McLaren MCL36 wants to challenge Ferrari, Red Bull, Mercedes

The fourth Formula 1 team to reveal their 2022 challenger is McLaren. The signature Papaya Orange returns but features an updated livery compared to previous designs. Like all other teams, the British marque also has a brand new car for the season built to new technical rules – the MCL36.

For the 2022 season, McLaren’s livery marries Papaya Orange with a new shade of blue that runs the length of the MCL36. Even the wheels get the new blue hue that's lighter than before. The company’s new color scheme reminds us of the signature Gulf Livery but with orange being the more dominant color.

As for the MCL36 itself, the design looks similar to Aston Martin’s AMR22 with larger rear surfaces. It also looks like a complete vehicle as compared to Red Bull’s RB18, which appeared to be a copy of the 2022 concept car. Like the Aston Martin, McLaren will also run a Mercedes-sourced engine.

This year, McLaren hopes to bridge the gap between them and the top three leading teams Ferrari, Red Bull, and Mercedes. The team had a stellar performance in 2021, finishing fourth in the constructor’s title. The 2021 season also saw McLaren score their first win since 2012 with Daniel Ricciardo at the Monza Grand Prix. Coincidentally, McLaren scored the only one-two finish of the year in the same race, with Lando Norris behind Ricciardo.

For the 2022 season, McLaren will continue to field Ricciardo and Norris as their drivers. Ahead of the launch, Norris even extended his contract with the team for a few more years.

With every team fielding an all-new car this season, will this year see McLaren’s return to the top spot? We’ll find out once the 2022 season begins next month in Bahrain.