WOKING-based McLaren has opened an exhibition at the Brooklands Museum as part of its commitment to encourage more young people into careers that involve science, technology, engineering, maths and design.

The Driven by Design supercar exhibition, which had an official opening late last month, is the first new exhibition focused on cars to open at Brooklands in over a decade.

Driven by Design explores McLaren Automotive’s design and development process – what it takes to design a supercar and the skills needed to achieve groundbreaking engineering. The exhibition features the McLaren Senna GTR prototype and concept cars alongside a life-size LEGO McLaren 720S.

The display, which also includes the late Ayrton Senna’s McLaren Formula 1 car, tells the story of inspirational engineers, designers and drivers from the history of McLaren Automotive and Brooklands.

Tamalie Newbery, director of Brooklands Museum, said: “Since the launch of the McLaren 12C a little over a decade ago, McLaren Automotive has quickly become one of the most admired supercar brands in the world.

“We hope that the opening of this new exhibition will inspire the next generation of engineers and problem solvers on whose shoulders so much rests.

“We are very grateful to McLaren Automotive for choosing Brooklands Museum to exhibit these beautiful examples of engineering excellence and to be able to tell the stories of the people who developed them.”

The exhibition is aimed at 12 to 18-year-olds, with a particular emphasis on STEM careers, providing younger visitors the opportunity to explore the individual team members’ backgrounds – to see what they studied, their greatest achievements and their role at McLaren.

The exhibition forms a key part of the supercar company’s 10-year anniversary celebrations and features some of the 2,500-strong team who help design, engineer, test and build the supercars, including McLaren development driver Bruno Senna, Ayrton’s nephew.

Andy Palmer, of McLaren Automotive, said: “We’re thrilled to support the new Driven by Design exhibition at Brooklands Museum.

“It’s a great way for children and parents alike to get up close with some very special development cars that are usually at the McLaren Technology Centre.”

The exhibition is included in museum admission.