Editing McLaren (section)

====1995–2009: Works Mercedes partnership====
For 1995 season onwards, McLaren ended their engine deal with [[Peugeot Sport]] and started an engine full-works partnership with [[Mercedes-AMG High Performance Powertrains|Mercedes-Benz High Performance Engines]] for the first time, after the German manufacturer spent one year in partnership with the [[Sauber]] team.<ref>{{cite web|title=McLaren and Peugeot part ways|url=https://us.motorsport.com/f1/news/mclaren-and-peugeot-part-ways/1654184/|work=motorsport.com|date=25 October 1994|access-date=28 June 2022|archive-date=24 February 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230224153201/https://us.motorsport.com/f1/news/mclaren-and-peugeot-part-ways/1654184/|url-status=dead}}</ref> The partnership included free engines from Mercedes-Benz that built and assembled by [[Ilmor Engineering]], Mercedes-Benz official team vehicles, financial support, also earned full-factory support from [[Daimler AG]] and [[Mercedes-Benz]] and also Mercedes-Benz and Ilmor staff would work with the team at their Woking base.

McLaren's Formula One car for the {{F1|1995}} season, the [[McLaren MP4/10|MP4/10]], was not a front-runner and Brundle's replacement, former champion [[Nigel Mansell]], was unable to fit into the car at first and departed after just two races, with [[Mark Blundell]] taking his place.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/mansell-faces-retirement-after-mclaren-exit-1620932.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220512/https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/mansell-faces-retirement-after-mclaren-exit-1620932.html |archive-date=12 May 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=Mansell faces retirement after McLaren exit|first=Derick|last=Allsop|work=The Independent|location=UK|date=24 May 1995|access-date=24 March 2010}}</ref>

While Williams dominated in {{F1|1996}}, McLaren, now with [[David Coulthard]] alongside Häkkinen,<ref>{{harvnb|Henry|1999|page=104}}</ref> went a third successive season without a win. In {{F1|1997}}, however, Coulthard broke this run by winning the season-opening [[1997 Australian Grand Prix|Australian Grand Prix]]; Häkkinen and he would each win another race before the end of the season, and highly rated designer [[Adrian Newey]] joined the team from Williams in August that year.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/formula_one/1361946.stm|title=Newey's magic touch |work=BBC Sport|date=2 June 2001|access-date=27 March 2010}}</ref> Despite the car's improved pace, unreliability proved costly throughout the season, with retirements at the [[1997 British Grand Prix|British]] and [[1997 Luxembourg Grand Prix|Luxembourg]] Grands Prix occurring whilst Häkkinen was in the lead. It was also at the start of this season that saw long time sponsor, Marlboro, shift its support to long time rival Ferrari. For the first time since the 1974 season, McLaren would have a new identity, shifting to fellow tobacco sponsor West. This saw the traditional red and white replaced with silver, grey, white and red. McLaren would retain this colour scheme (or very similar) for twenty years until 2017.

With Newey able to take advantage of new technical regulations for {{F1|1998}},<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.grandprix.com/ft/ft00289.html|title=The 1998 Formula 1 cars|first=Peter|last=Wright|date=8 March 1998|publisher=grandprix.com|access-date=13 April 2010|archive-date=30 June 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170630031535/http://www.grandprix.com/ft/ft00289.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> and with Williams losing their works Renault engines following Renault's temporary withdrawal from the sport, McLaren were once again able to challenge for the championship. Häkkinen and Coulthard won five of the first six races despite the banning of the team's [[McLaren MP4/12|"brake steer"]] system, which allowed the rear brakes to be operated individually to reduce [[understeer]], after a protest by Ferrari at the second race in [[1998 Brazilian Grand Prix|Brazil]].<ref>{{cite news|first=Matt|last=Bishop|title=Pedal to Metal|work=The Best of F1 Racing 1996–2006|page=66}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/motor-racing-no-brake-in-mclaren-routine-1153193.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220512/https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/motor-racing-no-brake-in-mclaren-routine-1153193.html |archive-date=12 May 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=Motor Racing: No brake in McLaren routine|first=David|last=Tremayne|author-link=David Tremayne|work=The Independent|location=UK|date=29 March 1998|access-date=27 March 2010}}</ref><ref>{{harvnb|Tremayne|Hughes|1998|page=232}}</ref> Schumacher and Ferrari provided the greatest competition, the former levelled on points with Häkkinen with two races to go, but wins for Häkkinen at the [[1998 Luxembourg Grand Prix|Luxembourg]] and [[1998 Japanese Grand Prix|Japanese]] Grands Prix gave both him the Drivers' Championship and McLaren the Constructors' Championship. Häkkinen won his second Drivers' Championship the [[1999 Formula One World Championship|following season]], but due to a combination of driver errors and mechanical failures, the team lost the constructors' title to Ferrari.

[[File:Mclaren racing usgp 2004.jpg|thumb|right|Mechanics push [[Kimi Räikkönen]]'s MP4-19 into the garage during qualifying for the [[United States Grand Prix|US Grand Prix]] at [[Indianapolis Motor Speedway|Indianapolis]] in 2004.]]

In {{F1|2000}} McLaren won seven races in a close fight with Ferrari, but ultimately Ferrari and Schumacher prevailed in both competitions. This marked the start of a decline in form as Ferrari cemented their dominance of Formula One and also [[beryllium]] engine material banned in [[Formula One]] that affected Mercedes engine performance. In {{F1|2001}}, Häkkinen was outscored by Coulthard for the first time since 1997 and retired (ending Formula One's longest ever driver partnership), his place taken by [[Kimi Räikkönen]],<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/formula_one/2152164.stm|title=Hakkinen announces retirement|work=BBC Sport|date=26 July 2002|access-date=7 April 2010}}</ref> then in {{F1|2002}}, Coulthard took their solitary win at [[2002 Monaco Grand Prix|Monaco]] while Ferrari repeated McLaren's 1988 feat of 15 wins in a season.

The year {{F1|2003}} started promisingly, with one win each for Coulthard and Räikkönen at the first two Grands Prix. However, they were hampered when the [[McLaren MP4-18|MP4-18]] car designed for that year suffered crash test and reliability problems, forcing them to continue using a 'D' development of the year-old [[McLaren MP4-17|MP4-17]] for longer than they had initially planned.<ref name="boldnewdawn">{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/formula_one/3342535.stm|title=Bold new dawn for McLaren|first=Andrew|last=Benson|work=BBC Sport|date=23 December 2003|access-date=6 April 2010}}</ref> Despite this, Räikkönen scored points consistently and challenged for the championship up to the final race, eventually losing by two points. The team began {{F1|2004}} with the [[McLaren MP4-19|MP4-19]], which technical director Adrian Newey described as "a debugged version of [the MP4-18]".<ref name="boldnewdawn"/> It was not a success, though, and was replaced mid-season by the MP4-19B. With this, Räikkönen scored the team's and his only win of the year at the [[2004 Belgian Grand Prix|Belgian Grand Prix]], as McLaren finished fifth in the Constructors' Championship, their worst ranking since 1983.

Coulthard left for [[Red Bull Racing]] in {{F1|2005}} to be replaced by former CART champion [[Juan Pablo Montoya]] for what was McLaren's most successful season in several years as he and Räikkönen won ten races. However, both the team not being able to work out why the car could not heat its tyres properly in the early stages of the season and the overall unreliability of the [[McLaren MP4-20|MP4-20]] cost several race victories when Räikkönen had been leading or in contention to win and also costing him grid positions in some qualifying sessions, which allowed Renault and their driver [[Fernando Alonso]] to capitalise and win both titles.

[[File:Lap4 Canada2005 Raikkonen.jpg|thumb|right|[[Kimi Räikkönen]] challenged for the Drivers' Championship in {{F1|2005}}.]]

In {{F1|2006}}, the superior reliability and speed of the Ferraris and Renaults prevented the team from gaining any victories for the first time in a decade. Montoya parted company acrimoniously with the team to race in [[NASCAR]] after the [[2006 United States Grand Prix|United States Grand Prix]], where he crashed into Räikkönen at the start; test driver [[Pedro de la Rosa]] deputised for the remainder of the season.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/formula_one/5168206.stm|title=McLaren agree to release Montoya|date=11 July 2006|work=BBC Sport|access-date=26 March 2010}}</ref> The team also lost Räikkönen to Ferrari at the end of the year.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/formula_one/5332710.stm|title=Ferrari reveal Raikkonen signing|date=10 September 2006|work=BBC Sport|access-date=26 March 2010}}</ref>

[[Steve Matchett]] argued that the poor reliability of McLaren in 2006 and recent previous years was due to a lack of team continuity and stability.<ref name="f1june2007">{{cite news|first=Steve|last=Matchett|author-link=Steve Matchett|title=No-catch 22|work=[[F1 Racing]]|publisher=[[Haymarket Publishing]]|pages=58–63|date=June 2007}}</ref> His cited examples of instability are logistical challenges related to the move to the [[McLaren Technology Centre]], Adrian Newey's aborted move to [[Jaguar Racing|Jaguar]] and later move to Red Bull, the subsequent move of Newey's deputy to Red Bull, and personnel changes at Ilmor.<ref name="f1june2007"/>

[[File:Fernando Alonso 2007 2.jpg|thumb|[[Fernando Alonso]] had a difficult and controversial year with McLaren in {{F1|2007}}.|left]]

After scoring no victories in 2006, the team returned to competitive status in {{F1|2007}}. That year saw Fernando Alonso race alongside Formula One debutant and long-time McLaren protégé [[Lewis Hamilton]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/formula_one/6179704.stm|title=Hamilton gets 2007 McLaren drive|publisher=BBC|date=24 November 2006|access-date=30 March 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Moffitt|first=Alastair|date=20 December 2005|title=Alonso to make shock switch from Renault to McLaren|work=The Independent|location=UK|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/motor-racing/alonso-to-make-shock-switch-from-renault-to-mclaren-520190.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220512/https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/motor-racing/alonso-to-make-shock-switch-from-renault-to-mclaren-520190.html |archive-date=12 May 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|access-date=12 April 2007}}</ref>  The pair scored four wins each and led the Drivers' Championship for much of the year, but tensions arose within the team, BBC Sport claimed that Alonso was unable to cope with Hamilton's competitiveness.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/formula_one/6998040.stm|title=How Hamilton drove Alonso to the edge|date=16 September 2007|work=BBC Sport|access-date=8 April 2010}}</ref> At the [[2007 Hungarian Grand Prix|Hungarian Grand Prix]], Alonso was judged to have deliberately impeded his teammate during qualifying, so the team were not allowed to score Constructors' points at the event.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/formula_one/6929333.stm|publisher=BBC|title=Hungarian Grand Prix 2007|date=5 August 2007|access-date=8 April 2010}}</ref> An internal agreement within the McLaren team stated that drivers would alternatively have an extra lap for qualifying, however, Lewis Hamilton refused to accept for the Hungarian Grand Prix. Subsequently, the McLaren team was investigated by the [[FIA]] for having proprietary technical blueprints of Ferrari's car&nbsp;– the [[2007 Formula One espionage controversy|so-called "Spygate" controversy]]. At the first hearing, McLaren management consistently denied all knowledge, blaming a single "rogue engineer". However, in the final hearing, McLaren was found guilty and the team was excluded from the Constructors' Championship and fined $100&nbsp;million.<ref name="mclarenban">{{cite news|title=McLaren hit with constructors' ban|work=BBC Sport|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/formula_one/6991147.stm|date=13 September 2007|access-date=27 March 2010}}</ref> The drivers were allowed to continue without penalty, and while Hamilton led the Drivers' Championship heading into the final race in [[2007 Brazilian Grand Prix|Brazil]], Räikkönen in the Ferrari won the race and the Drivers' Championship, a single point ahead of both McLaren drivers. In November, Alonso and McLaren agreed to terminate their contract by mutual consent, [[Heikki Kovalainen]] filling the vacant seat alongside Hamilton.<ref>{{cite news|title=Alonso secures exit from McLaren|work=BBC Sport|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/formula_one/7074737.stm|first=Andrew|last=Benson |date=2 November 2007|access-date=2 November 2007}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.formula1.com/news/headlines/2007/12/7182.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141006160531/http://www.formula1.com/news/headlines/2007/12/7182.html|archive-date=6 October 2014|title=Kovalainen to partner Hamilton at McLaren for 2008|work=Formula One|date=14 December 2007|access-date=14 December 2007}}</ref>

[[File:Lewis hamilton - 2008 Melb GP.jpg|thumb|right|[[Lewis Hamilton]] won {{F1|2008}}'s season-opening race in [[2008 Australian Grand Prix|Australia]] and went on to win the title.]]

In {{F1|2008}}, a close fight ensued between Hamilton and the Ferraris of [[Felipe Massa]] and Räikkönen; Hamilton won five times and despite also crossing the finish line first at the [[2008 Belgian Grand Prix|Belgian Grand Prix]], he was deemed to have gained an illegal advantage by cutting a chicane during an overtake and was controversially demoted to third.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/formula_1/article4703540.ece|title=World media bemused by Lewis Hamilton decision|first=Ben|last=Smith|date=8 September 2008|work=[[The Times]]|location=UK|access-date=21 March 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081202091153/http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/formula_1/article4703540.ece |archive-date=2 December 2008|url-status=dead}}</ref> Going into the [[2008 Brazilian Grand Prix|final race in Brazil]], Hamilton had a seven-point lead over Massa. Massa won there, but Hamilton dramatically clinched his first Drivers' Championship by moving into the necessary fifth position at the final corner of the final lap of the race. Despite winning his first Grand Prix in [[2008 Hungarian Grand Prix|Hungary]], Kovalainen finished the season only seventh in the overall standings, allowing Ferrari to take the constructors' title.

Before the start of the {{F1|2009}} season, Dennis retired as team principal, handing responsibility to [[Martin Whitmarsh]],<ref>{{cite news|title=Ron Dennis leaves McLaren in safe hands|url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/formula_1/article5531559.ece|date=16 January 2009|work=[[The Times]]|location=UK|first=Kevin|last=Eason|access-date=11 November 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110604150551/http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/formula_1/article5531559.ece |archive-date=4 June 2011|url-status=dead}}</ref> but the year started badly: the [[McLaren MP4-24|MP4-24]] car was off the pace and the team was given a three-race suspended ban for misleading stewards at the [[2009 Australian Grand Prix|Australian]] and [[2009 Malaysian Grand Prix|Malaysian]] Grands Prix.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/formula_one/8024661.stm|title=McLaren given suspended race ban|work=BBC Sport |date=29 April 2009 |access-date=24 March 2010}}</ref> Despite these early problems, a late revival had Hamilton win at the [[2009 Hungarian Grand Prix|Hungarian]] and [[2009 Singapore Grand Prix|Singapore]] Grands Prix.