McLaren have become the sixth team this week to unveil their 2017 car. The launch follows the release of the Sauber C36 on Monday, the Renault R.S.17 on Tuesday, the Force India VJM10 on Wednesday, the Mercedes W08 on Thursday, and the Ferrari SF70H earlier this morning.
Like many other teams up and down the grid, McLaren unveiled their car in an online launch video, broadcast live from their technology center in Woking.
The MCL-32 features a similar design to teams up and down the grid, using the ‘thumb’ nose design on the front wing and the use of a ‘shark fin’ on the engine cover. Along with this, the team have also adopted the more aggressive aerodynamics of the 2017 season, having a more angular and wider front wing as well as larger barge boards and a lower rear wing.
The MCL-32 will be driven by two time Formula 1 World Champion Fernando Alonso, and F1 rookie Stoffel Vandoorne. Vandoorne joins the team following the departure of Jenson Button, who is taking a year out of the sport for 2017 with the option to return in 2018, although Button himself considered 2016 as his final season in Formula 1.
Over the last few months there has been a large amount of speculation hovering around the result of the McLaren MCL-32 – mainly around the livery of the car with fans calling for a new design. Fans will be relieved to find that McLaren have incorporated orange into their livery, along with the black that the team have used since the renewal of their engine partnership with Honda.
The McLaren MCL-32 will have its first outing on track on the first day of F1 pre-season testing at the Circuit de Catalunya, in Barcelona, Spain.
