McLaren Reunites Champions in Monaco for 1,000th Grand Prix Milestone

McLaren celebrated its 1,000th Formula 1 Grand Prix in Monaco by reuniting a remarkable collection of past and present drivers on the start-finish straight, marking 60 years since Bruce McLaren first entered the world championship at the same circuit.

Why it matters:

The gathering served as a vivid reminder of McLaren’s enduring place in F1 history at a time when the team is once again fighting for championships. With the assembled drivers responsible for 93 of the team’s 203 victories and four of its 13 titles, the celebration bridged generations—from Emerson Fittipaldi and John Watson to current contenders Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri.

The details:

• Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso, teammates in 2007, joined Mika Hakkinen, David Coulthard, Gerhard Berger, Juan Pablo Montoya, Emerson Fittipaldi, Heikki Kovalainen, and John Watson. Current drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri completed the lineup.
• The combined win tally stands at 93: Hakkinen contributed 20, Hamilton 21, and Coulthard 12, while Norris and Piastri have already added 20 more in McLaren colors.
• The drivers posed between the 1966 McLaren M2B, the team’s first F1 car, and the 2026 MCL40, linking the squad’s origins to its current era.
• Team principal Andrea Stella, CEO Zak Brown, and F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali also attended the Monte Carlo ceremony.
• Norris, who broke Coulthard’s record for most McLaren starts at last year’s Qatar GP, said it was a “dream” to race for the team and spoke of his pride at seeing his name alongside past greats.

What's next:

While the weekend honored history, the present demands attention. Norris and Piastri remain locked in a tight 2026 championship battle, carrying the hopes of a team that has waited decades to challenge for titles again. With a competitive car and a gallery of legends watching on, the expectation is clear: add to McLaren’s legacy, not merely preserve it.