Tech secrets of Newey's greatest McLaren

The arrival of Adrian Newey at McLaren in 1997 coincided perfectly with a Formula 1 shake-up that returned the team to its former glory. Here's how the stars aligned.

Jake Boxall-Legge Nov 20, 2018, 11:30 AM

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For all its successes in the Formula 1 drivers' championship, it's astounding that McLaren's last constructors' title came 20 years ago. Incoming driver Lando Norris wasn't even born the last time the great McLaren name was etched into the teams' trophy.

McLaren's last constructors' triumph in 1998 was pulled off with some aplomb, thanks to the efforts of the design team and the fruit of its labours, the brilliant MP4/13.

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Author Jake Boxall-Legge

Jake Boxall-Legge Autosport’s Technical Editor. Having studied Automotive Engineering with Motorsport at the University of Hertfordshire, West Country-born Jake's original ambition was to design racing cars. During a year between studies in which he accidentally rekindled a love of writing, he took up a Master's in Motorsport Engineering at Oxford Brookes. Halfway through his master's year, he was offered a place on the Autosport Academy, conducting occasional freelance duties before becoming the press officer for Formula 2 and GP3 in 2018. Autosport offered him a return to the fold later that year to serve as its Technical Editor. His voice appears on a number of videos and podcasts, and can often be found writing about terrible Formula 1 cars in excruciating detail. In his spare time, Jake enjoys baking and blames his failure to make it past the Great British Bake-Off interviews on his tenuous grasp on choux pastry. His dream is to open a brunch cafe - and his willingness to make outrageous puns in inappropriate situations has earned him the contempt of his colleagues.