McLaren Formula 1 team has announced a significant move as they continue their journey toward sustained championship success. The team has confirmed a multi-year contract extension for their Technical Director of Aerodynamics, Peter Prodromou, ensuring that the key figure behind their recent resurgence will remain with the team in the years to come. This news comes off the back of McLaren’s remarkable achievement in the 2024 season, when they clinched their first Constructors’ Championship since 1998.
In 2024, McLaren made a dramatic turnaround. The team, which had started the season without any race victories between their drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, ended the year with six Grand Prix wins. These victories, coupled with the consistent performances of their driver duo, saw McLaren leapfrog reigning champions Red Bull to take the top spot in the Constructors’ standings. A fourth career win for Norris at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix sealed McLaren’s championship victory after a thrilling battle with Ferrari. Their remarkable comeback from a winless start to the season to ultimately claim the prestigious Constructors’ title was a testament to the team’s improvement and determination.
However, the success of McLaren wasn’t solely down to their talented drivers. Much of the credit for their resurgence is attributed to their machinery, which showed impressive development throughout the year, especially after the summer break. The technical improvements played a huge role in McLaren becoming one of the most competitive teams on the grid, and a key figure in this technical revolution was Peter Prodromou. Having rejoined McLaren in March 2023 as Technical Director of Aerodynamics, Prodromou’s influence has been invaluable in restoring the team to its championship-winning form.
Prodromou has a long history with McLaren, first joining the team in 1991. After a successful spell with Red Bull, where he contributed to their dominance in the turbo-hybrid era, he returned to McLaren in 2023. His appointment was seen as a strategic move to bolster the team’s aerodynamics department, and under his guidance, the team has seen significant improvements in their car performance. McLaren’s technical team, led by Prodromou, has managed to extract the maximum performance from their car, which was a key factor in their success last season.
In a statement following the announcement of his contract extension, Prodromou expressed his excitement about continuing with McLaren. “I am delighted to continue my role as Technical Director, Aerodynamics, at the McLaren F1 team,” Prodromou said. “It is an honor to be part of such a collaborative team and to contribute to this strong upward trajectory. Following last season’s success, I look forward to contributing further to our shared ambition of securing more World Championships. I’m grateful to Zak and Andrea for their continued confidence in me as Technical Director, Aerodynamics, and also to all my colleagues in the team who have provided the highest class of support to me at both a personal and professional level.”
McLaren’s Team Principal, Andrea Stella, also praised Prodromou’s contributions, calling him an integral part of the team’s recent success. “It is my great privilege to confirm the extension of Peter’s contract on a multi-year deal,” said Stella. “The cultural, organizational, and technical leadership Peter has brought has been invaluable. He has been a key architect in the team’s performance turnaround, both on and off the track, securing the team’s ninth FIA Formula 1 Constructors’ Championship in 2024. The journey we have been on together as a team, we could not have done without Peter, and we look forward to continuing our quest of fighting for further World Championships together. Thank you, Peter, for your commitment and dedication to the McLaren F1 team, we are all proud to call you our teammate.”
With Prodromou’s leadership and the continued development of their car, McLaren is looking to build on their success in 2024 and fight for more championships in 2025 and beyond. The team is poised to continue their upward trajectory, with a strong technical base, talented drivers, and a renewed sense of confidence as they aim for even greater achievements in the highly competitive world of Formula 1.
