McLaren MP4-20
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| Category | Formula One | ||||||||
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| Constructor | McLaren | ||||||||
| Designer(s) | Adrian Newey | ||||||||
| Predecessor | MP4-19B | ||||||||
| Successor | MP4-21 | ||||||||
| Technical specifications | |||||||||
| Chassis | Moulded carbon fibre/aluminium honeycomb composite incorporating front and side impact structures | ||||||||
| Suspension (front) | Inboard torsion bar/damper system operated by pushrod and bell crank with a double wishbone arrangement | ||||||||
| Suspension (rear) | As front | ||||||||
| Engine | Mercedes-Benz FO110R, 3.0 litre V10 normally aspirated mid-mounted | ||||||||
| Transmission | McLaren 7 forward + 1 reverse semi-automatic | ||||||||
| Fuel | Mobil 1 unleaded | ||||||||
| Tyres | Michelin | ||||||||
| Competition history | |||||||||
| Notable entrants | Team McLaren Mercedes | ||||||||
| Notable drivers | 9.  Kimi Räikkönen10.  Juan Pablo Montoya10.  Pedro de la Rosa10.  Alexander Wurz
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| Debut | 2005 Australian Grand Prix | ||||||||
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| Constructors' Championships | 0 | ||||||||
| Drivers' Championships | 0 | ||||||||
The McLaren MP4-20 is a Formula One racing car that was built by McLaren. It was designed by Adrian Newey and Mike Coughlan, and introduced at the beginning of the 2005 Formula One season.
The car's chassis was an almost completely new design after the failure of the MP4-18 and MP4-19. The new car featured the revised aerodynamics and suspension set up that the 2005 regulations required, including a raised front wing, smaller diffuser and rear wing moved further forward. A shorter wheelbase was used to maximise the Michelin tyres' performance. The car featured distinctive 'horn' wings fitted to the bodywork behind the overhead air intake in an attempt to claw back as much downforce as possible lost through the FIA's rule changes. The wide, flat nose design was initially trialled on the MP4-19 at the 2004 Italian Grand Prix, but not retained for the rest of that season. It was fully utilised for 2005.
This would be McLaren's last car to feature the grey and black livery of primary sponsor West cigarettes, a partnership which began with the MP4/12 in 1997.
The car was fast but unreliable in testing and whilst Kimi Räikkönen used the car as best as he could in the early part of the season, Juan Pablo Montoya (who had joined the team from Williams) initially struggled to get to grips with the setup and unusual driving technique the car required over the Williams chassis he was used to. He was not helped by an off-track injury that put him out for two races early in the year. His stand-ins for those 2 races, Pedro de la Rosa for Bahrain and Alexander Wurz for San Marino finished fifth (including the fastest lap) and third respectively. Montoya eventually settled with the car and scored three wins and several podiums.
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