McLaren MP4-30
| Category | Formula One |
|---|---|
| Constructor | McLaren |
| Designer(s) | Tim Goss (Technical Director) Neil Oatley (Engineering Director) Peter Prodromou[1] (Chief Engineer) |
| Predecessor | McLaren MP4-29 |
| Technical specifications | |
| Chassis | Carbon-fibre composite incorporating driver cockpit controls and fuel cell |
| Engine | Honda 1.6 L (98 cu in) V6 engine, with turbocharger, kinetic and thermal energy recovery systems in a mid-mounted, rear-wheel drive layout. |
| Tyres | Pirelli P Zero (dry), Cinturato (wet)[2] |
| Competition history | |
| Notable entrants | McLaren Honda[3] |
| Notable drivers | 14.  Fernando Alonso[4]22.  Jenson Button[4] |
| Debut | 2015 Australian Grand Prix |
The McLaren MP4-30 is a Formula One racing car designed by Tim Goss, Neil Oatley and Peter Prodromou for McLaren to compete in the 2015 Formula One season.[1][5] The car will be driven by 2005 and 2006 World Champion Fernando Alonso, who returned to McLaren seven years after he last drove for the team;[4] and 2009 World Champion Jenson Button.[4] The car will be the first since the McLaren MP4/7A—which contested the 1992 season—to be powered by a Honda engine after McLaren ended their twenty-year partnership with Mercedes at the end of the 2014 season.[3][6]
Development
Honda's return to Formula One was first announced in May 2013, and the engine that would be used by the MP4-30 spent the next eighteen months in development.[6] The team used Mercedes' PU106A Hybrid engine in the McLaren MP4-29 throughout the 2014 season.[7]
Development of the McLaren MP4-30 started with the McLaren MP4-29H/1X1, a variation of the MP4-29 that was developed to test the team's new Honda engine. The car made appearances at test sessions at the Silverstone and Yas Marina Circuits, where it was driven by McLaren's testing and development driver Stoffel Vandoorne.[8] The testing programme of the MP4-29H/1X1 was limited by technical problems with the engine that prevented significant running and the chassis was shelved following its appearance at Yas Marina, with the team carrying the engine over to the MP4-30 chassis ahead of the first pre-season test of the 2015 season at Jerez de la Frontera.[9] The car was the first of the 2015 entries to pass its mandatory crash tests, getting final approval from the FIA in December 2014.[5]
Peter Prodromou, who previously worked for McLaren between 1991 and 2006, was recruited back to the team from Red Bull Racing—where he had served as the team's Head of Aerodynamics—to aid in designing the MP4-30.[1]
References
- ^ a b c "Peter Prodromou arrives at McLaren". mclaren.com. McLaren. 15 September 2014. Retrieved 13 December 2014.
- ^ Noble, Jonathan; Beer, Matt (11 December 2013). "F1 teams expert enough to avoid early tyre struggles – Ross Brawn". Autosport.com. Haymarket Publications. Retrieved 14 December 2014.
- ^ a b "2015 FIA F1 World Championship — Entry List". FIA.com. Federation Internationale de l'Automobile. 5 November 2014. Retrieved 5 November 2014.
- ^ a b c d "McLaren-Honda announces Fernando Alonso and Jenson Button for 2015". McLaren.com. McLaren. 11 December 2014. Retrieved 11 December 2014.
- ^ a b "@McLarenF1: 13 December 2014". Twitter. 13 December 2014. Retrieved 14 December 2014.
Good news: the McLaren-Honda MP4-30 has passed all its @fia chassis crash tests.
- ^ a b Collantine, Keith (16 May 2013). "Honda confirm F1 return with McLaren in 2015". F1 Fanatic. Keith Collantine. Retrieved 16 May 2013.
- ^ "Mercedes names 2014 F1 V6 Engine 'PU106A Hybrid'". This Is F1. Retrieved 14 December 2014.
- ^ "McLaren to use B-spec car in Abu Dhabi". skysportsf1.com. BSkyB. 10 November 2014. Retrieved 10 November 2014.
- ^ Galloway, James (22 November 2014). "McLaren believe new Honda power unit has "huge potential" ahead of 2015". skysportsf1.com. BSkyB. Retrieved 13 December 2014.
External links
