McLaren MCL38 - 2024 Miami Grand Prix

• Limited to just 99 pieces per driver
• As raced to by Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri in the Formula 1 Crypto.com Miami Grand Prix on the 5th May 2024
• Each model hand-built and assembled by a small team of craftsmen
• 1:8 scale model, over 70 cm/27 inches long
• Made using the finest quality materials
• Over 2500 hours to develop the model
• Over 250 hours to build each model
• Thousands of precisely engineered parts: castings, photo-etchings and CNC machined metal components
• Built using original CAD designs and paint codes supplied by McLaren Racing

The first McLaren to win the Constructors’ Championship since 1998, the MCL38 was McLaren Racing’s entrant into the 2025 FIA Formula One World Championship. In the hands of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, in their sixth and second seasons with the team respectively, the MCL38 not only surpassed the total number of podiums and points achieved in 2023, it brought Norris and Piastri their maiden Grand Prix wins, earned McLaren a first race success in four years, and was the first McLaren to earn multiple Grand Prix victories in a single season since 2012. Throughout the 2024 season, the MCL38 consistently ranked among the fastest Formula One cars, exceeding even McLaren’s own ambitious expectations.

Following the extraordinary turnaround in fortunes during the 2023 season, where the initially uncompetitive MCL60 evolved into a multiple podium-achieving front runner due to several upgrades, early development work on the MCL38 prioritised enhancements in aerodynamic efficiency, mechanical grip, and tyre performance. In its early races, the MCL38 exhibited strong performance in medium- and high-speed corners, representing a significant improvement over its predecessor. However, it faced challenges, including a less competitive top speed, a less efficient drag reduction system, and poorer performance in longer corners compared to rivals at Red Bull and Ferrari. Despite these shortcomings, the McLaren pairing of Norris and Piastri scored consistent points from the outset, finishing no lower than eighth in the first five races of the season. Notably, Norris achieved a third place podium position in the Australian Grand Prix and secured a second-place finish in China, trailing only early championship leader Max Verstappen.

A raft of major upgrades were introduced in Miami to tackle these issues, and the impact was immediate. Lando Norris earned his maiden Formula 1 victory, marking McLaren’s first success since Daniel Ricciardo at Monza three years prior. While luck played its part in the victory – thanks to a fortuitously timed safety car during the round of pit stops - Norris's MCL38 showcased the pace necessary to maintain the lead once he was in front.

From that point on, the positive results continued to flow. Norris claimed further second place finishes at the Emilia Romagna, Canadian and Spanish Grand Prix, while Piastri claimed his best result of the season with his own second-place finish in Monaco. Following the Spanish Grand Prix, many commentators and rivals suggested the overall McLaren package, which was being further optimised with a new front wing and front suspension, was now a formidable contender against the Championship-leading Red Bull RB20. This rivalry came to a head at the next race in Austria, where fierce battle for the lead between Norris and Verstappen resulted in contact that forced the McLaren to retire with terminal damage. Piastri capitalised on the situation to finish second. At the next race at Silverstone, despite enthusiastic home support, the team were unable to convert a strong performance into a win but still achieved a respectable third and fourth place. During qualifying at the next race in Hungary, McLaren claimed their first front-row lockout since 2012. In a closely contested race between the two drivers, Piastri eventually claimed his maiden victory, leading Norris home for the team’s first 1-2 finish since the 2021 Italian Grand Prix. Piastri later secured another second place finish in Belgium following the disqualification of original race winner George Russell.

Following the summer break, McLaren introduced a comprehensive package of upgrades for the Dutch Grand Prix, which included a new brake scoop, front and rear suspension, floor and edge wing, and beam and rear wings. The results were immediate, with Norris claiming his second victory of the season. At the Italian Grand Prix, the MCL38 was run with circuit-specific front and rear wings and a new sidepod design, introduced to complement the changes made in the Netherlands. Both McLarens claimed podium finishes but were ultimately beaten by Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc who executed a perfect one-stop strategy. Piastri would gain revenge just two weeks later in Azerbaijan, successfully executing a brave late-braking manoeuvre on Leclerc to secure a second victory of the season, propelling McLaren into the lead in the Constructors’ Championship for the first time since 2014. Norris would further extend this lead with a dominant win at the Singapore Grand Prix, leading the entire race from pole, while Piastri finished third. However, maintaining consistent results proved challenging over the next five races as competition intensified among Red Bull, Ferrari, and Mercedes, resulting in four different winners from those teams. Nevertheless, the McLaren pair continued to score points, with Norris claiming another second position in Mexico and Piastri a further podium in Qatar. In Las Vegas, Norris would lose his mathematical chance of beating Verstappen to the Drivers’ title, as the Dutchman’s early season form proved insurmountable. The Constructors’ battle culminated at the final race in Abu Dhabi, McLaren leading rivals Ferrari by 21 points heading into the race. Norris would claim crucial race victory, especially following Verstappen’s collision with Piastri on the opening lap. Ferrari’s second and third place finishes proved insufficient to overcome the gap, sealing McLaren’s first Constructors’ Championship in 26 years, and the first for a customer team since Brawn GP in 2009.

Overall, the McLaren MCL38 earned six wins, 15 further podiums, eight pole positions and seven fastest laps, scoring 666 points and securing McLaren their first World Constructors’ Championship since 1998. Both Norris and Piastri enjoyed their best seasons in Formula 1 to date, finishing second and fourth with 374 and 292 points respectively. Additionally, the MCL38 also was honoured as the International Competition Car of the Year at the 2025 Autosport Awards.

These fine 1:8 scale models are of the McLaren MCL38 as raced to first and thirteenth positions by Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri in the Formula 1 Crypto.com Miami Grand Prix at Miami International Autodrome on the 5th of May 2024. McLaren arrived in Miami armed with a new upgrade package, including a new front wing, new front suspension geometry and updated rear suspension, revised front and rear brake ducts and winglets, a new floor, revised sidepod inlets, and a new engine cover and bodywork including a new louvre arrangement. Aside from these performance upgrades, the car also featured a circuit-specific beam wing. The pace improvement was noticeable immediately, as Norris topped the first two segments of Sprint Qualification, though was unable to match this pace in Q3, qualifying ninth. Piastri claimed sixth on the grid. Norris was unable to make it past Turn 1, left with terminal damage getting caught in the midst of an incident with the Mercedes of Lewis Hamilton and Aston Martin’s of Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll. Piastri finished the sprint race sixth, unable to pass Carlos Sainz’s Ferrari or the Racing Bull of Daniel Ricciardo.

Despite the damage sustained in the Sprint race, Norris’ car was ready for qualifying, and the McLarens locked out the third row, Norris qualifying fifth and Piastri sixth for the main event on the Sunday, behind the Red Bull of Max Verstappen, the Ferrari pair of Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz and the other Red Bull of Sergio Pérez. Piastri was the quicker starter, taking full advantage of a major lock up from Pérez, passing three cars around the outside of Turn 1 and slotting into third place. Norris made it through the first corner cleanly despite the near-incident ahead, closely following the recovering Pérez. A couple of laps later, Piastri overtook Leclerc using the Drag Reduction System on the lengthy run between Turns 16 and 17 to take second place, as race leader Verstappen continued to extend his lead. Pérez was the first of the front-runners to pit on Lap 18, releasing Norris into clean air, whilst Leclerc followed on Lap 20, increasing the pressure on Piastri in second. Verstappen clipped a bollard at the Turn 14/15 chicane, prompting a short Virtual Safety Car to retrieve the debris, before stopping for his own pit stop on Lap 23. Piastri, Sainz and Norris all continued up front for a few more laps before McLaren and Ferrari both pitted their leading drivers on Lap 27, leaving Norris in the race lead, though still needing to make his own stop. Moments later, the yellow flags flew, and a full Safety Car was deployed, for an incident involving the Haas of Kevin Magnussen and Williams’ Logan Sargeant, playing brilliantly into the hands of Norris, who was now able to complete his pit stop with a much smaller time loss, returning to the track at the head of the field. Verstappen followed, ahead of Leclerc, Piastri, Sainz and Pérez. At the end of Lap 32, the Safety Car returned to the pits, as Norris had to go defensive under strong pressure from Verstappen behind. The Dutchman then made an error, giving the Briton some breathing space, after which he pumped in a series of rapid sector times to move out of DRS range. Piastri, meanwhile, tangled with Sainz at Turn 11, sustaining damage to his front wing, necessitating a pit stop for a new one, which dropped him to the back of the field and out of the points. He ultimately finished 13th, the skirmish proving costly. Norris, however, driving with plenty of confidence and maturity, continued to edge away from Verstappen as the laps ticked by, expertly managing the final few laps to become a Grand Prix winner for the very first time, while earning McLaren their first win in almost three years. Norris became Formula 1’s 114th race winner, and the 21st British driver to achieve the feat, on his 110th start for McLaren.

The McLaren MCL38 Miami Grand Prix is limited to just 99 pieces per driver.

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This model is a part of the McLaren MCL38 Collection.

Discover the McLaren MCL38 Collection >