No more Racing Line Magazine for McLaren Members

As part of your membership of the McLaren Members Programme you get a monthly magazine called Racing Line – The McLaren Group Magazine, or at least you used to.

Issue 141

The photo you see above is of issue 141 of Racing Line, the very last issue of the McLaren Group Magazine. Martin Whitmarsh writes inside this landmark issue:

The rise of the internet and the prevalence of digital media in all aspects of our lives have reshaped the way that a large and fast-moving company, such as ours, communicates with its supporters and Partners, though. As a result, this 2009 season round-up will be the last print issue of Racing Line.

But, in the same way that McLaren first pioneered a more intimate and unique way of communicating with its supporters and Partners in the 1990s with Racing Line, we’ve chosen to broaden your experience with a new and dynamic website for 2010,, which will become the primary focus for all information about the Vodafone McLaren Mercedes team, and offer you greater opportunities than ever before to interact with us.

The first thing to take from this is that Racing Line looks set to continue, albeit in digital format. It’d be a shame to lose it all together as it’s a great insight into areas of McLaren that are usually kept away from the public eye. The photos are also second to none and most front covers would not look out of place framed, and on the wall.

I’ve had an assurance from the McLaren eShop, via their official Twitter account that things will get going in January and we, as members, will be very much a part of that.

It was via their Twitter account that I ended up appearing in the first issue of my membership, issue 135 back in May. They were asking for photos of us getting ready to watch the Malaysian Grand Prix so my wife took this one of my son and I, he was then almost 1 year old!

Racing Line, featuring us!

Our photo appeared on page 40 as part of an article titled Go On – Have A Twitter.

So, all eyes will be on January and the emergence of a new, all singing and dancing McLaren website – if it’s half as good as their recent car development we should be in for a treat!

Vodafone McLaren Mercedes – the membership programme that keeps on giving, & a new website!

On our way out today I noticed a Home Delivery Network card on the porch floor telling me I’d missed them and they’d put my delivery in a cunning secret place, just next to the front door! I open up the package to find a Vodafone McLaren Mercedes 2010 Calendar!

McLaren Letter and Calendar

I asked my wife if she’d ordered it but she hadn’t. It was only then that I searched around in the packaging and found a letter from Vodafone McLaren Mercedes. The letter told me about a brand new website in development and said the following:

The new Vodafone McLaren Mercedes website will become the primary focus for all information about the team and offer greater opportunities than ever before, to interact with the team.

The calendar is in recognition of my support and a £20 voucher for the Vodafone McLaren Mercedes eShop is on its way too.

WOW! What a really fantastic way to treat members – it’s not often in this day and age that you get given something out of the blue. We also have a new website to look forward and here’s hoping it will include lots of live race weekend information. Looking forward to having the calendar hanging on my wall and marking off all the McLaren victories in 2010!