During the 1983 Dutch Grand Prix weekend, the "perfectionist" Niki Lauda persuaded McLaren team manager Ron Dennis to bring the experimental MP4/1E car to the track for the rest of the season. This car was fitted with the new, still-developing TAG-Porsche Turbo engine. Lauda argued that it was impossible to enter the following season with an entirely new car without testing it in races. This turned out to be a prophetic move: the new McLaren MP4/2 TAG-Porsche, introduced in 1984, was used for three seasons and became the most successful car in Formula 1 history. Across 48 Grand Prix entries, it achieved 22 victories, 7 pole positions, and 16 fastest laps, winning three Drivers’ Championships, Lauda in 1984 and Prost in 1985 and 1986, and two Constructors’ Championships in 1984 and 1985.
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| McLAREN MP4/2, Niki Lauda Brands Hatch, British GP 1984 |
The MP4/2 project was closely based on the experimental MP4/1E model, with a full carbon-fibre chassis designed by lead engineer John Barnard, who worked with a strong team including Steve Nichols, Gordon Kimball, Alan Jenkins, Tim Wright, and Bob Bell. By 1983, it was clear that naturally aspirated engines could no longer compete with the power of the modern 1.5-litre turbos. As Ford insisted on continuing with the naturally aspirated Cosworth DFY, McLaren began searching for a new turbo engine partner. With few manufacturers willing to back a team that had been underperforming for several seasons, McLaren found a solution in-house.
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| McLAREN MP4/2, Alain Prost Montecarlo, Monaco GP 1984 |
Around this time, Ron Dennis partnered with Mansour Ojjeh, a Franco-Saudi entrepreneur and owner of TAG, who agreed to fund the development of a new engine with help from Porsche. While the German company didn’t want to enter Formula 1 directly, it was willing to provide its technical expertise in exchange for a substantial fee. The project faced challenges, as Barnard insisted on designing the engine to suit the chassis—something that clashed with Porsche’s typical development methods. Only the intervention of Dennis and Ojjeh’s financial backing convinced Porsche to comply. The early TAG-Porsche TTE P01 V6 Turbo delivered just 550 hp—similar to the Cosworth DFY—and suffered from turbo lag, the delay between throttle input and engine response. But these issues were rapidly resolved, and by the start of the 1984 season, the engine produced around 640 hp in race mode and up to 800 hp during qualifying.
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| McLAREN MP4/2, Niki Lauda Monza, Italian GP 1984 |
Mechanically, the MP4/2 featured push-rod suspension at both ends, a 2920 mm wheelbase, and a weight of 540 kg. The TAG-Porsche engine, paired with a McLaren-modified Hewland FGB five-speed gearbox, was boosted by twin KKK turbochargers mounted on either side of the V6. This layout, preferred by Barnard, allowed the McLaren aero team to design long, curved sidepods to vent hot air from large forward-mounted radiators. These radiators not only provided effective cooling but also improved the car’s weight distribution. The MP4/2’s lines followed Barnard’s sleek, narrow-tail “Coke bottle” philosophy, later copied by other teams.
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| McLAREN MP4/2, Niki Lauda Zandvoort, Dutch GP 1984 |
Though the engine wasn’t the most powerful, the real strength of Barnard’s design lay in the perfect integration between chassis and power unit, making the car easy to drive and set up. Moreover, keeping Niki Lauda and adding French ace Alain Prost gave McLaren the best driver lineup, both in terms of racing and development feedback, which significantly accelerated car evolution. Additionally, Porsche and Bosch’s experience in endurance racing, particularly with fuel economy and electronic engine management, meant McLaren avoided the issues other teams faced under the new 220-litre fuel limit introduced in 1984. The team dominated the Constructors' Championship, winning it for the second time in its history with 12 victories. Lauda clinched his third Drivers’ title, narrowly beating Prost by just half a point.
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