McLaren teams up with BBC Blue Peter to launch "Supercar of the Future" competition for children 22.05.2020: One lucky winner will get their design produced as a clay model by McLaren’s top design team Design Director Rob Melville and McLaren materials scientist Ella Podmore star in competition launch film Competition created to demonstrate use of

    One lucky winner will get their design produced as a clay model by McLaren’s top design team

    Design Director Rob Melville and McLaren materials scientist Ella Podmore star in competition launch film

    Competition created to demonstrate use of science, engineering and design skills in an exciting real-world environment and encourage positive career conversations as part of McLaren’s long-standing support for STEM subjects



Supercar maker McLaren Automotive has teamed up with the BBC Blue Peter children’s programme to launch a unique competition asking young viewers to design their ‘Supercar of the Future’.



The winner will have the opportunity to meet with McLaren’s leading designers and engineers* and see their winning design brought to life as a 3D scale model to be unveiled on Blue Peter. They will also win an incredible ride in a McLaren supercar with celebrity driver The Stig.



The prize includes a VIP tour of the world-famous McLaren Technology Centre and McLaren Production Centre to see how real supercars are designed and made. The winner will also be awarded the coveted orange Blue Peter competition badge.



In this Thursday’s Blue Peter (5.30pm BST, Thursday 21 May, CBBC and BBC iPlayer, UK only), presenter Richie Driss goes behind the scenes at McLaren to find out how you get started in supercar design.



Richie meets** Rob Melville, McLaren Automotive’s Design Director, who explains why a supercar should look fantastic, have sensational performance and push the boundaries of what already exists.



Also in the film is Ella Podmore, McLaren Automotive’s materials engineer, who talks about the importance of choosing the right materials to help make a car lighter and faster.



Lighter vehicles are able to deliver better performance and be more energy efficient which is why entrants to the competition are asked to consider how their car is powered, its impact on the environment and to describe what materials it is made from. They are also asked to choose one outstanding feature of their design and explain why they are proud of it.



Look out for Ella on McLaren Automotive’s social media channels talking about the competition and her work.



“Working with CBBC’s Blue Peter on this competition to get kids to design their supercar of the future is an exciting and fun way to get them to apply all of their design, science and technical creativity.



“It’s also a great way to showcase how they can use those skills in the real-world, having to follow the same thought processes and tackle the same challenges as our designers and engineers like Rob and Ella do every day at McLaren. I’m looking forward to seeing what the Blue Peter audience come up with and what amazing idea wins our top prize.”


Mandeep Dhatt, Executive Director of HR, McLaren Automotive



“This is such an exciting Blue Peter competition with an amazing prize to see behind closed doors at McLaren.



“The judges are going to be looking for designs that are full of imagination, with a great story and we want to see that they have given some thought to the science behind the design too. I can’t wait to see what the amazing, creative Blue Peter kids come up with!”


Ellen Evans, Editor, Blue Peter



* Once Covid-19 restrictions are lifted by the UK government.

** Filmed before Covid-19 lockdown measures were introduced.

The competition is open to children living in the UK between the ages of 6 and 15 years old.




Piers Scott- photos McLaren