McLaren celebrates a landmark 1000th race in Monaco
It is quite something to see the history of a team laid out in the tight streets of Monaco. McLaren just hit their 1000th Formula 1 World Championship race, a massive milestone reached only by Ferrari, and the team pulled out all the stops to celebrate.
In a stunning display of respect, current stars Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri were joined by a roll call of icons including Emerson Fittipaldi, Mika Hakkinen, Lewis Hamilton, John Watson, Gerhard Berger, David Coulthard, Juan Pablo Montoya, Fernando Alonso, and Heikki Kovalainen. Seeing the original M2B—which Bruce McLaren raced back in 1966—posing next to the modern MCL40 was a sight to behold. Watching Hakkinen take the M2B for a demonstration run, the V8 engine screaming through the pit lane, was a moment that reminded everyone why we fall in love with these machines.
Zak Brown, clearly moved by the turnout, was particularly impressed that drivers from other teams made the effort to be there. As Brown put it, "It was awesome," noting that seeing Hamilton and Alonso show their support was a sign of a better, more sporting era for Formula 1. Beyond the nostalgia, the team is looking forward, debuting a new hospitality hub in the Monaco paddock that marks a clear step toward the future.
