A Royal visit for McLaren Electronic Systems

McLaren Electronics Systems, part of the McLaren Group, has received The Queen’s Award for Enterprise: Innovation for the development of Formula 1’s standard ECU. As this is a royal award, the presentation could only be made by The Queen’s representative.

So, on Tuesday June 30, the McLaren Technology Centre welcomed a special visit from Her Majesty’s Lord Lieutenant of Surrey, Sarah Goad, along with other civic dignitaries, for a presentation hosted by Peter van Manen, managing director of McLaren Electronic Systems.

“Innovation demands a willingness to try new things and the talent and perseverance to transform good ideas into better realities,” said van Manen. “This award has only been possible through the dedication, passion and hard work of every member of the McLaren Electronic Systems workforce, the help and assistance from our technical partner, Microsoft and the tremendous support from the FIA and all of the Formula One Teams.. It recognises the technical innovation in the development of the standard ECU, and that we were able to manufacture it and get it to market.”

Having secured the contract with technical partner Microsoft in July 2006, the team at McLaren Electronic Systems faced the prospect of designing a system that would control all the existing engines and gearboxes on the grid, provide data to every garage and factory, and be ready to race in 18 months. There was also task of setting up the infrastructure to manufacture the units.

The standard ECU is a high-profile example of how quickly the world of Formula 1 can take an idea and turn it into a fully functioning product of the highest quality and performance. Motorsport remains a key business area for McLaren Electronic Systems as it supplies data systems and engine control units for race series around the world.