McLaren Group
Tooned 50

Being the second oldest Formula 1 team still active, as well as the most successful in terms of world championships won from its debut year (1966) to the present day, might not be enough. History, drivers, and trophies are not sufficient; like it or not, motorsport is also about marketing. And when exploited with brilliant ideas like this, it can also become a good thing. So, how to improve the image of a team suffering from the so-called winners' unpopularity, also the result of the fiercely determined, not at all fawning, and not at all telegenic approach of its father-master Ron Dennis? Unlike its historical competitor, McLaren can boast a very recent road car production that is not yet rooted in the collective imagination, and unlike its most recent competitor, not being the emanation of a multi-billion-dollar company, it certainly cannot afford to sponsor alternative sports events/shows. Besides, such an approach, devoted to spectacle at any cost, is not part of the DNA and modus operandi of the Woking team. So, why not create something more cost-effective, appealing to young people and teenagers, softening the somewhat stiff and "technocratic" image of the team and the Circus in general? Well, a miniseries of animated cartoons, characterized by the light and exquisite British humor, is the ideal solution, an absolute novelty and, in hindsight, a successful initiative that achieved its goal by bringing a smile to both enthusiasts and non-fans.

The first series in 2012, set in the splendid and futuristic McLaren Technology Centre in Woking, focused on the bizarre and picturesque technical experiments of the pedantic Professor M, who was frequently teased by his "guinea pigs," drivers Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton, who always find a way to sabotage his odd ideas. Twelve hilarious "shorts" each lasting no more than three minutes that, due to their success, prompted McLaren to launch a second series, coinciding with the team's fiftieth anniversary, founded by the young driver-engineer from New Zealand, Bruce McLaren. Jenson Button and the new recruit Sergio Perez attend a celebratory event which, with Professor M as the anchorman, is anticipated to be a boring flop (almost as much as, alas, the MP4/28), but the sudden entry of an elderly mechanic completely changes the situation. Thus begins a dramatic retelling of the origins of the team and the drivers who made it great, spiced with hilarious bickering between the two protagonists: Professor M, the more technical and priggish soul, and the elderly mechanic, who recalls the "pioneering" spirit, anecdotes, and legends. Emerson Fittipaldi thus becomes a racing werewolf, James Hunt a secret agent dealing with chases, sabotage, and especially "sweet curves," Mika Hakkinen a superhero from space, Alain Prost will discover some "previously unknown causes" of his sensational defeat in 1984, venting his anger on the other professor, and a "rivalry" will be remembered, less known but equally intense, experienced by Ayrton Senna in his golden years at McLaren. Everyone plays themselves, not only Jenson and Sergio, but also Fittipaldi, Prost, and Hakkinen have taken on the role of their own voice actors with excellent results, as well as Bruno Senna as Uncle Ayrton and Tommy Hunt as Dad James.

Niki Lauda and Lewis Hamilton, currently contracted with a rival team, are granted two brief cameos; the grand finale featuring Perez on Senna's legendary MP4/5 may retrospectively raise some eyebrows, and at the end of the episode dedicated to Hakkinen, a certain Kimi is mentioned as the heir to the unforgettable Finnish ace; it's unfortunate that reality was slightly different, but nevertheless, the show remains hilarious. Perhaps someone will look at that invaluable piece of motorsport history and legend named McLaren with different eyes after this original and intelligent project, just like I did when, at the tender age of nine, fascinated by the exploits of "the flying Finn," I decided those black and silver machines would be "my" cars, regardless of the drivers and the results achieved. It has not yet been announced whether there will be a continuation of the project, but the curiosity to see this young debutante Danish driver in animated version, who promises to enrich this over-fifty-year story with new and glorious chapters, is indeed high, and I hope the creative team led by Chris Waitt and Henry Trotter can produce new delicious morsels of Mecca-made humor and, above all, self-irony. Always go McLaren!