FRONT VIEW

Formula One scene, and to the casual glance that would be *true. Like most things nothing is as simple as that and throughout the season McLaren International has had its dramas, mistakes, frustrations and all the other problems that beset a team whose major objective is to win. These things have been no more nor less than any other of the top teams, but McLaren International has shone through and succeeded when it really matters, as the chequered flag comes out. Its weapon for the 1984 season has been the MP4/2 designed by John Barnard in close co-operation with the Porsche firm who provided the power for the car. The MP4/2 has a carbon-fibre composite (CPC) monocoque developed from Barnard’s first car for McLaren International which used the Cosworth DFV engine, and the suspension and running gear is little changed from that initial design, as are the basics of the aerodynamics. The monocoque is made for McLaren by Hercules in the USA and many other components in CFC are made “in house” in the Woking factory of McLaren International. Porsche designed

and built the V6 turbocharged 11/2-litre engine during 1982/3 to the specification and requirements laid down by Barnard, especially as regards to overall size, weight and structural details to fit into the chassis design of the MP4/2. When the project was started Phillip Morris, the Marlboro cigarette firm, was the principal financial backer of the team and obviously a project like the Porsche designed engine was going to cost a lot more money, so Dennis formed a partnership with the Saudi Arabian firm of Techniques d’Avant Garde (TAG) tones up a firm called TAG Turbo Engines, and this firm took on the responsibility of funding the Porsche engine project. As far as Porsche were concerned the initial order to design and build a turbocharged Formula One engine was merely another outside project to be tackled by the Research and Development Centre at Weissach to the west of Stuttgart. A large part of the work done at Weissach is for outside firms, in all branches of the motor industry and in other spheres, so that this Formula One project was treated in

their normal way as a job to be done to the best of their ability and to satisfy the customer. The only difference being that whereas most experimental projects when completed are then handed over to the customer, this engine project involved development throughout the season and the maintenance of the engines being used, so that Weissach personel have never left the engine project. Hans Mezger, the head of engine design department has attended the races, and Weissach mechanics and. engineers have looked after the engines at the races, together with the technical staff from Bosch who have been closely allied to the engine since its conception, both on the fuel injection system and the electronic engine management system. With 12 victories in 16 races we can assume that Porsche’s customer was well satisfied with the work done by Weissach. ‘here are still people within the ranks of. Formula One who mutter about Ron Dennis and his Porsche engine, as if he has an unfair advantage, but they seem to forget that Porsche were there in Weissach in the days