Formula One test and production facility
Home to the Vodafone McLaren Racing team, the iconic, award winning building houses classic racing cars from the very first car raced by Bruce McLaren at the age of 15, through the championship winning cars driven by the likes of James Hunt, Emerson Fittipaldi, Ayrton Senna, Alain Prost, Niki Lauda and Mika Hakinnen, to the current machines piloted by Jenson Button and Sergio Perez. The bulging trophy cabinet has in pride of place, the first trophy won by the company’s founder which sits alongside the accolades stretching back over the team’s 50 years of racing history, being celebrated this year.
The group accompanied by David Massie, Skills Competition Manager at the IMI were given a very informative tour of the Formula One test and production facility, witnessing the level of technology and dedication to detail that goes in to designing and building a front of the grid racing car. Over lunch there was an opportunity to meet and chat to some of the young design engineers from McLaren Automotive who work on the latest supercar developments.
MP4-12c sports car
The afternoon was spent looking round the new state of the art production centre that produces the MP4-12c sports cars. The visitors were amazed at the air of calm that permeates the production area and the almost clinical environment, not something normally associated with motor vehicle manufacture. Indeed, the offer to work there for free was voiced several times by the visitors!
Mark Yates, Gold medal winner in Autotech said “This is a day I’ll remember for the rest of my life and my brother and I can’t thank McLaren and the IMI enough for allowing us to visit the centre.”
Strive for excellence
David Massie added “The SkillAuto competitions are all about encouraging young people working in our industry to strive for excellence, to be the best they can be in their profession, and the philosophy and winning attitude at McLaren mirrored that aspiration perfectly.”
The IMI would like to thank Ben Heatley at the McLaren Group for organising the day and particularly our guide Kris, who’s knowledge of F1 old and new was astonishing.
