wouter_melissen's avatar
Author:
Wouter Melissen
Login For More
Rate this article:
  • 0/5 Stars
SPEEDtv.com Store
Legendary Race Cars, by Basem Wasef
Through vivid, human detail, writer and photographer Basem Wasef brings to life more than two dozen racing legends.
Our Price: $35.00
Visit Button
Buy Button
Man-Made Thunder
The book examines the sport of stock car racing through the eyes and ears of the men behind the wheel and the wrenches.
Our Price: $49.00
Visit Button
Buy Button
Unisex Sandwich Cap
Unisex Velcro back hat with SPEED logo on front. PINKS logo embroidered on left and PAO logo on right. One size fits all.
Our Price: $24.95
Visit Button
Buy Button
Speedway T-shirt
Men's 6 oz. 100% Cotton Jersey Short Sleeve Tee. SPEED logo imprinted on the front center chest.
Our Price: $24.99
Visit Button
Buy Button
Ferrari Red Classic Hat
100% cotton twill. Ferrari shield embroidered on front, piping on the peak and Ferrari logo embroidered on back strap adjuster.
Our Price: $30.00 ($27.00 Member)
Visit Button
Buy Button
Footer Bg
  • Zoom More Photos Button
  • Camera Icon
VINTAGE: MP4/4 Was McLaren’s Greatest F1 car
Written by: Wouter Melissen
UltimateCarPage.com   http://www.ultimatecarpage.com
06/24/2009
Monza (FR)
 
Despite the dismal results achieved with the low-line Brabham BT55 in 1986, designer Gordon Murray was given carte-blanche by McLaren to give it another go a year later. This time around, the results were a complete mirror image.

The MP4/4's low profile helped improve both handling and aerodynamics. (Photo: Wouter Melissen) ยป More Photos
Drivers Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost together won 15 of the 16 races in the 1988 season, making Murray's ultra-low MP4/4 one of the most successful racing cars ever built.

In theory, Murray's objective of placing all of the car's weight as low as possible in the chassis made perfect sense. With the Brabham, that meant placing the BMW four-cylinder engine at a sharp angle, but that created all sorts of problems. The very compact Honda V-6 used by McLaren was much more suited to this purpose. The ultra-low chassis meant that the drivers had to lie almost flat in the car, which was something to which Alain Prost initiallyobjected.

Although the packaging and execution were very different, the specifications of the chassis, penned by Murray in conjunction with Steve Nichols, very much followed convention. At the core
was a carbon fiber/honeycomb monocoque suspended by double wishbones on both ends. At the front, push-rods actuated the springs/damper units, while at the rear, rocker-arms were used. Carbon ceramic disc brakes were used on all four wheels.

In addition to the obvious handling benefits, the low line also provided aerodynamic advantages. The frontal area was reduced by 10 percent, and air could flow more cleanly to the rear wing, greatly improving its efficiency. Murray's only compromise concerned the ride height, which was not quite as low as it could have been. This made the MP4/4 more forgiving to drive and easier to set up.

The TAG/Porsche V-6 that had brought three World Championships was replaced by the superior twin-turbo Honda V-6, which had been used to great effect by the Williams and Lotus teams. Even with the latest boost restrictions, it was the most-powerful engine on the grid. The V-6 was mated to a three-shaft six-speed gearbox that was specifically developed for the MP4/4 in conjunction with Weisman in the United States.

Page 1 of 2
Next Page »
1 2 >
View All Comments