1995 Mercedes-Benz McLaren MP4/10

There were three version of this beautiful race car.

McLaren MP4/10

Designer : Neil Oatley (Dir. Technique)   Henri Durand (Aérodynamique)
Driver : BLUNDELL Mark;  HAKKINEN Mika;
Engine : Mercedes-Benz   Tyre : Goodyear
Chassis : Monocoque composite from fiber carbon

1995 was a season of great expectation for McLaren. The disappointing 1994 alliance with Peugeot had been annulled, and Mercedes-Benz switched to the team from Sauber. It was the first McLaren with a Mercedes-Benz (Ilmor) engine and the Mercedes-Benz engine would bring success again after the poor results with the Peugeot and Ford engine.
The McLaren MP4/10 was the car with which the McLaren team competed in the 1995 Formula One season. MP4/10 came from Mclaren Project 4, 10th design. The MP4/10 was a radical car, incorporating a “needle-nose” and a wing mounted atop the airbox, among other innovations.You can see the way it was made in this short video:

It was driven mainly by Mark Blundell, who started the year without a drive, and Mika Häkkinen, who was in his second full season with the team. The car was also driven by 1992 champion Nigel Mansell and Jan Magnussen.  In addition, Mansell had been tempted out of “retirement” to partner the young Finn Häkkinen.

10 simple table
This is Mark Blundell at the helm of the MP4/10.

CANADIAN GP1995_McLaren_Mercedes_Benz_MP4_10_formula_one_f_1_race_racing_t_2__f_1920x1200
McLaren MP4/10B

Designer : Neil Oatley (Dir. Technique)  Henri Durand (Aérodynamique)
Driver : BLUNDELL Mark;  HAKKINEN Mika;  MAGNUSSEN Jan; MANSELL Nigel;
Engine : Mercedes;  Tyre : Goodyear;
Chassis : Monocoque composite from fiber carbon

However, it became apparent that Nigel Mansell was unable to fit properly in the narrow cockpit, and he was forced to miss the first two races of the season whilst a wider monocoque was built McLaren MP4/10B. His racing return lasted just two further Grand Prix before he left altogether, disgusted with the car’s poor performance.
The car’s main handling problem was a lack of front-end grip, allied to the often unreliable engine. However, the package proved competitive enough for the team to usually be “best of the rest”, behind Benetton, Williams and Ferrari, and Häkkinen was able to score two podium finishes. Team-mate Blundell also took several points finishes. The McLaren MP4/10B (revision B) update made its début at Imola and was retained for most of the season.

2Fqq7XcMcLaren_MP4-10B_right_Donington_Grand_Prix_Collection
McLaren MP4/10B, driven only twice by Nigel Mansell, with widened cockpit on display at The Donington Collection.

10B
McLaren MP4/10C

Designer : Neil Oatley (Dir. Technique)  Henri Durand (Aérodynamique)
Driver : BLUNDELL Mark;  HAKKINEN Mika;
Engine : Mercedes-Benz;  Tyre : Goodyear;
Chassis : Monocoque composite from fiber carbon

A further modification, the MP4/10C, appeared at the Portuguese and European Grands Prix, but was not used further.

10C table

McLaren endured a mixed end to the season. Häkkinen missed the Pacific GP with a case of appendicitis and was replaced by the rookie Magnussen, but then returned to finish a fine second at Suzuka. This was tempered by the fact that Blundell wrote off a chassis in practice. In the first part of qualifying, Blundell crashed into the wall, meaning he could not set a time as his car was too badly damaged. Blundell had his second crash of the weekend at the 130R corner in Saturday practice, which was more serious than the first. Following medical advice, Blundell did not participate in the second qualifying session. He was unable to set a time, leaving him at the back of the grid.

But this setback paled in comparison to Häkkinen’s accident at the final race of the season, at Adelaide, Australia. There are many videos on youtube about this accident but I’ll post the shortest and the most clarifying one:

A sudden puncture saw his car fly out of control and hit a concrete wall at high speed. Mika was pulled out of his car unconscious with blood pouring from his mouth and nose. However, he made a full recovery for the first grand prix of the next year, which was also in Australia.

mclaren_mercedes-benz_mp4-10_5Mclaren_MP4_10_B_01
The team eventually finished fourth in the Constructors’ Championship, with 30 points.
Specifications