For the McLaren team, the end of the 1992 season also marked the conclusion of its successful partnership with Honda, which had enabled the Woking-based outfit to secure four drivers' and four constructors' titles between 1988 and 1991. Ahead of the 1993 season, team manager Ron Dennis, after an unsuccessful attempt to obtain the powerful Renault V10 RS engines, had to settle for the Ford V8 HB engines developed by Cosworth. However, as Cosworth was already exclusively supplying Benetton, McLaren received the less up-to-date specifications. The car that the British team fielded in the 1993 championship was the new MP4/8, designed by the same technical team from the previous season: executive engineer Neil Oatley, design chief Matthew Jeffreys, transmission head David North, suspension chief David Neilson, aerodynamicist Henri Durand, and Bob Bell heading the R&D department.
 |
| McLAREN MP4/8, Ayrton Senna Montecarlo, Monaco GP 1993 |
The new MP4/8, considered by Dennis to be one of the best single-seaters McLaren had ever produced, was entrusted to the confirmed Ayrton Senna and American rookie Michael Andretti, the son of racing legend Mario Andretti and a key factor in securing the Ford engine supply. The new car featured a carbon fiber monocoque chassis designed by Oatley to exploit the lightweight and compact dimensions of the Ford V8, paired with a new transverse McLaren-built 6-speed semi-automatic gearbox that could also be operated in fully automatic mode. Thanks to a collaboration with TAG (Techniques d’Avant Garde), which developed a bidirectional telemetry system, the car was equipped with numerous driver aids, including electronic throttle, traction control, and electronically controlled brakes with ABS. The active suspension system, similar to that used by Williams-Renault, was further developed with a push-rod configuration and Bilstein electronic actuators. Aerodynamically, the car did not yet adopt a raised nose, instead featuring a narrow, undercut design that gave it a curved appearance. The sidepods were tall with a particularly slim intake opening, as the cooling components were minimized compared to those required by the previous Honda V12 engine. The central section remained wide to aid airflow exit, while the engine cover was narrower due to the compact engine and smaller fuel tank. The rear end, as was customary for recent McLaren designs, was exceptionally clean.
 |
| McLAREN MP4/8, Michael Andretti Hungaroring, Hungaroring GP 1993 |
From the very first races, Senna was positively impressed by the MP4/8's drivability. Despite being less competitive than its direct rivals Williams and Benetton, the Brazilian champion managed to win 3 races and secure 2 second-place finishes in the first six rounds, leading the standings by the seventh race. He also delivered what many consider the greatest lap in Formula 1 history by gaining six positions on the opening lap of the European Grand Prix at Donington. From the Canadian Grand Prix onward, however, McLaren began to struggle, collecting only minor points in the next eight races. The team regained competitiveness only in the final two rounds, during which Senna returned to victory thanks to receiving the latest-generation Ford-Cosworth V8s, previously reserved exclusively for Benetton. Andretti, on the other hand, never adapted to the high-performance, high-tech F1 cars, vastly different from the IndyCars he had driven until then. After achieving his best result of the season (third place) at the Italian Grand Prix, he was replaced by the team’s third driver, Finnish racer Mika Häkkinen, who secured a podium in only his second race in a McLaren.
 |
| McLAREN MP4/8, Ayrton Senna Donington Park, European GP 1993 |
Despite limited points from the second driver seat, the McLaren MP4/8 amassed 84 points in the 1993 season, earning second place in the constructors’ standings. Senna finished with 73 points, becoming runner-up behind his archrival Prost. On September 27, 1993, at the Estoril circuit in Portugal, a "B" version of the MP4/8 was tested with a completely white, sponsor-free livery. This car was fitted with the new Chrysler V12 LE3512 engine, a more advanced version of the unit that had been in F1 since 1989 under the Lamborghini name and used by Lambo, Larrousse, Lotus, and Ligier. After a cordial handshake between Ron Dennis and Bob Lutz, president of the Chrysler Group (which at the time included Lamborghini), both Senna and Häkkinen tested the car and were pleasantly surprised by the car-engine combination. Despite the Bologna-built engine, designed by Mauro Forghieri, having a history of poor reliability, Häkkinen lapped one second faster than with the Ford V8 version. Senna even suggested to Forghieri a slight change in power delivery, trading peak power for smoother mid-range performance.
 |
| McLAREN MP4/8B Chrysler Ayrton Senna, Estoril, private test |
With those adjustments, the car became easier to drive and more competitive, to the point that Senna believed the MP4/8 Lamborghini could match the Williams and Benettons. However, his request to use the Italian engine in the final races of the season was firmly denied by Ron Dennis, who was already negotiating an exclusive deal with Peugeot for their French V10 for the 1994 season. This marked the definitive rupture between the Brazilian multi-champion and the Woking team. Senna signed a multi-year contract with Williams starting in 1994, though he won the last two races of the 1993 season with the MP4/8 Ford. The final win in Australia '93 became the 41st and last victory of the unforgettable Brazilian legend.
Comments
Post a Comment