So we might we have some explaining to do, but hear us out… Okay, so we can’t explain. We just got so excited by what our livery designers had cooked up we had to share it with you. However, you’ve got to admit, the last 48 hours have been a lot of fun.

Most of you have spent the past two days trying to break down our series of cryptic clues, filling social media with your hilarious and clever conspiracy theories. A select few of you even managed to guess what we were planning before we unveiled our 2024 livery on Tuesday.

With the new season still more than a month away, we knew you would be desperate for some proper pre-season content, and judging by your responses, it went down very well.

Our new-look 2024 livery was designed with the Papaya Army in mind, combining our classic papaya with fan-favourite elements from OKX’s Stealth Mode livery and a ton of hidden easter eggs, including Chrome driver numbers and the speedy Kiwi.

Here's how you reacted on social media…

Confused? You should be.

McLaren deleting everything from instagram it is so intriguing pic.twitter.com/PNY9Z9C3SM

— lily⁴⁷ (@_itsnotlily) January 15, 2024

the entirety of the mclaren fan base rn pic.twitter.com/ykzuAHQWAs

— megs ⁴ (@papayasnorris) January 15, 2024

I love how dramatic McLaren is because same

— Lucy⁴ (@ln4uxy) January 15, 2024

BRB, just going to panic and repeatedly hit Ctrl + Z.

Those posts better be back after this is over Mclaren or we’re gonna have to fight pic.twitter.com/CeiYO5PC1o

— Sky⁸¹ 🧸🐝🇵🇸 (@SkysF1year) January 15, 2024

What makes you think it wasn’t Lando and Oscar?

the mclaren intern after getting an email at 4:59pm telling them to archive every post on the team ig pic.twitter.com/KLueGDRE4r

— mus ✰ (@L444NDO) January 15, 2024

The Papaya Army trying to find out why we were being all cryptic.

the mclaren reveal is in therepic.twitter.com/WrjeCABYnO

— josh 🏎️ (@joshspapaya) January 15, 2024

Nice try, @SimonGBrooks, but this isn’t our first rodeo.

Outside @McLarenF1 to find out what’s going on…⏱️*

*Not really#WhateverItTakes #McLaren #FansLikeNoOther pic.twitter.com/YEtqZeczu0

— Simon Brooks (@SimonGBrooks) January 16, 2024

Believe it or not, this video was our original inspiration for the campaign.

mclaren said pic.twitter.com/q9y9xFsZXG

— S🇨🇴¹⁶⁵⁵ (@leclercstin) January 15, 2024

Now, where would be the fun in that?

McLaren will never stop playing with our nerves pic.twitter.com/MIM4vZHYyH

— Éponine⁴ (@EponineLN4) January 16, 2024

Us, the night before our shock livery launch.

daydreaming about the 2024 season being a mclaren fan pic.twitter.com/0E4Nsty228

— alo 🏎️ (@leinchident) January 15, 2024

Let us cook and you’ll see.

Okay McLaren what are you cooking

— Matt Gallagher (@MattP1Gallagher) January 15, 2024

Sorry, teacher, can I please be excused? McLaren are causing chaos and I need to find out why.

I AM IN CLASS DONT START PLS

— mo 🧡⁴ (@norris4mo) January 16, 2024

Car launch date? Ohh no, no, my dears. This is not a car launch date reveal…

nobody likes a tease team just drop that car launch date already

— laura⁴ (@everythinglando) January 15, 2024

SURPRISE.

Opening twitter to see the Mclaren livery was not on my bingo card for today pic.twitter.com/Nc2BM5r5OY

— ‎Izzy🦕 (@LN4_Chicago) January 16, 2024

A work of art.

cannot believe mclaren have just dropped this on us SLAYYY pic.twitter.com/IcjsmO9JYH

— taylah (@lotsoflando) January 16, 2024

The old McLaren cars in the back? 🥹
I love this team.🧡 pic.twitter.com/ZC16ViCCUl

— Lu • (@_ln4__) January 16, 2024

Admit it, who else has been hoovering up our new merchandise range on the McLaren Store?

my bank account looking at me buying new mclaren merch like: pic.twitter.com/oVfns7Nj3P

— andy (@iiiuminateandy) January 16, 2024

We think you liked it…

2024 mclaren livery you rock my world pic.twitter.com/2eQHdDAxKS

— lau ☆ (@leclights) January 16, 2024

Who wants to be our Valentine?

are you free on valentine’s day??
mclaren fans: nope i got a special date pic.twitter.com/gAafUHobuA

— shaira (@n4zcedes) January 16, 2024

If your livery got it, flaunt it.

Mclaren in their reputation era 🔥🖤 pic.twitter.com/yyaV8kANCA

— nik :➶ ¹⁶⁵⁵ (@sainzzleclerc) January 16, 2024

mclaren really said “there will be no explanation there will just be reputation” when dropping this out of nowhere 😭 pic.twitter.com/S5ZYBYQDuS

— savi ¹⁶ 🎀 (@iheartcharlez) January 16, 2024

Who else spotted these details?

i love it even more now 😮‍💨 pic.twitter.com/TYZgzPQnYp

— ray (@ln4norris) January 17, 2024

The chrome numbers are such a nice nod to McLaren heritage!

— Gino Morillo Morales (@GMM1702) January 16, 2024

mclaren including their old speedy kiwi logo on the drs actuator goes so hard pic.twitter.com/QPeTZCKNi4

— james (@ScenarioSeven) January 16, 2024

Loving this livery! so many special details you see watching over and over.

— Steve Lowe (@LoweyForSure) January 16, 2024

Wait. We did?! Oh yeah. 

Whatt? Mclaren launched the livery? pic.twitter.com/EsSs784N3U

— Miss Formula 1 (@Miss_Formula1) January 16, 2024

Too right.

the L in McLaren means “legendary” facts pic.twitter.com/mXUzpKb5xw

— sophcession 🍉 (@s0phja) January 16, 2024

It might be winter, but there was zero chill at the MTC.

WAHT IS HAPPENING WITH MCLAREN RN 😱😱😍😍 pic.twitter.com/CLStLNJhvF

— Flo💗🏎️ (@flo38939116) January 16, 2024

Me seeing McLaren randomly revealing their 2024 livery in the middle of JANUARY 😭 (I was not ready) pic.twitter.com/yAz0zqMMTq

— Lucy 🏁 (@LastLapLucy) January 17, 2024

We shoot, we score.

THIS IS HOT AS HELL SHUT UP MCLAREN NEVER MISSES pic.twitter.com/MmYvVJvPLZ

— zozo⁴⁺⁸¹⁺²²!! 🏎️🇵🇸 (@iheartlandoscar) January 16, 2024

Of course it was for you!

idk but thinking about us fans every step of the way is so special to me 🫂

— bia (@LNFOURS) January 16, 2024

We heard you, we listened.

they heard our cries for a darker car thank you mclaren i love you pic.twitter.com/JG6QFmxuCr

— naomi⁴ (@lastlapnorris) January 16, 2024

One team, one dream.

I love McLaren so much… like I admire Andrea and Zak a lot, they’re so hardworking and then Lando and Oscar so talented and bright and nice. And the whole team just gives family vibes. I hope we stay far away from the toxicity.

— dani🔸 (@landosmile) January 12, 2024

We’d recommend bringing a packed lunch.

I could stay for a week in this room with no food and water. Easily.
The best room in the world. 🙏 pic.twitter.com/N4kqRxYH0l

— Filippos McLaren (@F1lippos) January 16, 2024

10/10.

McLaren reveal their 2024 livery 😍

what do you think? pic.twitter.com/qUmk6ZH0pI

— WTF1 (@wtf1official) January 16, 2024

We hope that you enjoyed our shock livery launch as much as Lando and Oscar did! We’ll see you all for our car launch on 14 February, before official pre-season testing in Bahrain on 21-23 February.

😈 pic.twitter.com/KMm7XSYaDf

— Lando Norris (@LandoNorris) January 16, 2024

New year. New look 👌 pic.twitter.com/MIZsoGEaTe

— Oscar Piastri (@OscarPiastri) January 16, 2024