McLaren MP4-23

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McLaren MP4-23
Lewis Hamilton 2008 China.jpg
CategoryFormula One
ConstructorMcLaren
Designer(s)Neil Oatley (Executive Engineer)
Paddy Lowe (Engineering Director)
Tim Goss (Chief Engineer)
Mark Williams (Head of Vehicle Engineering)
Andrew Bailey (Chief Designer)
Rob Taylor (Principal Design Engineer)
Simon Lacey (Head of Aerodynamics)
PredecessorMP4-22
SuccessorMP4-24
Technical specifications
ChassisMoulded carbon fibre/aluminium honeycomb composite incorporating front and side impact structures
Suspension (front)Adjustable double wish-bone arrangement
Suspension (rear)Adjustable double wish-bone arrangement
EngineMercedes-Benz FO 108V 2.4 litre V8 Naturally aspirated, mid-engined
TransmissionMcLaren Applied Technologies 7-speed + 1 reverse sequential seamless semi-automatic paddle shift with epicyclic differential and multi-plate limited slip clutch
Power810 hp @ 19,000 RPM (Limited)
FuelMobil Unleaded (5.75% bio fuel)
Mobil 1 Lubricants, newly developed 2008 formula for lower friction and better wear resistance
TyresBridgestone Potenza
Enkei Wheels Front & Rear
Competition history
Notable entrantsVodafone McLaren Mercedes
Notable drivers22. United Kingdom Lewis Hamilton
23. Finland Heikki Kovalainen
Debut2008 Australian Grand Prix
RacesWinsPodiumsPolesF.Laps
1861383
Constructors' Championships0
Drivers' Championships1 (Lewis Hamilton, 2008)

The McLaren MP4-23 was a Formula One racing car that was constructed by the Vodafone McLaren Mercedes team to compete in the 2008 Formula One World Championship. The chassis was designed by Paddy Lowe, Neil Oatley, Tim Goss, Andrew Bailey and Simon Lacey, with Mario Illien designing the Mercedes-Benz engine. It was revealed at Mercedes-Benz's motor sport museum in Stuttgart on 7 January 2008,[1] and it had its first on-track appearance at Circuito Permanente de Jerez in Spain on 9 January.[2] The car won the 2008 World Drivers' Championship in the hands of Lewis Hamilton, but finished second in the Constructors' Championship, which was won by Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro. The car, along with its rivals during the season, marked the end of an era of complex aerodynamic appendages on the bodywork, which would be banned for 2009.

Development[]

Following the 2007 Formula One espionage controversy the MP4-23 was subject to FIA inspection before the start of the 2008 season, to determine if any Ferrari intellectual property was on the car.[3][4] After an admission that the Ferrari information was disseminated more widely throughout the team than was originally thought an apology by McLaren on 13 December 2007, and a pledge that measures would be taken to rectify the situation, caused the FIA to decide that there was no need for a formal hearing and the matter was considered closed.[5][6]

As part of updated FIA regulations for the 2008 season, the MP4-23 as well as the other cars of 2008, used raised headrests in an effort to improve driver safety. The FIA had also banned traction control via the introduction of a standard ECU for 2008, making the MP4-23 the first McLaren to not use traction control since the 2001 MP4-16.

Revisions from the MP4-22 included a longer wheelbase, the removal of the "bullhorn" winglets from the airbox and a new rear wing which differed both in main profile and its endplates.[7][8] In the pre-German Grand Prix testing, the car was run with a "shark fin" engine cover, as sported by cars such as the Renault R28 and the Red Bull RB4, but the team did not permanently run it.[9]

At the 2008 Hungarian Grand Prix, some new aerodynamic parts were added, including "dumbo wings" on the nose, similar to those used by Honda on the RA108, which were temporarily removed at the Italian Grand Prix but reinstated for the rest of the season.

The MP4-23 was succeeded by the MP4-24.

Photos and media[]

Complete Formula One results[]

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

Year Team Engine Tyres Drivers 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 Points WCC
2008 Vodafone McLaren Mercedes Mercedes FO 108V 2.4 V8 B AUS MAL BHR ESP TUR MON CAN FRA GBR GER HUN EUR BEL ITA SIN JPN CHN BRA 151 2nd
Lewis Hamilton 1 5 13 3 2 1 Ret 10 1 1 5 2 3 7 3 12 1 5
Heikki Kovalainen 5 3 5 Ret 12 8 9 4 5 5 1 4 10† 2 10 Ret Ret 7

Notes and references[]

  1. ^ "McLaren unveils title contender". ITV. 7 January 2008. Archived from the original on 9 January 2008. Retrieved 8 January 2008.
  2. ^ "De la Rosa debuts the MP4-23 in Spain". Formula1.com. 9 January 2008. Archived from the original on 6 August 2014. Retrieved 2 July 2016.
  3. ^ "McLaren hit by constructors' ban". BBC. 13 September 2007. Retrieved 8 January 2008.
  4. ^ FIA Technical Department (5 December 2007). "Report by the Federation Internationale De L'Automobile Technical Department to the World Motor Sport Council" (PDF). FIA. Retrieved 8 January 2008. Cite journal requires |journal= (help)[dead link]
  5. ^ "McLaren Statement" (Press release). McLaren. 13 December 2007. Archived from the original on 14 December 2007. Retrieved 8 January 2008.
  6. ^ "McLaren Apology and Undertakings" (Press release). FIA. 13 December 2007. Archived from the original on 14 December 2007. Retrieved 8 January 2008.
  7. ^ "2008 Ultimate Season Review". F1 Racing. Haymarket. March 2008. pp. 99–101.
  8. ^ "McLaren MP4-23 - rear wing". formula1.com. 16 March 2008. Archived from the original on 18 March 2008.
  9. ^ "McLaren vows to keep pushing for titles". ITV-F1. 11 July 2008. Archived from the original on 12 July 2008.

External links[]

Awards
Preceded by
McLaren MP4-22 		Autosport
Racing Car of the Year
2008 		Succeeded by
Brawn BGP 001
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