McLaren Group
Encyclopedia
The McLaren Group, based at the McLaren Technology Centre
in Woking
, Surrey
, England
, is a group of companies created by Ron Dennis
, described by the International Herald Tribune as "a small conglomerate". The Group was originally formed from the team established by New Zealander
Bruce McLaren
in 1963 and is now focused around the Vodafone McLaren Mercedes Formula One Racing Team. The company hopes to expand its market from Formula One to manufacturing cars as it prepares to launch the successor to the McLaren F1
, the McLaren MP4-12C
. In recent years, the group has branched out to other precision manufacturing areas, such as motorized devices for the solar and wind industries.
started the Woking-based McLaren Formula One team in 1966. Teddy Mayer
took over direction of the group following Bruce McLaren's death while testing a Can-am series car in 1970. Mayer subsequently lead the McLaren to their first World Constructors' Championship in 1974 with Brazilian driver Emerson Fittipaldi
, who also won the World Drivers' Championship that year.
, Bugatti Veyron
and SSC Ultimate Aero and the Bugatti Veyron Super Sport . In September 2009 McLaren announced the successor of the McLaren F1 which was to be the McLaren MP4-12C
. Dennis said that parting ways with Mercedes was a "win-win situation for both sides". McLaren also produced the Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren
with Mercedes as a joint project.
Mercedes presently owns 11% of the group as 29% has been sold back to the group.
who helped the team win their first Constructors' and Drivers title. After Teddy Mayer
, Ron Dennis
took over the McLaren Racing team and he has worked for the company ever since. However, at the beginning of the 2009 season, Ron Dennis
handed over the F1 department to Martin Whitmarsh
so Dennis can focus on expanding McLaren overall, and especially in the road car market
Honda engines took over in 1988, and then in 1993 the MP4/8 had a Ford HB engine. The next year was a Peugeot V10, and then the Mercedes era began in 1995, and is scheduled to continue to 2015.
The team's first F1 race win occurred in 1968 when Bruce McLaren won the non-championship Race Of Champions at Brands Hatch driving a McLaren M7A Ford. Later that year the team scored its first Grand Prix win when Bruce McLaren took the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa Francorchamps. By the end of the season Denny Hulme had won two further Grands Prix - in Italy and Canada (the team's first 1-2 finish in a World Championship race). Emerson Fittipaldi won the F1 world championship in 1974, and McLaren also took their first constructor's title at the same time. The 1976 title was taken by James Hunt, and then there was a gap until 1984. Then, Lauda took the title, and Prost took it the next two years running. The team took the constructor's title in 84 and 85.
In 1988, the McLaren-Honda MP4/4
had a very successful year. Not only did Senna win the title, but the car won 15 out of 16 races, and, apart from just 27 laps, led every single lap during the year. Prost won in 1989, and then left for Ferrari after clashing with Senna. Senna also won the title for McLaren in 1990 and 1991.
in phases up until 2011.
to the McLaren Formula One team under the Mercedes-Benz brand. Ron Dennis and the Techniques d'Avant Garde Group
(owned by Mansour Ojjeh
) each retained a 30 percent share.
In November 2003 TAG McLaren Group announced it would change its name to McLaren Group and its associated companies would also drop the TAG name.
In August 2006 it was reported that Daimler was considering acquiring the 60 percent of McLaren Group held by Dennis and Ojjeh. However in January 2007, it was announced that Bahrain Mumtalakat Holding Company, wholly owned by the Kingdom of Bahrain, intended to purchase 15 percent from both Dennis and Ojjeh. The current shareholding is Daimler 40 percent, Bahrain Mumtalakat Holding Company 30 percent, Ron Dennis 15 percent, and Mansour Ojjeh 15 percent. On 16 November 2009, Mercedes bought Brawn GP
and announced that McLaren would buy back Daimler's 40 percent share of McLaren in a deal which reported to be worth about £0.5bn. Mercedes presently owns around 11% of the group, as 29% has been sold back to the group. As of 2010, the shareholding structure of the Group is:
This leaves 29% of the shares unissued
, bought back by McLaren Group as a result of the exit strategy in terminating the agreement between McLaren and Daimler AG.
McLaren Technology Centre
The McLaren Technology Centre is the headquarters of the McLaren Group, located on a 500,000 m² site in Woking, Surrey, England. It is a large, roughly semi-circular, glass-walled building, designed by the architect Norman Foster and his company, Foster and Partners. The building was short-listed...
in Woking
Woking
Woking is a large town and civil parish that shares its name with the surrounding local government district, located in the west of Surrey, UK. It is part of the Greater London Urban Area and the London commuter belt, with frequent trains and a journey time of 24 minutes to Waterloo station....
, Surrey
Surrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, is a group of companies created by Ron Dennis
Ron Dennis
Ronald "Ron" Dennis CBE is the executive chairman of McLaren Automotive and McLaren Group, and is also a significant shareholder in both companies...
, described by the International Herald Tribune as "a small conglomerate". The Group was originally formed from the team established by New Zealander
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
Bruce McLaren
Bruce McLaren
Bruce Leslie McLaren , born in Auckland, New Zealand, was a race-car designer, driver, engineer and inventor....
in 1963 and is now focused around the Vodafone McLaren Mercedes Formula One Racing Team. The company hopes to expand its market from Formula One to manufacturing cars as it prepares to launch the successor to the McLaren F1
McLaren F1
The McLaren F1 is a supercar designed and manufactured by McLaren Automotive. Originally a concept conceived by Gordon Murray, he convinced Ron Dennis to back the project and engaged Peter Stevens to design the exterior of the car...
, the McLaren MP4-12C
McLaren MP4-12C
The McLaren MP4-12C is a sports car designed and manufactured by McLaren Automotive. It is the first production car wholly designed and built by McLaren since the McLaren F1. The car's final design was unveiled on 8 September 2009, and it is set to be launched in 2011...
. In recent years, the group has branched out to other precision manufacturing areas, such as motorized devices for the solar and wind industries.
Beginnings of McLaren
Bruce McLarenBruce McLaren
Bruce Leslie McLaren , born in Auckland, New Zealand, was a race-car designer, driver, engineer and inventor....
started the Woking-based McLaren Formula One team in 1966. Teddy Mayer
Teddy Mayer
Edward Everett "Teddy" Mayer was an American motor racing entrepreneur who was successful in several categories of racing, including Formula One and IndyCars....
took over direction of the group following Bruce McLaren's death while testing a Can-am series car in 1970. Mayer subsequently lead the McLaren to their first World Constructors' Championship in 1974 with Brazilian driver Emerson Fittipaldi
Emerson Fittipaldi
Emerson Fittipaldi |São Paulo]], Brazil) is a Brazilian automobile racing driver who throughout a long and successful career won the Indianapolis 500 twice and championships in both Formula One and CART.-Early and personal life:...
, who also won the World Drivers' Championship that year.
Beginning of car manufacturing (1992–present)
In 1992 McLaren began producing its first road car, the McLaren F1, which had many similarities to its F1 car. In total 106 were produced from 1992–1998, and even though it has been out of production for 11 years, there are still few cars faster than the F1. Among those that are faster are the Koenigsegg CCRKoenigsegg CCR
The Koenigsegg CCR is a mid-engined sports car manufactured by Koenigsegg. It briefly held the world speed record for a production car and is currently the fourth fastest production car in the world, behind the Bugatti Veyron, SSC Ultimate Aero and the Bugatti Veyron Super Sport.-Overview:Debuting...
, Bugatti Veyron
Bugatti Veyron
The Bugatti Veyron EB 16.4 is a mid-engined grand touring car. The Super Sport version is the fastest road-legal production car in the world, with a top speed of . The original version has a top speed of...
and SSC Ultimate Aero and the Bugatti Veyron Super Sport . In September 2009 McLaren announced the successor of the McLaren F1 which was to be the McLaren MP4-12C
McLaren MP4-12C
The McLaren MP4-12C is a sports car designed and manufactured by McLaren Automotive. It is the first production car wholly designed and built by McLaren since the McLaren F1. The car's final design was unveiled on 8 September 2009, and it is set to be launched in 2011...
. Dennis said that parting ways with Mercedes was a "win-win situation for both sides". McLaren also produced the Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren
Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren
The Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren is an Anglo-German grand tourer car jointly developed by Mercedes-Benz and McLaren Automotive, built in Portsmouth and the McLaren Technology Centre in Woking, Surrey, England and sold from 2003 to 2009...
with Mercedes as a joint project.
Mercedes presently owns 11% of the group as 29% has been sold back to the group.
Formula One (1966-present)
McLaren originally started as a Formula One team in 1966 under its founder Bruce McLaren. However three years after creating the team he died in a crash. The team was saved by Teddy MayerTeddy Mayer
Edward Everett "Teddy" Mayer was an American motor racing entrepreneur who was successful in several categories of racing, including Formula One and IndyCars....
who helped the team win their first Constructors' and Drivers title. After Teddy Mayer
Teddy Mayer
Edward Everett "Teddy" Mayer was an American motor racing entrepreneur who was successful in several categories of racing, including Formula One and IndyCars....
, Ron Dennis
Ron Dennis
Ronald "Ron" Dennis CBE is the executive chairman of McLaren Automotive and McLaren Group, and is also a significant shareholder in both companies...
took over the McLaren Racing team and he has worked for the company ever since. However, at the beginning of the 2009 season, Ron Dennis
Ron Dennis
Ronald "Ron" Dennis CBE is the executive chairman of McLaren Automotive and McLaren Group, and is also a significant shareholder in both companies...
handed over the F1 department to Martin Whitmarsh
Martin Whitmarsh
Martin Whitmarsh is the CEO of McLaren Racing, a subsidiary company of the McLaren Group and Chief Operating Officer of that group, as well as Team Principal of Vodafone McLaren Mercedes, following Ron Dennis' retirement on 1 March 2009...
so Dennis can focus on expanding McLaren overall, and especially in the road car market
The First period of F1 Operation (1966–1994)
In 1966, McLaren suffered with reliability with their Ford 4.2 litre engine, and only scored a point after changing to a Serenissima V8. In 1967 they tried 2 different BRM engines. For the 1968 season they switched to Cosworth Ford engines. These continued to 1983, apart from a couple of Alfa Romeo examples, and then the TAG-Porsche turbo came in. This was the start of the MP4 cars, and the first entire carbon-composite chassis.Honda engines took over in 1988, and then in 1993 the MP4/8 had a Ford HB engine. The next year was a Peugeot V10, and then the Mercedes era began in 1995, and is scheduled to continue to 2015.
The team's first F1 race win occurred in 1968 when Bruce McLaren won the non-championship Race Of Champions at Brands Hatch driving a McLaren M7A Ford. Later that year the team scored its first Grand Prix win when Bruce McLaren took the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa Francorchamps. By the end of the season Denny Hulme had won two further Grands Prix - in Italy and Canada (the team's first 1-2 finish in a World Championship race). Emerson Fittipaldi won the F1 world championship in 1974, and McLaren also took their first constructor's title at the same time. The 1976 title was taken by James Hunt, and then there was a gap until 1984. Then, Lauda took the title, and Prost took it the next two years running. The team took the constructor's title in 84 and 85.
In 1988, the McLaren-Honda MP4/4
McLaren MP4/4
The McLaren MP4/4 was a highly successful Formula 1 car that competed in the 1988 Formula One season. It was designed by Gordon Murray, who based the design on his lowline Brabham BT55 car of 1986, and American engineer Steve Nichols. It is one of the most dominant Formula One cars ever built,...
had a very successful year. Not only did Senna win the title, but the car won 15 out of 16 races, and, apart from just 27 laps, led every single lap during the year. Prost won in 1989, and then left for Ferrari after clashing with Senna. Senna also won the title for McLaren in 1990 and 1991.
Partnership with Mercedes (1995–2009)
The partnership between McLaren and Mercedes began in 1995 with McLaren choosing to use Mercedes engines. This partnership was to last 15 years because McLaren and Mercedes parted ways on November 16, 2009 as Mercedes had bought the debut-season driver & constructor winning team Brawn. It was re-branded as Mercedes GP. Ron Dennis said one reason McLaren and Mercedes parted ways was because of his "ambitious plans to turn McLaren into a car manufacturer." Dennis insisted that in the "21st Century to survive in F1 you need to have more than just a team". However Mercedes will continue to supply engines to McLaren until 2015. It is reported that after that McLaren might be capable enough to build their own engines.Post-Mercedes era (2009–present)
On November 16, 2009 Mercedes bought a 75.1% stake in Brawn GP and rebranded it as Mercedes Grand Prix. Mercedes will continue supplying engines and sponsorship until 2015 and the team's official name will remain Vodafone McLaren Mercedes. McLaren also said "The McLaren Group will become a fully independent stand-alone corporate entity" as McLaren is to buy back stock from DaimlerDaimler
- Daimler with reference to motor vehicles :refers to:* Gottlieb Daimler , German automobile inventor- Business co-founded by Gottlieb Daimler :...
in phases up until 2011.
Subsidiaries
- McLaren Racing, the company behind the "Vodafone McLaren Mercedes" Formula One constructor
- McLaren Electronic SystemsMcLaren Electronic SystemsMcLaren Electronic Systems is a member of the McLaren Group that controls Vodafone McLaren Mercedes, a Formula One racing team and constructor....
, which develops and manufactures automotive control systems and components for motorsports, including systems for McLaren Racing - McLaren Marketing, primarily serving the marketing and media requirements of McLaren Racing
- Absolute TasteAbsolute TasteAbsolute Taste, is a British catering company based in London, it is part of the McLaren Group. Lyndy Redding is its managing director. It's a business with a £10m annual turnover and projects with Gordon Ramsay Holdings , McLaren Group and fleets of private jets...
, caterer to Team McLaren and corporate clients. - Lydden CircuitLydden Race CircuitLydden Hill Race Circuit is the UK's shortest road racing circuit at exactly one mile , based at Wootton about half-way between Canterbury and Dover in Kent. The track is mainly used for rallycross, drift, saloon and sports car racing as well as motorcycle racing...
, which manages a racetrack of the same name near DoverDoverDover is a town and major ferry port in the home county of Kent, in South East England. It faces France across the narrowest part of the English Channel, and lies south-east of Canterbury; east of Kent's administrative capital Maidstone; and north-east along the coastline from Dungeness and Hastings...
in KentKentKent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
. - McLaren Applied TechnologiesMcLaren Applied TechnologiesMcLaren Applied Technologies Limited was formed in 2004 and is a company within the McLaren Group.The primary objective of the company is to work within a diverse range of industries and develop commercial applications for technology developed within the McLaren Group.McLaren Applied Technologies...
, which develops commercial applications for the Group's technologies and provides an internal resource for facilities and expertise. - McLaren AutomotiveMcLaren AutomotiveMcLaren Automotive, commonly referred to as McLaren, is a British automotive manufacturer of high-performance vehicles. The company was established as McLaren Cars in 1989 as a producer of road cars based on Formula One technology...
, the sportscar company produced the McLaren F1McLaren F1The McLaren F1 is a supercar designed and manufactured by McLaren Automotive. Originally a concept conceived by Gordon Murray, he convinced Ron Dennis to back the project and engaged Peter Stevens to design the exterior of the car...
road car, and in conjunction with Mercedes-BenzMercedes-BenzMercedes-Benz is a German manufacturer of automobiles, buses, coaches, and trucks. Mercedes-Benz is a division of its parent company, Daimler AG...
, produced the SLR McLarenMercedes-Benz SLR McLarenThe Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren is an Anglo-German grand tourer car jointly developed by Mercedes-Benz and McLaren Automotive, built in Portsmouth and the McLaren Technology Centre in Woking, Surrey, England and sold from 2003 to 2009...
. The current project is the McLaren MP4-12CMcLaren MP4-12CThe McLaren MP4-12C is a sports car designed and manufactured by McLaren Automotive. It is the first production car wholly designed and built by McLaren since the McLaren F1. The car's final design was unveiled on 8 September 2009, and it is set to be launched in 2011...
.
Ownership
On 3 January 2000, Daimler AG (then DaimlerChrysler AG) exercised an option to buy 40 percent of the then TAG McLaren Group. Since 1995, Daimler had supplied British-built Mercedes-Benz enginesMercedes-Benz High Performance Engines
Mercedes-Benz HighPerformanceEngines Ltd. is a British Formula One engine manufacturer, owned by Mercedes-Benz. Since 1995, their engines have powered McLaren's Formula One cars. For the 2009 season, Mercedes-Benz also supplied the Brawn GP and Force India teams with engines...
to the McLaren Formula One team under the Mercedes-Benz brand. Ron Dennis and the Techniques d'Avant Garde Group
Techniques d'Avant Garde
TAG Group SA is a private holding company based in Luxembourg City, in southern Luxembourg. At the head is Mansour Ojjeh son of the founder of the TAG Group Akram Ojjeh, who was a wealthy Saudi entrepreneur...
(owned by Mansour Ojjeh
Mansour Ojjeh
Mansour Akram Ojjeh is a French Saudi Arabia-born entrepreneur who owns part of TAG, a Luxembourg-based holding company with interests worldwide. Ojjeh is the CEO of TAG which owns 21% of the McLaren Group, the most important asset of which is the McLaren Formula One team.-References:*...
) each retained a 30 percent share.
In November 2003 TAG McLaren Group announced it would change its name to McLaren Group and its associated companies would also drop the TAG name.
In August 2006 it was reported that Daimler was considering acquiring the 60 percent of McLaren Group held by Dennis and Ojjeh. However in January 2007, it was announced that Bahrain Mumtalakat Holding Company, wholly owned by the Kingdom of Bahrain, intended to purchase 15 percent from both Dennis and Ojjeh. The current shareholding is Daimler 40 percent, Bahrain Mumtalakat Holding Company 30 percent, Ron Dennis 15 percent, and Mansour Ojjeh 15 percent. On 16 November 2009, Mercedes bought Brawn GP
Brawn GP
Brawn GP Formula One Team, the trading name of Brawn GP Limited, was a Formula One motor racing team and constructor, created by a management buyout of Honda Racing F1 Team. It only competed in the 2009 Formula One World Championship, with drivers Jenson Button and Rubens Barrichello. The team...
and announced that McLaren would buy back Daimler's 40 percent share of McLaren in a deal which reported to be worth about £0.5bn. Mercedes presently owns around 11% of the group, as 29% has been sold back to the group. As of 2010, the shareholding structure of the Group is:
- Daimler AG of Germany (11%)
- Mumtalakat Holding Company of Bahrain (30%)
- Ron DennisRon DennisRonald "Ron" Dennis CBE is the executive chairman of McLaren Automotive and McLaren Group, and is also a significant shareholder in both companies...
of England (15%) - TAG Group SA of Luxembourg (15%).
This leaves 29% of the shares unissued
Unissued stock
Unissued stock is stock that has been authorized in a companies charter, but has never been sold. It differs from Treasury stock , in that treasury stock has been issued, and bought back by the company, whereas unissued stock has never been issued....
, bought back by McLaren Group as a result of the exit strategy in terminating the agreement between McLaren and Daimler AG.