Piers Thynne: running McLaren's championship-winning factory

F1: Beyond The Grid

karenellenbevan

Leisure, Sports, Technology, Automotive

4.8 • 5.2K Ratings

🗓️ 22 April 2025

⏱️ 57 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Tom Clarkson’s guest on this week’s F1 Beyond The Grid is McLaren’s Chief Operating Officer, Piers Thynne, who has been with the team since 2008.

He oversees everything that happens at the team's base, the McLaren Technology Centre, so he’s played a crucial role in their current success.

How have McLaren transformed into World Champions after finishing second to last in 2017? Why is their philosophy of getting ‘comfortable with being uncomfortable’ so productive? What impact have Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri had on the whole team? And how are McLaren preparing for new regulations in 2026, while fighting for both titles in 2025?

Piers provides fantastic insight into what it takes to run a championship-winning Formula 1 team away from the track. He also talks about his passion for McLaren’s heritage cars, the lessons he took into F1 from his time as an army officer serving in Iraq, and how his father helped a certain F1 legend become a World Champion.

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Transcript

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1:04.4	The British driver seized a check and flag first. Lando Norris wins. The Australian Grand Prix.
1:10.3	Beautifully handles. Amazing way to start the year. Thank Australian Grand Prix. Beautifully handled.
1:11.6	Amazing way to start the year, thank you so much.
1:13.6	The new championship leader in Formula One.
1:16.6	Oscar Piastri wins, the Saudi Grand Prix.
1:20.6	Woo-poo!
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1:28.3	World champions last year and still the team to beat in 2025,
1:33.3	with both drivers fighting for the title.
	...

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