With the end of the 1986 season also comes the conclusion of a three-year period of absolute dominance for the McLaren team, which, with the MP4/2 TAG-Porsche in its various evolutions, won three drivers’ titles and two constructors’ championships. Following the departure of the brilliant John Barnard, who joined Ferrari, the challenging task of designing a new car fell to the new executive engineer Steve Nichols. His mission was to create a new single-seater that would uphold the honor of the Woking-based team and be strong enough to compete with the increasingly powerful Williams-Honda. Nichols worked alongside a group of engineers including chief designer Neil Oatley, deputy chief designer Gordon Kimball, chief engineer Tim Wright, and chief aerodynamicist Bob Bell. Together, they gave life to the McLaren MP4/3.
McLAREN MP4/3, Alain Prost
Jacarepaguà, Brazilian GP 1987
The new car closely resembled its predecessor, maintaining a strong technical kinship. The chassis, still a carbon monocoque built by Hercules Aerospace, was almost identical to the MP4/2, with only minor modifications around the fuel tank area. Starting this season, the maximum fuel capacity was reduced to 180 liters from the previous 195 liters in 1986. Beneath the updated exterior, the same push-rod suspension layout remained both front and rear, as did the five-speed manual gearbox from German manufacturer Getrag, a long-time Porsche racing partner. The engine was the familiar TAG-Porsche TTE PO1 V6 Turbo, slightly revised in terms of compression ratio and balancing of the countershafts, along with electronic updates to comply not only with the new fuel limit but also with the mandatory use of the FIA-imposed pop-off valve, which capped turbo boost pressure at 4.0 bar. Under these new constraints, the engine now delivered a maximum race power of 850 hp, while in qualifying trim it could reach up to 1050 hp at 12,300 rpm.
McLAREN MP4/3, Alain Prost
Spa-Francorchamps, Belgian GP 1987
The most significant innovations, however, were in the car’s appearance, which now featured a much lower and sleeker profile, made possible by new radiators that allowed for slimmer, cleaner sidepods, eliminating the hump that characterized the previous version. The nose was also redesigned with a narrower shape, contributing to the streamlined look of the new vehicle. Some observers mischievously noted a resemblance between the MP4/3 and the 1986 Brabham BT55, suggesting that Gordon Murray, Brabham’s historic designer and, from 1987, McLaren’s GT division technical director, had influenced the design. Team manager Jo Ramirez downplayed Murray’s involvement, stating that the South African engineer only handled quality control. Nonetheless, Murray himself repeatedly claimed that the MP4/3 was developed following his BT55 designs, which he considered his intellectual property and therefore freely usable at McLaren. These claims were consistently denied by McLaren, particularly by Steve Nichols, who was the official designer of the MP4/3.
McLAREN MP4/3, Stefan Johansson
Jacarepaguà, Brazilian GP 1987
The MP4/3, with a wheelbase of 2794 mm and a weight of 540 kg, proved to be highly competitive right from the start, claiming two victories in the first three races of 1987 with reigning World Champion Alain Prost, and two podiums and a fourth place with newcomer Stefan Johansson. This competitiveness stemmed from the fact that while most engine manufacturers set the pop-off valve to the maximum allowed 4 bar, leading to significant issues, the Porsche engineers opted for a lower 3.6 bar setting, sacrificing around fifty horsepower in exchange for a smoother power delivery. Once the Honda and Renault technicians solved their issues, the Williams cars of Piquet and Mansell, along with Senna’s Lotus, began to dominate, leaving only scraps for the McLaren MP4/3. In the remaining thirteen Grands Prix, the car managed just six lower-tier podiums and one additional victory, Prost’s win in Portugal, which made him the most successful driver in history at the time with 27 wins.
McLAREN MP4/3, Alain Prost
Estoril, Portuguese GP 1987
At the end of the season, the 76 points earned by the two drivers were still enough to secure second place in the constructors' championship for McLaren, although more than 60 points behind Williams-Honda. The season also marked the end of McLaren’s partnership with TAG-Porsche, which had brought the team great success. Starting in 1987, McLaren would be powered by Honda.
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