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Racing Heritage Flirted With Rock n Roll When Elvis Presley Graced the Premier McLaren Driven By 2x F1 Champion

Published 07/12/2022, 10:20 AM EDT

McLaren is the ultimate expression of what makes a stunning brand. Over the years, fans have known their cars for their speed, beauty, and engineering. This is reflected in the company’s rich history in Formula 1 racing and road-going cars alike.

They have had superstars representing the brand, but who better than the legendary Elvis Presley? The King of Rock ‘n’ roll drove the very first McLaren, the Elva M1A group 7 car in the popular musical film Spinout released back in 1966.

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Talk about a throwback! According to McLaren, two-time world champion, Graham Hill also used the car for racing in the United States and the United Kingdom. Elvis, meanwhile, drove the gold-colored car, numbered 5 in the superhit movie where he acts as a part-time racing driver.

The Elva M1A also impressed Elvis himself, who said, “that car’s something else,” to which he was told “Imagination built this car and it takes imagination to drive it.” From the earliest models of race cars to today’s sleek sports cars, McLaren continues to set standards for performance.

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Every racing fan, of course, knows the history of this team in Formula 1. In terms of the number of world constructors championships, they are only behind Williams and Ferrari. Names like Senna, Prost, and more recently Lewis Hamilton have driven for this prestigious brand, so unfortunately Elvis may not make the list as one of the best McLaren drivers.

What does the future hold for McLaren?

McLaren is always a formidable force in Formula 1, without a doubt. However, their performances on the track in the last decade have not been reminiscent of their successful past. Although they have had drivers who were champions, their wait for a constructor’s championship spans over two decades.

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They have showed improvement in the last two years, but the 2022 season has taken them another step back. Their current driver, Lando Norris, believes the MCL-36 is unique and difficult to drive.

Speaking on his teammate, Daniel Ricciardo’s struggles to adjust to the car, he said, “I can understand on some points. Because I do feel like it’s a difficult car to drive, our car. I think like our characteristics we’ve also had over the past few years, and even Carlos [Sainz] said it, they’re quite specific and unique.”

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They are currently way off the chart to fight the front-runners. So, the future looks bleak from a McLaren fan’s point of view. Nevertheless, they will hope to bounce back from this torrid time like they have shown in the past.

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Written by:

Rahul Madhavan is a Formula 1 writer at EssentiallySports. After completing his Bachelor's degree in business administration, he is pursuing his love for sports in the form of writing. Rahul is an avid McLaren fan, who also enjoys writing about soccer.

Edited by:

Ranvijay Singh

Racing Heritage Flirted With Rock n Roll When Elvis Presley Graced the Premier McLaren Driven By 2x F1 Champion

What does the future hold for McLaren?

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