McLaren MP4
 McLaren MP4 (MP4/1), competed in the 1981 Formula One season |
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| Category | Formula One | ||||||||
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| Constructor | McLaren | ||||||||
| Designer(s) | John Barnard | ||||||||
| Predecessor | M30 | ||||||||
| Successor | MP4/2 | ||||||||
| Technical specifications | |||||||||
| Chassis | Carbon fibre monocoque | ||||||||
| Engine |
1981-1983: mid-engine, longitudinally mounted, Cosworth DFY, 2,993 cc (182.6 cu in), NA, 90° V8 1983: mid-engine, longitudinally mounted, TAG-Porsche PO1, 1,499 cc (91.5 cu in), turbo, 90° V6, |
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| Transmission | McLaren / Hewland FGA 400 5-speed manual | ||||||||
| Competition history | |||||||||
| Notable entrants | Marlboro McLaren International | ||||||||
| Notable drivers | 7.  John Watson8.  Andrea de Cesaris8.  Niki Lauda
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| Debut | 1981 Monaco Grand Prix | ||||||||
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| n.b. Unless otherwise stated, all data refer to Formula One World Championship Grands Prix only. |
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The McLaren MP4/1 (initially known as the MP4) was a Formula One racing car produced by the McLaren team. It was used during the 1981, 1982 and 1983 seasons. It was the first Formula One car to use a carbon fibre composite monocoque, a concept which is now ubiquitous.
The MP4 was the first car to be built following the merger of the McLaren team and Ron Dennis' Project 4 team, as the car's name (short for "Marlboro Project 4") indicates.
The main engineer for the MP4 was John Barnard. The chassis itself was built by McLaren using carbon supplied by Hercules Aerospace (U.S.A.) and quickly revolutionised car design in Formula One with new levels of rigidity and driver protection and its Carbon-Fibre-Composite (CFC) construction, a first in Formula One. Within months the design had been copied by many of McLaren's rivals.
The car was originally powered by a 3.0 litre Ford-Cosworth V8 engine, but later switched to a 1.5 litre turbocharged TAG-Porsche V6 engine.
Hercules Aerospace keeps the car of Watson which was destroyed in the 1981 Italian Grand Prix and shows it off to visitors after allowing them to view footage of the accident, highlighting how it was possible for him to survive in a carbon fibre car.
John Watson and Andrea de Cesaris drove the MP4/1 for most of the 1981 season with Niki Lauda replacing de Cesaris for the 1982 and 1983 seasons.
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