How McLaren held off its sternest challenger

In the years immediately succeeding its whitewash of the 1988 season, McLaren was forced to cope with a resurgent Ferrari as it sought to extend its dominance into the next decade of Formula 1. The exodus of Alain Prost and designer Steve Nichols from McLaren to Maranello helped Ferrari become a potent force at the sharp end of the field, and Prost had the tools to battle valiantly against long-time sparring partner Ayrton Senna for 1990’s championship honours, albeit unsuccessfully. Then, in 1991, McLaren had to contend with the technological might of Williams and its FW14.

As McLaren’s influences cross-pollinated into Ferrari’s design with the transfer of Prost and Nichols, the reverse applied for 1991 as Ferrari aerodynamicist Henri Durand joined McLaren for the new season. Continuity was retained on the chassis side as Neil Oatley continued to lead the design of the monocoque, while Durand brought some of his Ferrari experience with him and sought about freshening up