Great handling, a powerful Honda V-6 and two star drivers proved an unbeatable combination in the 1988 season. (Photo: Wouter Melissen)

Brazilian rising-star Ayrton Senna had moved with the Honda engines from Lotus to McLaren. His raw speed complemented the then two-time World Champion Alain Prost. The French driver had earned the nickname 'Le Professeur' for his consistent and smooth driving style. The two best drivers on the grid, Murray's ultra-low chassis and the most powerful engine made for an unbeatable combination.

Regardless of the strength of the car and driver, Formula 1 remains a mechanical sport where anything can happen. Amazingly, problems only occurred for both drivers in the Italian Grand Prix at Monza, where Prost was forced to retire with engine problems and Senna hit a back-marker in the closing stages. But coming one week after Enzo Ferrari's death, it was fitting that the home Grand Prix was won by Gerhard Berger in a Ferrari.

In the other 15 races of the season, the McLarens were unstoppable. Senna had the edge with 13 pole positions and eight victories. His teammate won the other seven and scored 11 more points. However, only the 11 best results of the year counted, so Senna was crowned Champion with a three-point lead over Prost. Berger was a further 46 points adrift. Needless to say, McLaren won the Constructor's Championship with nearly three times as many points as runner-up Ferrari.

The remarkable MP4/4 had to be retired at the end of the season because the turbocharged engines were banned for 1989. Having proven his point in rather dramatic fashion, Murray was assigned to the new road-car program. Under a new designer and with a new Honda engine, McLaren's dominance continued. The results and ultra-low appearance of the MP4/4 were never matched, however. It remains the best Grand Prix car ever built by McLaren.

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