Wednesday June 14th, 2000

A win in Sunday's Canadian Grand Prix would be an extra special way for the McLaren team to mark a momentous milestone of 500 world championship races.

McLaren have an impressive Canadian Grand Prix record, which includes eight wins and more pole positions than any other constructor.

Mika Hakkinen won there last year on his way to the drivers' world title. Hakkinen is currently third in the standings behind Ferrari's Michael Schumacher and the Finn's McLaren team mate, David Coulthard.

Coulthard, who won in Monaco two weeks ago, says he is determined to make it two in a row in Montreal.

"This is one of my favourite tracks, located in one of my favourite cities, and I have been tantalisingly close to winning on a couple of occasions," the British driver said.

McLaren began in 1963 when Bruce McLaren formed Bruce McLaren Motor Racing.

They made their Formula One debut at the Monaco Grand Prix in 1966 and won their first race two years later when McLaren steered a McLaren Ford to victory in Belgium.

McLaren was killed while testing a Can-Am sportscar at Goodwood in 1970.

The British-based team have won the drivers' world championship 11 times through Emerson Fittipaldi (1974), James Hunt (1976), Niki Lauda (1984), Alain Prost (1985, 1986, 1989), Ayrton Senna (1988, 1990, 1991) and Hakkinen (1998, 1999). Their eight constructors' titles came in 1974, 1984, 1985, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991 and 1998.