After a tumultuous relationship with Honda and a solid, but unspectacular season so far with Renault, McLaren Racing is hoping to bounce back to the forefront of the Formula grid with the announcement that they will be returning to Mercedes-Benz power from 2021.
Under a long-term agreement Mercedes-Benz will supply McLaren with engines from 2021 to 2024. This is the first time that McLaren and Mercedes-Benz will come together since 2014. It must be remembered that the McLaren and Mercedes-Benz partnership that spanned 19 years (1995-2014) produced three Formula One World Championships.
Zak Brown, CEO, McLaren Racing, commented: “This agreement is an important step in our long-term plan to return to success in Formula 1. Mercedes is the benchmark, both as a team and a power unit, so it is natural we would seek to secure a relationship with the company for the next phase of our journey. This announcement reflects the confidence of our shareholders and is an important message to our investors, employees, partners and fans that we are committed to returning McLaren to the front of the field.”
Meanwhile, Toto Wolff, Head of Mercedes-Benz Motorsport, concluded: “We are delighted to welcome McLaren back to the Mercedes-Benz racing family with this new power unit supply agreement. Although the two brands share a prestigious history, this new agreement is all about looking to the future and beginning a new era of power unit supply for the years ahead. McLaren have been putting in place the building blocks of their revival over recent seasons, including impressive performances this season with Renault power. We hope that this new long-term agreement marks another milestone for McLaren as they aim to take the fight to the sport’s top teams, including our Mercedes works team.”
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