Saturday, 21 May 2016

Top Ten McLaren F1 cars, Celebrating 50 years of McLaren in F1

This season is the fiftieth year of McLaren in Formula 1. McLaren have won many Grand Prix wins' and Drivers and Constructor titles'. To Celebrate this a top ten best McLaren Formula 1 cars that ever made and produce.





Starting with Number ten of the top ten is:

Number 10: 1968-69 McLaren M7
Story:
Designed by Robin Herd and Gordon Coppuck, the M7 was the first McLaren to be powered by the 3 litre V8 Cosworth DFV engine. This would be team first win in Formula 1 with the M7 in the hands of McLaren founder Bruce McLaren at the 1968 Belgium Grand Prix, while Denny Hulme took another three wins in the McLaren M7 between 1968 an 1969. Which even took McLaren to second in the Constructors Championship in 1968.



Number 9: 1981-1983 McLaren MP4/1
Story:
McLaren MP4/1 was the first Formula 1 car to use a carbon fibre composite monocoque, a concept which is now ubiquitous in F1. McLaren MP4/1 was designed by John Barnard, the McLaren MP4/1 had the 3 litre Cosworth DFV engine underneath. Overall the McLaren MP4/1 took six race wins, four for John Watson, two for Niki Lauda. Took McLaren to second place in the Constructors championship in the 1982 season.



Number 8: 1999 McLaren MP4/14
Story:
The McLaren MP4/14 was designed by Neil Oatley and Adrian Newey. Underneath the McLaren MP4/14 had a Mercedes 3 litre V10. The McLaren MP4/14 took Mika Hakkinen to the 1999 F1 Drivers title, while it took McLaren second in the F1 Constructors' standings. And the McLaren MP4/14 won seven races, five for Mika Hakkinen and two for David Coulthard as-well.



Number 7: 2008 McLaren MP4-23
Story:
The McLaren MP4-23 was designed by Neil Oatley, Tim Goss and Paddy Lowe. Underneath the McLaren MP4-23 had a Mercedes 2.4 litre V8. The McLaren MP4-23 took Lewis Hamilton to the 2008 F1 Drivers title, while it took McLaren second in the F1 Constructors' standings. And the McLaren MP4-23 won six races, five for Lewis Hamilton and one for Heikki Kovalainen as-well.





Number 6: 1991-92 McLaren MP4/6
Story:
The McLaren MP4/6 was designed by Neil Oatley. The McLaren MP4/6 had the all new Honda 3.5 litre V12. The McLaren MP4/6 took eight Grand Prix wins in 1991, seven for Ayrton Senna and one for Gerhard Berger. Also, McLaren MP4/6 took the 1991 constructors' title for McLaren in 1991 and the drivers' title for Ayrton Senna in 1991, and Ayrton Senna's last of his drivers' titles as-well.



Number 5: 1998 McLaren MP4-13
Story:
The last time McLaren have won the F1 Constructors championship was with this car the McLaren MP4-13. This was Adrian Newey first F1 car design since leaving Williams at the start of 1997 season. The car had a Mercedes 3.0 litre V10 underneath. It won the F1 constructors championship in 1998. Also, David Coulthard won a Grand Prix in that car and Mika Hakkinen won eight wins that season to concluded with the 1998 F1 drivers championship for Hakkinen.





Number 4: 1989-90 McLaren MP4/5
Story:
The McLaren MP4/5 was designed by Gordon Murray, Steve Nichols and Neil Oatley. And it's the first of the non turbo Honda F1 cars, the MP4/5 had the Honda 3.5 litre V10 producing around 680 bhp. The McLaren MP4/5 took two constructor titles' in 1989 and 1990 and two drivers titles' with Alain Prost in 1989, and with Ayrton Senna in 1990. Sixteen Grand Prix wins in those two seasons, four for Alain Prost and twelve for Ayrton Senna and controversy in-between those two drivers.





Number 3: 1973-77 McLaren M23
Story:
The McLaren M23 took McLaren to their first Drivers' and Constructors' tiles in Formula 1. Designed by Gordon Coppuck, with input from John Barnard, the McLaren M23 had the 3 litre Cosworth DFV engine to give McLaren the F1 Constructors championship in 1974. Also, Emerson Fittipaldi to his second F1 drivers title in 1974. While, McLaren M23 took James Hunt to his 1976 Drivers championship as-well. McLaren M23 took sixteen race wins overall, two for Denny Hulme, two for Peter Revson, one for Jochen Mass, five for Emerson Fittipaldi and six for James Hunt in those four and half years in Formula 1.





Number 2: 1984-86 McLaren MP4/2
Story:
McLaren MP4/2 was designed by John Barnard. Underneath the McLaren MP4/2 had a TAG-Porsche 1.5 litre V6 turbo engine underneath. Overall, the McLaren MP4/2 took Niki Lauda the 1984 F1 Drivers' Championship and Alain Prost to the 1985 and 1986 F1 Drivers' Championships, while it took McLaren two back to back F1 Constructors' titles for McLaren in 1984 and 1985. McLaren MP4/3 won twenty-two wins in three seasons, sixteen for Alain Prost and six for Niki Lauda as-well.





Number 1: 1988 McLaren MP4/4
Story:
The McLaren MP4/4 will be possibly the best McLaren car that have been created from the team and possibly one of the most dominant racing car in Formula 1 history. The McLaren MP4/4 was design by both Steve Nichols and Gordon Murray. The McLaren MP4/4 has the famous Honda 1.5 litre V6 turbo engine underneath the McLaren MP4/4, the last of the turbos in Formula 1 (until next season that is) which produce over 1000 bhp in qualifying and around 790 bhp in race pace. Which, McLaren took fifteen victories from sixteen races in 1988, eight for Ayrton Senna and seven for Alain Prost, including ten 1-2 finishes, fifteen Poles which Senna took thirteen poles that season. Finally gives McLaren the Constructors Championship in 1998 and Ayrton Senna to the Drivers Championship in 1988 as-well.





And to many more years of winning form McLaren to come.

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