76(Hunt), '84(Lauda), '85(Prost), '86(Prost), '88(Senna), '89(Prost), '90(Senna), '91(Senna), '98(Hakkinen), '99 (Hakkinen). |
| 1999 season: |
| Second overall, 124 points (Mika Hakkinen/David Coulthard). |
first x7, second x6, third x3, fifth x3, seventh x1, retired x12. |
| History: |
| 1963 |
Bruce McLaren forms Bruce McLaren Motor Racing Limited |
| 1966 |
McLaren car makes debut at Monaco Grand Prix |
| 1968 |
First win at Belgian Grand Prix |
| 1974 |
McLaren wins first of nine drivers' titles with Emerson Fittipaldi and constructors' title |
| 1995 |
Mercedes join as engine suppliers |
| McLaren is only team to have won four consecutive drivers' and constructors' titles (1988-1991) |
| Season by season: (year, standing, points, wins) |
| 1966 |
ninth, two points, 0 (Bruce McLaren). |
| 1967 |
10th, three, 0 (McLaren) |
| 1968 |
second, 49, 3 (Denny Hulme/McLaren). |
| 1969 |
fourth, 38, 1 (McLaren/Hulme). |
| 1970 |
fourth equal, 35, 0 (McLaren/Hulme/Peter Gethin/Dan Gurney/Andrea de Adamich). |
| 1971 |
sixth, 10, 0 (Hulme/Gethin/Jackie Oliver) |
| 1972 |
third, 47, 1 (Hulme/Brian Redman/Peter Revson) |
| 1973 |
third, 58, 3 (Hulme/Revson/Jody Scheckter) |
| 1974 |
first, 73, 4 (Mike Hailwood/Hulme/Emerson Fittipaldi/David Hobbs/Jochen Mass) |
| 1975 |
third, 53, 3 (Fittipaldi/Mass) |
| 1976 |
second, 74, 6 (James Hunt/Mass) |
| 1977 |
third, 60, 3 (Hunt/Mass) |
| 1978 |
eighth, 15, 0 (Hunt/Patrick Tambay/Bruno Giacomelli) |
| 1979 |
seventh, 15, 0 (John Watson/Tambay) |
| 1980 |
seventh equal, 11, 0 (Watson/Alain Prost) |
| 1981 |
sixth, 28, 1 (Watson/Andrea De Cesaris) |
| 1982 |
second, 69, 4 (Niki Lauda/Watson) |
| 1983 |
fifth, 34, 1 (Lauda/Watson) |
| 1984 |
first, 143.5, 12 (Lauda/Prost) |
| 1985 |
first, 90, 6 (Lauda/Prost/Watson) |
| 1986 |
second, 96, 4 (Prost/Keke Rosberg) |
| 1987 |
second, 76, 3 (Prost/Stefan Johansson) |
| 1988 |
first, 199, 15 (Prost/Ayrton Senna) |
| 1989 |
first, 141, 10 (Prost/Senna) |
| 1990 |
first, 121, 6 (Senna/Gerhard Berger) |
| 1991 |
first, 139, 8 (Senna/Berger) |
| 1992 |
second, 99, 5 (Senna/Berger) |
| 1993 |
second, 84, 5 (Senna/Michael Andretti/Mika Hakkinen) |
| 1994 |
fourth, 42, 0 (Martin Brundle/Hakkinen) |
| 1995 |
fourth, 30, 0 (Hakkinen/Mark Blundell/Nigel Mansell/Jan Magnussen) |
| 1996 |
fourth, 49, 0 (Hakkinen/David Coulthard) |
| 1997 |
fourth, 63, 3 (Hakkinen/Coulthard) |
| 1998 |
first, 156, 9 (Hakkinen/Coulthard) |
| Prospects for the 2000 season: |
 McLaren MP4-15 car, Mercedes-Benz V10 engine. |
| Mika Hakkinen will be looking for a third title in a row while McLaren seek to regain the constructors' crown they lost after a season full of errors and misfortune. David Coulthard intends to be more selfish in his quest for victory after a disappointing season. The new car is an evolution of last year's with a new exhaust system and modified gearbox, hydraulics and rear suspension. New power unit is lighter and more compact. |
| Drivers: |
 Mika Hakkinen |
| Aged 31, Finnish, reigning world champion |
| Races 128, poles 21, wins 14, Grand Prix points 294. |
| Took his first win in final race of 1997 in Jerez. One of the quickest drivers in Formula One, Hakkinen is also famous for his coolness behind the wheel. Suffered a near-fatal crash in practice for the 1995 Australian GP, won the race controversially last year after team mate David Coulthard let him pass under a pre-race agreement. Started Formula One career with Lotus-Judd in 1991 and has raced for McLaren since 1993. Could become first Formula One champion since Argentina's Juan Manuel Fangio to win three titles in a row. Fangio won four in succession between 1954 and 1957. Managed by Finland's former champion Keke Rosberg. Secured drive at McLaren in 1993 as Ayrton Senna's replacement, only for Senna to decide not to leave. Finally gained a drive for last three races of that season when the under-performing Michael Andretti left the scene.
Mika's first win came on the 26th of October 1997, in Jerez, after Jacques Villeneuve and Michael Schumacher collided on lap 47. This accident saw Michael retiring, and Jacques limping to the finish. Both McLaren's caught the ailing Williams, passing him with ease, and thus allowing Mika his first ever, Formula One win.
He started in Karts at an early age, and then went on to win the Nordic title in 1987 in a Formula Ford Reynard. In 1988 he won the GM Euroseries for Dragon Racing, then entered British Formula Three, ending up 6th overall.
In 1990, he joined West Surrey Racing, and went on to beat fellow Finn, Mika Salo, after they battled against each other all season.
He should have won the prestigious final race in Macau, but he crashed on the last lap, handing Michael Schumacher his first ever, big result.
In 1991, he leaped from British Formula Three, straight to Formula One, bypassing the intermediate series of Formula 3000. Driving for Lotus, his first F1 race was in Phoenix, where he qualified in 13th position, but retired from the race on lap 59 with engine failure. In 1992, he finished 8th overall, his best place for the year, a 4th in Hungary.
He signed for McLaren in 1993, but was pushed back to the status of test driver, when Ayrton Senna decided to pick up his option with the team.
Later in the same year, he stepped in for Michael Andretti, and actually out qualified Senna in Portugal, thus securing his drive for McLaren in 94, where he finished 4th overall.
Tragedy struck in Adelaide, Australia, during qualifying for the 1995 Grand Prix. Mika was shunted from behind, causing a horrific accident. Although his injuries were serious, the Finn's determination saw him as one of the front runners in 96 and 97, whenever the McLaren was competitive.
Then comes 1998, and what more can we say? The combination of the superiority of the McLaren Mercedes, and Mika's driving skill, saw him take the World Drivers Championship. This win was not without a fight, and much controversy, but in the end, he drove on to have the honor of driving the number one car in 1999.
After a season that saw many incidents, including a heavy accident for his main rival in the title chase, Michael Schumacher, Mika eventually took the title again in the final race of the 99 season. Two titles both won in Suzuka. His season was not an easy one though, with driver errors and mechanical gremlins. With Schumacher sidelined, Hakkinen should have had the title in his lap, but due to some driving errors he found himself faced with new competition that was more than willing to take away his number one status.
He will once again have the honor of driving the number one car in 2000 in his quest to become a triple world champion.
[More] |
 David Coulthard |
| Aged 28, British. |
| Races 90, poles 8, wins 6. |
| Cool performer, some would say too cool, who is determined to make his mark in a McLaren team that he feels treats Hakkinen as a favoured son. Test driver for Williams until Ayrton Senna's death in 1994 when promoted to race driver. Moved to McLaren in 1996. Clashed with Michael Schumacher at the 1988 Belgian Grand Prix when the German rammed into the back of his McLaren in a wall of spray while leading the race.
David had a very successful career in Karts, then graduated to Formula Ford in 1989, where he drove so well, that he won the first ever McLaren/Autosport Young Driver of the Year award. The prize just happened to be his first ever drive in a Formula One car.
He made short work of the junior categories after that, even after missing several races due to a broken leg received in an accident at Spa in 1990.
His reputation received a major boost in 1991, by winning both the International Formula Three races at Zandvoort, and Macau.
He finished 9th overall in Formula 3000 in 1992 for Paul Stewart Racing and third overall in 93.
His greatest success for that year was his role as test driver for Williams, but 94 didn't bring him the drive he was hoping for, so he planned to continue in F3000, and test-driving. Tragedy stepped in though, and Sennas' death at Imola in 94 saw him move into the Williams team as a full time driver, and although he only competed in 8 races that year, he finished 8th overall.
1995 saw him continuing to drive for Williams, along side Damon Hill, winning his first Grand Prix in Portugal, beating both Michael Schumacher in the Benetton, and his own teammate. He finished third for the season with 49 points.
In 1996 he switched to McLaren, partner to Mika Hakkinen, where he still remains. Although both drivers struggled to keep pace with Williams, David won the season opener in Australia 97, putting McLaren back on the winning track. Winning again in Monza, he finished equal third with Jean Alesi in the Drivers Championship.
1998 saw McLaren take the Constructors championship, but David had his share of ups and downs, winning his only race for the season at San Marino. Pit stop confusion, accidents, and the occasional mechanical problem didn't slow him too much, as he finished third overall with 56 points, behind the battle between Michael Schumacher and Mika Hakkinen.
The 99 season saw him once again fighting gremlins, his car failing just as he started to get somewhere, but he finally saw his first win for the season at the eventful British Grand Prix. Although he continued to challenge his teammate, he ended up finishing fourth in the Drivers championship.
The 2000 season will see him partner double World Champion Mika Hakkinen again and he hopes that it will be his turn to take the title.
[More] |
| McLaren in 2000: |
Last year McLaren looked like snatching defeat from the jaws of victory in the world drivers' championship. McLaren had the fastest car, the best package, a technically gifted design and engineering group, management for whom the term "consumate professionals" is an understatement and, not least, a blindingly fast driver, Mika Hakkinen, who already had a world championship title to his name.
All of this, many thought, should have enabled McLaren to have the drivers' championship wrapped up with a few rounds to spare. And if Hakkinen was to run into trouble, David Coulthard was there to fill the breach.
But a series of mistakes by the team and its drivers meant McLaren's dominance on the track was not reflected in the points tally.
McLaren boss Ron Dennis has admitted that after Michael Schumacher was sidelined when his Ferrari crashed in the British Grand Prix, the McLaren team relaxed believing its toughest opposition was out of the way.
That proved almost fatal, as Ferrari's number two, Eddie Irvine, mounted one of Formula One's most memorable challenges, which almost earned him the driver's crown.
Hakkinen only managed to secure his second successive championship in the last race of the season, at Suzuka in Japan. Irvine began the race four points ahead of Hakkinen after Ferrari won an appeal against its disqualification from the Malaysian Grand Prix a fortnight earlier (Irvine had won that race, with Schumacher second), but Irvine finished third behind Hakkinen and Schumacher, which relegated him to second place on the drivers' table.
During the launch of McLaren's new car, the MP4-15, Hakkinen repeatedly said he would have no problem motivating himself to become only the second man - after Argentina's Juan Manuel Fangio - to win three titles in a row. His arch-rival, Schumacher, managed to collect two in succession at the wheel of a Benetton, but has failed to add to his tally since joining Ferrari.
"I am expecting another brilliant car, I am motivated, I am hungry, I love it. I just want to attack the season," Hakkinen said. "After winning the championship in 1998 there was a sense of saying 'That's done.' It was difficult to get motivated in 1999, but now I want that third title," he said.
Another factor driving Hakkinen on is his desire not to slip too far behind fellow Finn Tommi Makinen in the success stakes. Makinen, the Mitsubishi star, has won four world rally championships on the spin, and is looking for number five this year.
One of the most indelible images of last year's Formula One season was that of the normally restrained Hakkinen in tears after he crashed out when leading the Italian Grand Prix at Monza. Alone, in a wood near the trackside, he crouched and sobbed as the world looked on.
The tears he shed that day showed the frustration of the fierce competitor, who had blown the race through a mistake of his own and handed the title race advantage to Irvine at a critical point of the season.
Hakkinen is determined that he will be more focused this year in a car that has a new gearbox and suspension and revamped aerodynamics.
One of the more noticeable things about the car, say those who have watched it in testing, is its exhaust note, which has been described as a banshee's wail.
McLaren, though, will not focus solely on Hakkinen. Coulthard too is a multiple-GP winning driver with more than enough talent to go all the way.
While the Scot is a frustrating mix of brilliance and occasional flakiness, he was let down several times last year by mechanical problems.
This year he has vowed to be a tougher, harder competitor who will shed the "nice guy" image in a bid to become champion.
"I need time for myself and I am going to have to become more selfish," he said.
"I am not going to stop being polite, but racing is my life, and what dictates how happy I am is whether or not I have had success in the car."
McLaren has also cemented its ties to engine supplier Mercedes-Benz.
The car maker has bought a 40 per cent stake in the team with a reported investment of $US1.25 billion, so the technical and competitive links will get stronger, putting more pressure on its opposition.
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