If you were counting down the days hoping to see McLaren resurrect their iconic mid-2000s chrome masterpiece for the jewel of the calendar, you might want to shield your eyes. The internet is officially in a state of absolute meltdown over what was supposed to be a historic celebration.
To mark their monumental 1,000th Grand Prix in Formula 1 at this weekend’s Monaco GP, McLaren officially peeled back the sheets on a highly anticipated special livery. The announcement, captured by news hub @formularacers_ back on X, immediately set social media ablaze, but for all the wrong reasons.
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Instead of delivering the shimmering silver nostalgia trip fans have been practically begging for all season, Woking dropped a design that looks suspiciously like a standard car with a corporate sponsor overload.
McLaren’s “Poop Livery” Reality Check
The special design retains the team’s signature papaya orange on the nose and engine cover but smothers the rest of the chassis in a dull, unpainted black carbon fiber weave.
The immediate reaction from the F1 community went from high-voltage excitement to sheer, unadulterated disappointment in a matter of seconds. In the comment threads collected, users did not hold back.
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Fan account @33redouane33 blasted the rollout, noting: “They really have been gassing this for months just to drop this poop livery.” Another user, @AmyTeamLH, directly targeted the visual clutter: “Definitely one of the worst special liveries we’ve ever had. Those ugly sponsors ruining it entirely
🤢
.”
The sentiment got even more aggressive when @KanYeeast_fish summarized the collective heartbreak in five blunt words: “Holy shit this is a–.”
The Traumatic 2017 Flashbacks
For long-time fans, the heavy mix of dull orange and unpainted black carbon did more than just disappoint—it triggered actual technical trauma. Several spotters pointed out that the color blocking looks painfully identical to the infamous McLaren-Honda MCL32 from 2017, an era defined by catastrophic engine failures and finishing dead last in the speed traps.
Oct 22, 2017; Austin, TX, USA; McLaren driver Stoffel Vandoorne (2) of Belgium during the United States Grand Prix at Circuit of the Americas. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
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As fan @dxbestani puts it, “Welcome back McLaren 2017 car
🤣
🤣
.” While a few optimistic voices tried to keep the peace—like @AleBentivoglio1 writing “Long life to McLaren!” they were entirely drowned out by a unified front demanding an explanation for the missing chrome.
User @stillwecryy captured the true consensus by declaring: “I SPEAK FOR EVERYONE WHEN I SAY WE NEED THE CHROME MCLAREN BACK.”
Ultimately, McLaren’s design team fell victim to the brutal reality of modern F1 weight-saving limitations. Stripping paint to expose bare carbon fiber saves precious grams, but doing it on a historic milestone car has cost them something much more valuable: the goodwill of the fanbase heading into Monaco.
