In 1996, with the new MP4/11, the partnership between Ron Dennis’s McLaren and Mercedes-Benz grew even stronger. Through Ilmor, Mercedes officially and exclusively supplied its V10 engine to the British team. The team working under Dennis's direction was the same that had created the MP4/10 in 1995, a car later updated and evolved, which formed the basis for the new 1996 single-seater. Steve Nichols remained technical director, Neil Oatley continued as executive engineer, Matthew Jeffreys stayed in charge of chassis design, David North continued as transmission engineer, David Neilson served as chief suspension engineer, Henri Durand was responsible for aerodynamics, and Paddy Lowe remained head of the research and development department.
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| McLAREN MP4/11, David Coulthard Melbourne, Australian GP 1996 |
Mario Illien, co-head of Ilmor with Paul Morgan, took on an increasingly central role in managing the Mercedes V10s. The new FO110/3 V10 engine from the German manufacturer turned out to be a major asset for both McLaren and Mercedes, whose partnership continued to strengthen, with Norbert Haug, head of Mercedes Motorsport, being a constant presence in the McLaren garage throughout the championship. After resolving the teething issues that had plagued the Woking cars in 1995, the new V10, with a 75° bank angle, was further developed by Illien. That season, it proved to be only slightly less powerful than the more renowned Renault and Ferrari engines, delivering 720 hp at 15,700 rpm, while weighing just 123 kg, about ten kilograms less than competing power units, despite its larger dimensions.
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| McLAREN MP4/11, David Coulthard Interlagos, Brazilian GP 1996 |
Alongside the new engine, the 1996 MP4/11 also featured a revamped chassis, again built by Hercules Aerospace. It was constructed using an innovative system that embedded ceramic balls in the carbon fiber structure to enhance rigidity. The suspension system received only minor updates and maintained the usual double-wishbone layout, with inboard spring-damper units and a push-rod system. The transmission department developed an entirely in-house six-speed longitudinal semi-automatic gearbox, with reverse gear. The aerodynamics were also updated, retaining the high nose introduced the previous season but with a sleeker and more balanced design that better integrated with the cockpit area. From this season, the cockpit was surrounded by the massive side protection structures mandated by the new driver safety regulations. The slightly higher side pods of the MP4/11 extended toward the rear wing via lateral panels, while the classic "coke-bottle" tapering was less pronounced than in the 1995 car. A unique solution, carried over from the MP4/10, was the auxiliary wing mounted above the engine cover just behind the air intake, though this was discarded in the final races of the season.
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| McLAREN MP4/11, Mika Häkkinen Spa-Francorchamps, Belgian GP 1996 |
As for the livery, 1996 marked the last year McLaren cars bore the iconic red-and-white colors of Marlboro, the tobacco sponsor that had partnered with the historic British team since 1973. This collaboration had seen world championships for drivers like Emerson Fittipaldi, James Hunt, Niki Lauda, Alain Prost, and Ayrton Senna. The new MP4/11 immediately proved significantly more competitive than its predecessor, thanks in part to pre-season testing by Alain Prost. It allowed the confirmed Finnish driver Mika Häkkinen and new arrival, Scottish driver David Coulthard, to achieve results close to those of the top-performing Williams-Renault, Ferrari, and Benetton-Renault teams.
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| McLAREN MP4/11, Mika Häkkinen Hungaroring, Hungarian GP 1996 |
In the first half of the championship, Coulthard was the standout driver, achieving two podiums at the Nürburgring and Monte Carlo. In the second half, with the introduction of the slightly upgraded MP4/11B, especially modified in the chassis, Häkkinen came into the spotlight with a strong run of consistent results, suffering retirements only in Germany and Portugal, and finishing on the bottom step of the podium four times. McLaren’s fourth-place finish in the championship with 49 points, the regained competitiveness of the MP4/11, especially toward the end of the season, and the increasing technical support from Mercedes-Benz gave Ron Dennis's team high hopes for the future, especially with the imminent arrival of Adrian Newey, who was leaving Williams and preparing to work on the Woking cars.
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