McLaren MP4/6

The McLaren MP4/6 is a Formula One racing car designed by McLaren's Neil Oatley and powered by the Honda RA121E V12 engine for use in the 1991 Formula One season. It was driven by reigning World Champion, Brazilian Ayrton Senna, and Austria's Gerhard Berger.

McLaren MP4/6
McLaren MP4/6B
CategoryFormula One
ConstructorMcLaren International
Designer(s)Neil Oatley (Design Director)
Mike Gascoyne (Head of Aerodynamics)
PredecessorMP4/5B
SuccessorMP4/7A
Technical specifications[1] [2]
ChassisCarbon fibre monocoque
EngineHonda RA121E, 3,497 cc (213.4 cu in), 60° V12 NA, mid-engine, longitudinally mounted
TransmissionWeismann/McLaren Transverse 6-speed manual
Power725–760 hp (540.6–566.7 kW) @ 13,500[3] - 14,500 rpm[4][5][6]
FuelShell
TyresGoodyear
Competition history
Notable entrantsHonda Marlboro McLaren
Notable drivers1. Ayrton Senna
2. Gerhard Berger
Debut1991 United States Grand Prix
RacesWinsPodiumsPolesF.Laps
18819105
Constructors' Championships1 (1991)
Drivers' Championships1 (Ayrton Senna)

Pre-season

The MP4/6 was the first McLaren to be powered by a Honda V12 engine, which Honda quote at 735 PS (725 bhp; 541 kW) at 13,500rpm.[3] The car was tested by Berger in the off-season, but he was unimpressed with the initial version of the new engine, feeling it was underpowered compared to the 690 bhp (515 kW; 700 PS) V10 engine used in the 1990 car, the MP4/5B. When Senna returned for pre-season testing he and Berger, along with Honda, knuckled down to try to solve the engine's problems. McLaren's domination in the early part of the year was mainly due to the lack of reliability of the 700 bhp (522 kW; 710 PS) Renault V10-powered Williams FW14.[7]

The MP4/6 raced throughout 1991 with a manual "H" pattern gearbox. A semi-automatic transmission was tested during the season (and shown at the Hungarian Grand Prix; the car equipped with it ran 4 laps on track in practice before Senna spun off; the car was then converted back to a manual[8]) but was never regarded as good enough to be used in a race; Ferrari and Williams were the only teams to use semi-automatic gearboxes during 1991. The MP4/6 would go down as the last Formula One car to win a World Championship using a manual transmission or a V12 engine.[9]

Season summary

Senna won the first four races of the season, in the United States, Brazil, San Marino and Monaco, before Williams and Nigel Mansell found their feet with the FW14, which dominated in mid-season. Consistent podium finishes throughout the year helped McLaren, but Senna insisted that Honda step up their engine development program and demanded further improvements to the car before it was too late. Honda responded with updated versions of the V12 engine, while Oatley redesigned various features of the car, particularly the sidepods and wings. Senna won in Hungary and Belgium before clinching his third and final Drivers' Championship in Japan with second place behind Berger; he then won the final race in Australia to secure the team's fourth consecutive Constructors' Championship.[10]

McLaren continued with the MP4/6, upgraded to 'B' specification, for the first two races of 1992, Senna finishing third in South Africa. The car was then replaced with the official 1992 car, the MP4/7A, though three MP4/6Bs were brought to the 1992 Brazilian Grand Prix as spares.

The MP4/6 was considered by some to be the most competitive car in the Formula One field until Williams sorted the FW14, which was aerodynamically and technically more advanced. In all, the MP4/6 took eight Grand Prix wins and ten pole positions and scored 148 points. The car brought a close to McLaren's and Honda's domination of the sport, stretching back to the mid-1980s.

Other

In July 2017, Codemasters confirmed that the car will be appearing as one of the classic cars in the game F1 2017.

Complete Formula One results

(key) (results in bold indicate pole position, results in italics indicate fastest lap)

Year Entrant Chassis Engine Tyres Drivers 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 Pts. WCC
1991 Honda Marlboro McLaren MP4/6 Honda RA121E
V12		 G USA BRA SMR MON CAN MEX FRA GBR GER HUN BEL ITA POR ESP JPN AUS 139 1st
Ayrton Senna 1 1 1 1 Ret 3 3 4 7 1 1 2 2 5 2 1
Gerhard Berger Ret 3 2 Ret Ret Ret Ret 2 4 4 2 4 Ret Ret 1 3
1992 Honda Marlboro McLaren MP4/6B Honda RA121E
V12		 G RSA MEX BRA ESP SMR MON CAN FRA GBR GER HUN BEL ITA POR JPN AUS 99* 2nd
Ayrton Senna 3 Ret
Gerhard Berger 5 4

* Only 9 points scored with the MP4/6B. Remaining points scored with MP4/7A.

References
  1. "STATS F1 • McLaren MP4/6". Statsf1.com. Retrieved 23 August 2010.
  2. "MP4/6 on Honda website (Japanese)". Retrieved 22 February 2019.
  3. Honda Collection Hall 収蔵車両走行ビデオ McLaren Honda MP4/6（1991）, retrieved 16 June 2020
  4. "F1 2020 - Silverstone - McLaren MP4/6 - Onboard". Retrieved 15 November 2020 – via YouTube.
  5. "F1 2019 - McLaren MP4/6 1991 - Test Drive Gameplay (PC HD)". Retrieved 15 November 2020 – via YouTube.
  6. "F1 2020 - McLaren MP4/6 Honda 1991 - Test Drive Gameplay (PC HD)". Retrieved 15 November 2020 – via YouTube.
  7. "Gerhard Berger: Suzuka 1991: McLaren MP4/6 Honda V12…". 11 July 2014. Retrieved 10 December 2019.
  8. ESPN Speedworld: 1991 Hungarian Grand Prix
  9. "1991 McLaren MP4/6 Honda - Images, Specifications and Information". Ultimatecarpage.com. Retrieved 10 December 2019.
  10. "McLaren Racing - Heritage - MP4/6". www.mclaren.com. Retrieved 10 December 2019.
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