Cape Town - After weeks of teasing, McLaren's 2018 Formula One car, and its new livery, has been unveiled - and it didn't disappoint.

Flashes of orange and promises of the "biggest change" of all the teams came to fruition on Friday as the covers came off the MCL33.

McLaren introduced the new car with the caption: "Inspired by our history, driven by our future. Ladies and gentlemen, the McLaren"

The Renault-powered car, bearing the iconic papaya orange and blue colour scheme that McLaren first raced in Formula One 50 years ago, will be driven by Fernando Alonso and Stoffel Vandoorne.

"We definitely view 2018 as the year when McLaren will move closer to the front, fighting teams and drivers as we improve our fortunes," said McLaren chief Zak Brown.

"We have an excellent team, a new engine partner in Renault and a host of fantastic new partnerships: Airgain, CNBC, Dell Technologies, Kimoa and Petrobras have all been welcomed to the McLaren family.

"Our return to a papaya orange livery for this year wasn’t simply an emotional decision; it demonstrates that we are listening to our fans, building deeper engagement with them and the Formula 1 community as a whole.

"We want McLaren to earn respect on and off the track, and this felt like a good starting point. We want to show everyone what makes this team special, whether that’s our fans or our partners – there’s room for more on our journey."