Mercedes and McLaren have reached an agreement that will see the German manufacturer continue to supply the Woking-based team with power units until the 2030 season at least.
It has been an extraordinarily successful relationship that first started in 1995 and concluded in 2014. McLaren won the Drivers’ Championships in 1998, 1999 (Mika Hakkinen x2) and 2008 (Lewis Hamilton) with Mercedes power. They also sealed the Constructors’ Championship in 1998, too.
Following spells with Honda and Renault, McLaren returned to using Mercedes power in 2021 and took their 79th victory with an engine of theirs at the Italian Grand Prix with Daniel Ricciardo. Lando Norris completed a memorable day for the team by sealing a 1-2.
“We are delighted to continue our partnership with McLaren Racing to at least the end of this decade,” commented Markus Schaefer, Member of the Board of Management of Mercedes-Benz Group AG, Chief Technology Officer.
“The long-term nature of this agreement reflects our shared trust and commitment to our future power unit strategy. Together, we look forward to building momentum towards 2026 and the beginning of another new era of an electrified innovative power unit design in Formula 1.”
Mercedes powered the first ever hybrid race win in F1 at the 2009 Hungarian Grand Prix with the KERS system and has led the way in innovation and performance since the introduction of the current power unit regulations in 2014. Mercedes-AMG has powered 114 victories in 203 grands prix, including two for customer teams. Throughout, strong customer teams have played a key role in development and learning, alongside the works team.
“It has been a cornerstone of our motorsport strategy to work with strong customer teams,” explained Head of Mercedes-Benz Motorsport, Toto Wolff.
“This has many advantages: it gives a clear competitive benchmark, accelerates our technical learning, and strengthens the overall F1 business case for Mercedes-Benz. McLaren have been fierce and fair competitors since 2021, especially in the second half of this season.
“McLaren’s strong performances underline the importance of transparent and equal supply to all customer teams in the sport, if we wish to achieve the goal of 10 teams capable of fighting for podium finishes.”
For 2026, Formula 1 will welcome two new power unit manufacturers to the current four incumbents, as it tackles another paradigm shift in technical regulations. The new power units will enjoy 50% internal combustion and 50% electrical power. This has been achieved by increasing electrical performance and rebalancing the performance of the internal combustion engine, to deliver a maximum output of over 1000 horsepower.
The new power units will run on 100% sustainable fuel – which will conform to strict sustainability criteria in both its production and formulation – and overall fuel consumption will be reduced. The electrical systems on the power unit have been taken to the next performance level, and it will feature a single 350 kW electric motor – which is nearly three times more powerful than the current MGU-K, and will require the development of a suitable high-performance battery system.
Furthermore, development of the new generation of power units will take place under cost cap regulations, designed to limit maximum technical spend on the project and consolidate the investment case for power unit supply in the sport.
“The team at HPP enjoys a long and successful history with McLaren, and we’re delighted to confirm the extension of the relationship into the new regulation cycle,” commented Hywel Thomas, Managing Director, Mercedes-AMG High Performance Powertrains.
“Securing this agreement now, with two full seasons until we race the 2026 power unit, gives us a great opportunity to optimise our combined efforts for lap time. We are looking forward to renewing our relationship and working together towards that goal.”
Zak Brown, CEO, McLaren Racing, said: “Mercedes-Benz have been a brilliant and reliable partner of the McLaren Formula 1 Team. The extension signifies the confidence that our shareholders and the wider team have in their powertrains and the direction we’re taking with them into the new era of regulations ahead.
“We have been successful together, both in the last three seasons and when they previously powered the team, so we look forward to the success to come as we continue our journey to fight consistently at the front of the grid.”
Andrea Stella, Team Principal, McLaren F1 Team, said, “We are pleased to confirm a long-term renewal of our power unit deal with Mercedes-Benz into the new era of regulations. We have great confidence in Mercedes and our relationship with them.
“They’ve supported our journey back to the front of the grid so far, and the security and stability this partnership brings is vital in ensuring we remain on this upward trajectory. I would like to thank them for their collaboration so far and we look forward to the years to come.”
Photo Credit: McLaren Racing
