McLaren MCL60 - Hungary Grand Prix

McLaren Racing’s competitor for the 2023 FIA Formula 1 World Championship season, the McLaren MCL60’s moniker commemorated 60 years since Bruce McLaren originally founded the team in 1963. In the hands of Lando Norris, in his fifth season with the team, and rookie driver Oscar Piastri, the MCL60 sought to build on the platform of its predecessor, the MCL36, in the era of ground-effect regulations that aimed to provide closer racing and more on-track action for fans.

The MCL60 retained the unusual front pullrod, rear pushrod suspension layout that was reintroduced with the MCL36, but featured tighter sidepod geometry with a more aggressive undercut, partly intended to free up space for ground effect inlet tunnels. The radiator inlet on the engine cover was lengthened, and the floor edge cut-out was shifted forwards, closer to its positioning on most other teams' cars. Whilst the team believed they had addressed the shortcomings of the MCL36, a change in design philosophy during development in 2023 hampered initial progress at the start of the season. This initial specification of the MCL60 proved uncompetitive by McLaren’s high standards, exhibiting inefficient and draggy aerodynamic performance and high tyre degradation. However, Norris and Team Principal Andrea Stella both still expressed strong belief in the potential of the chassis. After earning just 14 points from the races in Australia and Azerbaijan during the opening four rounds of the season and a significant upgrade package failed to make any progress, the team made some key personnel changes and structural re-organisation. Only three points followed in the following three races, all scored in Monaco.

The new technical leadership delivered its first upgrades package, featuring extensive changes to the sidepods, bodywork, and floor, ahead of schedule, though these were only fitted onto Norris’ car in time for the Austrian Grand Prix. The effect was instantaneous, Norris qualifying third in the sprint shootout. A technical fault thwarted his sprint race ambitions, but the Briton scored fourth position in the Grand Prix, marking a complete turn in the fortunes of the team. Further upgrades followed for the British Grand Prix, where Norris qualified and held onto second position even challenging the season-dominating Max Verstappen for the first laps of the race, whilst Piastri started third and only missed earning his first podium due to an untimely safety car. The momentum carried on into the next race in Hungary, Norris following with a successive second place and his Australian teammate finishing fifth despite suffering floor damage. Points continued to be scored in Belgium, the Netherlands and Italy, before further upgrades were introduced in Singapore. The team hit their best period of the season, scoring six podiums across the four races in Singapore, Japan, Qatar and the United States. Norris earned four of those podiums, whilst Piastri quickly followed up his first podium in Formula 1 in Suzuka, with an extraordinary sprint race victory and second position in Qatar. Further points would follow for the duo in Mexico, before Norris would challenge Verstappen for pace in Sao Paulo, qualifying on sprint pole, but ultimately finishing second to the Dutchman in both the sprint race and the Grand Prix. Another double points finish illustrated the season’s progress and consistency, as the team firmly claimed fourth place in the championship ahead of Aston Martin.

Overall, the MCL60 earned nine podiums, three fastest laps, and scored 302 points, earning McLaren fourth place in the Constructors' Championship. Furthermore, the car earned one sprint victory, three further sprint podiums and two sprint poles. Lando Norris secured sixth place in the Drivers' Championship standings with 205 points, his joint best season performance, whilst Oscar Piastri earned ninth place in the Championship with 97 points during his first season in Formula 1.

This fine 1:8 scale model is of the McLaren MCL60 as raced to second position by Lando Norris in the Formula 1 Qatar Airways Hungarian Grand Prix at the Hungaroring on the 23rd of July 2023. McLaren arrived in Hungary looking to continue their momentum from the British Grand Prix two weeks before, where the team recorded its best performance of the season so far. Norris and Piastri again demonstrated the MCL60's pace by qualifying third and fourth, behind only the Mercedes of Lewis Hamilton and the season-dominating Max Verstappen. An electrifying start saw Verstappen get the jump on Hamilton off the line, passing on the inside on the approach to the first corner, whilst Piastri took advantage of the pair going deep by taking the inside line, slotting between them and snatching second position. Norris added to the Mercedes’ woes with a fine move around the outside of Turn 2, putting himself in third. Verstappen began to pull away from the McLarens, who maintained their distance from Hamilton in fourth. Hamilton then triggered the first wave of pit stops on Lap 17, Norris reacting on the next lap and Piastri the lap after. The Australian rookie fell victim to the undercut by his teammate, but the pair remained well ahead of chasing Hamilton. As the second stints developed, Verstappen stretched his advantage in the lead, while Piastri had started to fall off the pace of his teammate. On lap 43 Piastri pitted again, but a slightly delayed service put the Red Bull of Sergio Pérez, who had been catching Hamilton behind, right on his tail. Norris pitted two laps later, still emerging comfortably over the battling pair behind. On Lap 47, despite Piastri’s best efforts, Pérez made his move around the outside of Turn 1 and charged after Norris. Hamilton meanwhile pitted on lap 50, using his advantage on fresh rubber to close the gap to the Aussie, eventually slipping past at Turn 1 on Lap 57. Meanwhile, Pérez continued to chase down Norris, the gap just three seconds with just ten laps to go and the Briton starting to encounter traffic as he caught up the backmarkers. But, once clear of traffic, Norris had enough in hand to edge away again, maintain position and make it to the flag between Verstappen and Pérez, claiming a successive second position. Piastri finished fifth, building on the fourth-placed finish earned at Silverstone a fortnight beforehand. In just two races, McLaren had almost tripled their points haul for the season, an incredible turnaround in such a short space of time.

The McLaren MCL60 is limited to just 99 pieces at 1:8 scale.

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This model is a part of the McLaren MCL60 Collection.

Discover the McLaren MCL60 Collection >