The 2004 season, considered probably one of the least competitive and happiest for McLaren, was a major concern for Ron Dennis, Team Principal of the British team. In Woking, the team’s headquarters, work was underway to think about how to improve the overall performance of the squad, also in light of the new regulations. Despite the disagreements with Dennis in 2004, Adrian Newey was still the team’s Technical Director, and under his guidance the skilled group of engineers from previous seasons continued to work. Neil Oatley was the Executive Engineer and Paddy Lowe was the Engineering Director. The role of Chief Designer was still held by Mike Coughlan, supported by Pat Fry as Chief Engineer Mechanical Design, while former Ferrari engineer Nikolas Tombazis remained Chief Designer Aerodynamics, with Peter Prodromou as Head of Aerodynamics. Tim Goss was Principal Engineer, and Mark Williams remained Head of Vehicle Engineering.
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| McLAREN MP4/20, Kimi Räikkönen Interlagos, Brazilian GP 2005 |
The new McLaren MP4/20 was unveiled on January 24, 2005, in Montmeló (Barcelona, Spain), marking the team’s return to the top of the standings. After a few lackluster seasons, McLaren was once again fighting for both titles. The car had extremely attractive lines, often remembered as one of the most beautiful Formula 1 cars ever. After the failure of the previous two cars, Newey created an entirely new chassis, with important innovations in the front section, featuring a wider, flatter nose, tested during the 2004 Monza weekend. Due to the new regulations, the front wing lost much of its downforce and was designed with a very curved profile: the central section of the main plane sat lower, while the two lateral ends were raised, as per regulations. This wing design aligned with the “inwash” aerodynamic philosophy, directing airflow inward to generate downforce with the car’s body and creating a less powerful slipstream, thus providing cleaner airflow to the rear.
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| McLAREN MP4/20, Juan-Pablo Montoya Monza, Italian GP 2005 |
The biggest work, however, was in the central section, with new bargeboards and slimmer sidepods that generated primary vortices to improve the aerodynamic sealing of the car’s floor. The sidepods were heavily tapered, almost creating a double-floor effect to accelerate longitudinal airflow along the edges of the floor, mimicking the behavior of a Venturi channel. The placement of cooling components was completely revised, as were the heat outlets, with chimneys installed on panels that could be modified depending on the circuit. A novelty used by only a few cars in 2005 were the “horns” above the driver’s cockpit, designed to improve airflow efficiency toward the rear wing and compensate for the loss of downforce caused by the new regulations. Newey also shortened the car’s wheelbase to maximize Michelin tire performance.
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| McLAREN MP4/20, Kimi Räikkönen Hungaroring, Hungarian GP 2005 |
The car was powered by a Mercedes-Benz engine designed by Mario Illien’s Ilmor, with Illien himself present at the track as Chief Engine Designer. The powerful FO110R, a 90° V10, produced around 950 hp at 19,000 rpm but was plagued by reliability issues. The six retirements of the MP4/20 during the season were all caused by engine failures. The engine was paired with a seven-speed semi-automatic sequential gearbox developed by McLaren. The MP4/20 was the last McLaren to carry the grey-and-black livery of its main sponsor West, a partnership that began in 1997, though the tobacco sponsor was replaced on several occasions by the drivers’ names. From the Hungarian Grand Prix onward, due to the European Union’s ban on tobacco advertising that took effect on July 31, 2005, the West logo, owned by Imperial Tobacco, disappeared entirely from the Woking cars, which nonetheless continued to feature several smaller sponsors (Mobil 1, Mercedes-Benz, SAP, Siemens, Hugo Boss, Sun Microsystems, AT&T, Schüco, and Henkel Corporation).
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| McLAREN MP4/20, Kimi Räikkönen Hungaroring, Hungarian GP 2005 |
The MP4/20 was driven by Finn Kimi Räikkönen, in his fourth season with the team, and Colombian Juan Pablo Montoya, who had arrived from Williams. The car was very fast but not very reliable. While Räikkönen was able to get the best out of it, Montoya struggled to adapt to the car’s setup and unique driving style compared to the Williams chassis he was used to. Early in the championship, Montoya was also sidelined by an injury that kept him off track for more than a month, forcing him to miss two races. His substitutes were Spaniard Pedro de la Rosa, who finished fifth in Bahrain, and Austrian Alexander Wurz, who took third place at San Marino. After a difficult start to the season with only a third place in Bahrain, Räikkönen went on a remarkable run from the fifth race onwards (7 wins and 4 further podiums), battling Alonso for the title until the final race. Continuous development made the MP4/20 the fastest car from mid-season onward, as evidenced by the number of pole positions and fastest laps achieved. Montoya, once back from injury, also showcased his talent, taking 3 wins and a further podium. In an interview for the Beyond the Grid podcast published on December 8, 2021, just days before the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, the final race of his long career, Räikkönen stated that the MP4/20 was his favorite Formula 1 car of his career.
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