Sir Keir Starmer hailed the “world-class” McLaren racing team hours after Lando Norris won the Formula One Championship for the first time.
The Prime Minister was visiting the McLaren Technology Centre in Surrey on Monday as part of a drive to get more young people into apprenticeships.
He was due to meet McLaren apprentices the day after Norris sobbed tears of joy and relief as he won the Formula One Championship for the first time and ended Max Verstappen’s four-year reign with a nervy third place at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
Red Bull’s Verstappen, who ended the campaign with more wins (eight) than any driver, triumphed in the season-ender with McLaren’s Oscar Piastri second and 12.5 seconds behind at the chequered flag.
Norris, Britain’s 11th Formula One world champion, took his points tally to 423 with Verstappen on 421 and Piastri third with 410.
McLaren, who secured the constructors’ championship in October for the second year in a row, won both titles in the same season for the first time since 1998.
“I’ve not cried in a while. I didn’t think I would cry but I did,” said an emotional Norris, aged 26, in a post-race interview, after also shedding tears inside his helmet.
McLaren Automotive recruits young talent through apprenticeships, internships, industrial placements, and graduate programmes, which aim to build technical and professional skills for the future.
It currently supports 84 individuals in its Early Careers Scheme across its UK sites where they work on design, engineering, and advanced manufacturing.
More than 21,000 people have already applied for its placements next year.
The Prime Minister said: “McLaren is a great example of how world-class industries rely on skilled talent to succeed.
“Apprenticeships are central to that success, and we want more young people to have the same opportunities to develop cutting-edge skills.”
McLaren Automotive chief executive Nick Collins stressed: “Apprenticeships are a critical pipeline for developing the next generation of talent.
“They provide an immersive pathway for young people to gain practical experience and learn in real world environments.”
He explained further: “At McLaren we recognise the importance of investing in people and skills to create the world’s most extraordinary supercars.
“We are proud to inspire and equip the next generation to continue this tradition of excellence.”
Sir Keir was announcing a major investment in apprenticeships on Monday in an effort to tackle rising youth unemployment.
Some 50,000 young people are expected to benefit from the £725 million programme, in which more apprenticeships will be created in sectors including AI, hospitality and engineering.
The Government is aiming to reverse a decline in the number of young people starting apprenticeships, which has fallen by almost 40% in the past decade.
“It’s time to change the way apprenticeships are viewed and to put them on an equal footing with university,” the Prime Minister said.
“This is a defining cause for this Government and a key step towards our ambition to get two-thirds of young people in higher-level learning or apprenticeships.”
The new funding, which covers the next three years, includes a commitment to fully fund apprenticeships at small and medium-sized businesses.
It also includes £140 million for regional mayors to link young people not in employment, education or training (Neets) with local apprenticeships.
Separately, ministers announced an £820 million package targeted at around a million people to help some of them get off benefits and into work.
The money includes funding for training and work experience in construction, hospitality, and health and social care for 350,000 young people on universal credit.
Others will be offered “intensive support” to help them find work, while Government-backed guaranteed jobs will be provided for up to 55,000 young people from spring 2026.
But those that refuse to engage with the help on offer without a good reason could lose some of their benefits.
The extra funding comes amid a rise in “Neets”, 16-24-year-olds not in employment, education or training.
Some 940,000 young people are now considered Neet, a rise of 195,000 in the last two years driven mainly by increasing rates of sickness and disability.
