McLaren unveils its 2021 Formula One Car, the MCL35M

McLaren has become the first Formula One team to unveil its 2021 car, whipping the covers of the McLaren MCL35M that will be piloted by the squad's new driver pairing of Daniel Ricciardo and Lando Norris this season.

Visually, the MCL35M looks similar to its MCL35 predecessor, with teams having been forced to use modified versions of their 2020 chassis this year, ahead of the introduction of all new cars in 2022 - while the MCL35M also sports McLaren's now traditional papaya-and-blue colour scheme.

There was one big change lurking under the bodywork of the MCL35M, however, with McLaren having switched back to Mercedes' power units for the first time since 2014 this season - the only team on the grid in 2021 forced to deal with a change of power unit supplier, as McLaren continues its quest to return to the sharp end of the grid.

Another change, meanwhile, was McLaren's driver lineup, with Daniel Ricciardo having moved over from Renault to join McLaren on a multi-year contract - the Australian appearing at the McLaren Technology Centre in Woking in the U.K. to help launch the car alongside incumbent driver Lando Norris, beginning his third season with the team.

Following on from the car's launch, Ricciardo and Norris will shake down the MCL35M at the Silverstone Circuit on 16 February 2021, ahead of the start of pre-season testing at the Bahrain International Circuit on 12 March to 14 March 2021, followed by the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix on 28 March 2021.