It might not have won the 1993 Formula 1 World Championship, but nevertheless the McLaren MP4/8 holds a special place in the history of F1. Ayrton Senna’s last winning car, it took the Brazilian to five memorable victories in a season that should really have seen the sort of domination by the Williams FW15C that the Red Bull RB19 demonstrated in 2023.
Of course Senna’s special talent was a big part of the equation, no more so than at a soaking Donington Park, the scene of the most famous of his quintet of race wins.
However the car played a role too. With its compact Ford HB V8 and a simple but effective active ride system the MP4/8 was a nimble and very efficient piece of kit that Senna was able to exploit to the maximum while enjoying an underdog status that was unfamiliar to him.
Fondly remembered by those who worked on it, the car was a one-off, the only Fordpowered model in an era when Ron Dennis was juggling manufacturers and always seeking an advantage. And what’s more remarkable is that the engine choice was alast-minute compromise after the withdrawal of Honda left McLaren searching for an alternative supply.
It was at the 1992 Italian Grand Prix that Honda formally announced it would be leaving F1 at the end of the season.
“What I didn’t know was that they had telephoned Ron earlier in the year and told him that they were thinking of not carrying on,” recalls then McLaren head of operations Martin Whitmarsh. “But Ron hadn’t told me, and also Ron was in denial – he didn’t believe it. He thought it was just apositioning statement, part of some negotiation.
“Then [Honda boss] Mr Kawamoto came to Monza. Ron and I were in the motorhome, and he said, ‘I’m just confirming we’re stopping.’ I was, ‘Eh? We’ve just won four backto-back world championships, you can’t stop.’ He said, ‘Winning is not enough.’ I thought what else do you want us to do?
“At that time, September, we weren’t working on anything at all, because as far as I was concerned, it was a
