F1 News: McLaren reveal 2024 challenger and make BIG vow

Blank Car Livery Launch, Social — Photo: © IMAGO

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F1 title contenders reveal 2024 challenger and make BIG vow

They have a lot of catching up to do if they want to challenge Red Bull

Sam Cook Digital Journalist

Sports Journalist who has been covering motorsport since 2023

Wednesday 14 February 2024 15:58 Updated: 16:42

McLaren team principal Andrea Stella has said that the team must start well in the upcoming 2024 season, if they've got any chance of challenging world champions Red Bull.

The Woking-based team unveiled their full car in front of an audience at Silverstone, having already revealed their livery last month.

The MCL38 is the car that they hope can propel them into world championship contention, having made huge progress throughout 2023 to get themselves into a position where they could challenge for race wins.

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Although neither talented superstars Lando Norris nor Oscar Piastri have managed to claim a main race victory in their young careers, Norris claimed seven podiums in 2023, while Piastri won the Qatar Grand Prix sprint race, and was awarded Rookie of the Year.

These achievements were despite McLaren having a very slow car to open the season, with the papaya team only managing to score 17 points in the opening eight races of the year.

McLaren have unveiled the car that they believe can take them on to the next level

McLaren are attempting to build a championship-winning team

In Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris, McLaren have one of the most enviable driver line-ups on the grid

McLaren launch 2024 challenger

The team's rather late unveiling date of February 14 leaves just one week before pre-season testing begins in Bahrain, but Norris revealed at the season launch that he will be taking the car for its first spin later in the day.

Stella believes that McLaren are on track to become regular race winners, but has emphasised the need for his team to have got the initial car design right.

Although last season was ultimately a success, a fourth-placed finish in the constructors' championship backs up quite how much effort needed to go in just to make the Woking-based outfit competitive after those first few races.

"The team are excited to present the MCL38 today and to see it on track for the first time," Stella said during the official car launch.

"Going into this year, we look to build on the momentum of last season but are realistic in the knowledge that every team will have made progress and found competitiveness for their 2024 cars.

"We now have everything in place from an infrastructure, people and culture perspective, so we continue to push forward and build on the work done to get us back to front of the grid.

"The team has done a good job over the winter, and we are confident we can hit the ground running, but we know we have important tasks at hand before the season starts.

"There are a number of innovations on the car, but not all the areas we want to address have been completed for our launch-spec car. Those areas now become the focus of our in-season development, which is already in progress."

Red Bull McLaren Andrea Stella