McLaren MP4-22
Encyclopedia
The McLaren MP4-22 was Vodafone
McLaren-Mercedes' Formula One car
for the 2007 Formula One season
. It was revealed in testing at Circuit de Valencia
in Spain
on 15 January 2007. The car proved to be one of the most competitive of the season, achieving eight victories, however a fierce rivalry between the team's drivers Lewis Hamilton
and Fernando Alonso
combined with the 2007 Formula One espionage controversy
led to the team losing both championships to Ferrari
.
On 17 January 2007, Fernando Alonso completed a shakedown test in the Ricardo Tormo
circuit in Valencia, setting the fastest lap time of 1:12.050.
At testing in Catalunya
on 1 May 2007, Pedro de la Rosa
tested the car with a new unique front wing design that would see extensive use throughout the remainder of the season. It featured a thin carbon fibre wing that spanned from the top of each end plate, bypassing the nosecone by arching over it. This new wing subsequently made its racing debut at the Spanish Grand Prix
. The wing was deemed surplus to requirements during the 2007 Italian Grand Prix due to the high speed/low drag characteristics required.
package of the MP4-22 was extremely competitive. McLaren, with the aid of their improved car, scored as many team points in the first half of 2007 as they had done during the entire year in 2006. However the team's season was marred by a fierce rivalry between its drivers Hamilton and Alonso, as well as a fall out between Alonso and the team's management. This contributed to both drivers eventually losing the championship by one point to Ferrari's Kimi Räikkönen
, despite having led the championship for most of the season. McLaren led the constructor's championship from the start of the season until the Italian Grand Prix, after which they were excluded from the championship due to allegations that the MP4-22 used data obtained from rivals Ferrari
. This led the MP4-22 failing to win either championship despite its competitiveness.
The McLaren race drivers completed 5,340 racing kilometres in the 2007 season, 45% of which were whilst leading a race. The MP4-22 also completed 27,150 kilometres in testing; Fernando Alonso, Lewis Hamilton, Pedro de la Rosa
, Gary Paffett
and Jamie Green
completed 8,277 km, 7,714 km, 8,277 km, 2,842 km and 28 km respectively.
The MP4-22 was succeeded by the McLaren MP4-23
.
* McLaren stripped of all WCC points due to the 2007 espionage controversy
.
Vodafone
Vodafone Group Plc is a global telecommunications company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the world's largest mobile telecommunications company measured by revenues and the world's second-largest measured by subscribers , with around 341 million proportionate subscribers as of...
McLaren-Mercedes' Formula One car
Formula One car
A modern Formula One car is a single-seat, open cockpit, open wheel racing car with substantial front and rear wings, and an engine positioned behind the driver. The regulations governing the cars are unique to the championship...
for the 2007 Formula One season
2007 Formula One season
The 2007 Formula One season was the 58th season of FIA Formula One motor racing. It featured the 2007 FIA Formula One World Championship, which began on 18 March and ended on 21 October after seventeen events. The Drivers' Championship was won by Ferrari driver Kimi Räikkönen by one point at the...
. It was revealed in testing at Circuit de Valencia
Circuit de Valencia
Circuit Ricardo Tormo, also known as Circuit de Valencia and officially named Circuit de la Comunitat Valenciana Ricardo Tormo, is a motorsport race track located in Cheste and built in 1999. It has a capacity of 120,000 spectators and seating for 60,000...
in Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
on 15 January 2007. The car proved to be one of the most competitive of the season, achieving eight victories, however a fierce rivalry between the team's drivers Lewis Hamilton
Lewis Hamilton
Lewis Carl Davidson Hamilton, MBE is a British Formula One racing driver from England, currently racing for the McLaren team. He was the Formula One World Champion.Hamilton was born in Stevenage, Hertfordshire...
and Fernando Alonso
Fernando Alonso
Fernando Alonso Díaz is a Spanish Formula One racing driver and a two-time World Champion, who is currently racing for Ferrari....
combined with the 2007 Formula One espionage controversy
2007 Formula One espionage controversy
The 2007 Formula One espionage controversy, also known as "Spygate," or "Stepneygate" involves allegations that the McLaren Formula One team was passed confidential technical information from the Ferrari team, and that the Renault F1 team was passed confidential technical information from the...
led to the team losing both championships to Ferrari
Scuderia Ferrari
Scuderia Ferrari is the racing team division of the Ferrari automobile marque. The team currently only races in Formula One but has competed in numerous classes of motorsport since its formation in 1929, including sportscar racing....
.
Development
In its design philosophy behind the new car, the team says the MP4-22 features "some advanced engineering concepts" and "novel aerodynamic solutions".On 17 January 2007, Fernando Alonso completed a shakedown test in the Ricardo Tormo
Circuit de Valencia
Circuit Ricardo Tormo, also known as Circuit de Valencia and officially named Circuit de la Comunitat Valenciana Ricardo Tormo, is a motorsport race track located in Cheste and built in 1999. It has a capacity of 120,000 spectators and seating for 60,000...
circuit in Valencia, setting the fastest lap time of 1:12.050.
At testing in Catalunya
Circuit de Catalunya
The Circuit de Catalunya is a racetrack in Montmeló, to the north of Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. With long straights and a variety of corners, the Circuit de Catalunya is seen as an all-rounder circuit.-History:...
on 1 May 2007, Pedro de la Rosa
Pedro de la Rosa
Pedro Martínez de la Rosa is a Formula One driver who has participated in 87 Grands Prix for the Arrows, Jaguar, McLaren and Sauber teams, debuting on 7 March 1999, becoming one of very few drivers to score a point at his first race...
tested the car with a new unique front wing design that would see extensive use throughout the remainder of the season. It featured a thin carbon fibre wing that spanned from the top of each end plate, bypassing the nosecone by arching over it. This new wing subsequently made its racing debut at the Spanish Grand Prix
2007 Spanish Grand Prix
The 2007 Gran Premio de España Telefónica was a Formula One motor race, fourth round of the 2007 Formula One season, won by Felipe Massa. It was held on the weekend of 11–13 May at the Circuit de Catalunya in Spain.-Background:...
. The wing was deemed surplus to requirements during the 2007 Italian Grand Prix due to the high speed/low drag characteristics required.
2007 season
The MP4-22 proved to be far more competitive than its similar looking predecessor and McLaren scored eight victories, compared to a winless 2006 season. The car proved to be the most reliable car of the season, with no mechanical retirements in any race, and one of the two fastest cars on the field (along with the Ferraris). The low downforceDownforce
Downforce is a downwards thrust created by the aerodynamic characteristics of a car. The purpose of downforce is to allow a car to travel faster through a corner by increasing the vertical force on the tires, thus creating more grip....
package of the MP4-22 was extremely competitive. McLaren, with the aid of their improved car, scored as many team points in the first half of 2007 as they had done during the entire year in 2006. However the team's season was marred by a fierce rivalry between its drivers Hamilton and Alonso, as well as a fall out between Alonso and the team's management. This contributed to both drivers eventually losing the championship by one point to Ferrari's Kimi Räikkönen
Kimi Räikkönen
Kimi Matias Räikkönen , nicknamed Iceman, is a Finnish racing driver, who will drive in Formula One for Lotus in . After nine seasons racing in Formula One, in which he took the Formula One World Drivers' Championship, he competed in the World Rally Championship from 2009-2011.Räikkönen entered...
, despite having led the championship for most of the season. McLaren led the constructor's championship from the start of the season until the Italian Grand Prix, after which they were excluded from the championship due to allegations that the MP4-22 used data obtained from rivals Ferrari
2007 Formula One espionage controversy
The 2007 Formula One espionage controversy, also known as "Spygate," or "Stepneygate" involves allegations that the McLaren Formula One team was passed confidential technical information from the Ferrari team, and that the Renault F1 team was passed confidential technical information from the...
. This led the MP4-22 failing to win either championship despite its competitiveness.
The McLaren race drivers completed 5,340 racing kilometres in the 2007 season, 45% of which were whilst leading a race. The MP4-22 also completed 27,150 kilometres in testing; Fernando Alonso, Lewis Hamilton, Pedro de la Rosa
Pedro de la Rosa
Pedro Martínez de la Rosa is a Formula One driver who has participated in 87 Grands Prix for the Arrows, Jaguar, McLaren and Sauber teams, debuting on 7 March 1999, becoming one of very few drivers to score a point at his first race...
, Gary Paffett
Gary Paffett
Gary Paffett is a British racing driver in the Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters. He is also a test driver for the McLaren Formula One team. Paffett progressed through the ranks of karting and junior formulae in the United Kingdom, winning the McLaren Autosport BRDC Award in 1999...
and Jamie Green
Jamie Green
Jamie Green is a British professional racing driver. He is currently employed by Persson Motorsport in the Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters touring car championship.-Early career:...
completed 8,277 km, 7,714 km, 8,277 km, 2,842 km and 28 km respectively.
The MP4-22 was succeeded by the McLaren MP4-23
McLaren MP4-23
The McLaren MP4-23 was Vodafone McLaren-Mercedes' Formula One car for the 2008 Formula One season. It was revealed at Mercedes-Benz's motor sport museum in Stuttgart on 7 January 2008, and it had its first on-track appearance at Jerez in Spain on 9 January...
.
Complete Formula One results
(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 | Points | WCC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| McLaren | Mercedes-Benz V8 V8 engine A V8 engine is a V engine with eight cylinders mounted on the crankcase in two banks of four cylinders, in most cases set at a right angle to each other but sometimes at a narrower angle, with all eight pistons driving a common crankshaft.... |
AUS 2007 Australian Grand Prix The 2007 Australian Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held on 18 March 2007 at the Melbourne Grand Prix Circuit, Melbourne, Australia. It was the first race of the 2007 Formula One season. The race, contested over 58 laps, was won by Kimi Räikkönen for the Ferrari team after... |
MAL 2007 Malaysian Grand Prix The IX Petronas Malaysian Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race, held on 8 April 2007 at the Sepang International Circuit and the second race of the 2007 Formula One season. Reigning world champion Fernando Alonso won the race from second on the grid, with McLaren team-mate Lewis Hamilton... |
BHR 2007 Bahrain Grand Prix The 2007 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix is a Formula One motor race and is the third round of the 2007 Formula One season. It took place on the weekend of the 13–15 April at the Bahrain International Circuit in Sakhir, Bahrain.... |
ESP 2007 Spanish Grand Prix The 2007 Gran Premio de España Telefónica was a Formula One motor race, fourth round of the 2007 Formula One season, won by Felipe Massa. It was held on the weekend of 11–13 May at the Circuit de Catalunya in Spain.-Background:... |
MON 2007 Monaco Grand Prix The 2007 Monaco Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race and was the fifth round of the 2007 Formula One season. It took place from 24–27 May at the Circuit de Monaco in Monte Carlo. The race itself commenced at 14:00 CET , Sunday, May 27, and lasted about 1 hour and 40 minutes... |
CAN 2007 Canadian Grand Prix The 2007 Canadian Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held on 10 June 2007, at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal, Canada. It was the sixth race of the 2007 Formula One season... |
USA 2007 United States Grand Prix The 2007 United States Grand Prix was the seventh race of the 2007 Formula One season. It was also the last Formula 1 race held in the United States. It was held on 15–17 June at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway... |
FRA 2007 French Grand Prix The 2007 French Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held on July 1, 2007 at the Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours, Magny-Cours, France. It was the eighth race of the 2007 Formula One season. The race, contested over 70 laps, was won by Kimi Räikkönen for the Ferrari team after starting from... |
GBR 2007 British Grand Prix The 2007 British Grand Prix was the ninth race of the 2007 Formula One season. It was held from July 6 to July 8 at the Silverstone Circuit. The race was won by Kimi Räikkönen after overtaking pole position driver Lewis Hamilton during the first round of pit stops... |
EUR 2007 European Grand Prix The 2007 European Grand Prix was the tenth race of the 2007 Formula One season. It was held from 20 to July 22 at the Nürburgring.... |
HUN 2007 Hungarian Grand Prix The 2007 Hungarian Grand Prix was the eleventh race of the 2007 Formula One season, held between 3 to 5 August at the Hungaroring racing track in Budapest... |
TUR 2007 Turkish Grand Prix The 2007 Turkish Grand Prix was the twelfth race of the 2007 Formula One season. Won by Felipe Massa, it was held from 24 to August 26 at the Istanbul Park in Istanbul. It was the third time a Formula One race had been held here... |
ITA 2007 Italian Grand Prix The 2007 Italian Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held from 7 to 9 September 2007 at Autodromo Nazionale Monza, Italy. It was the thirteenth race of the 2007 Formula One season.... |
BEL 2007 Belgian Grand Prix The 2007 Belgian Grand Prix was the fourteenth race of the 2007 Formula One season, returning to the F1 calendar after a year's absence. It was held on 16 September at the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, Spa, Belgium.... |
JPN 2007 Japanese Grand Prix The 2007 Japanese Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held on 30 September, 2007 at the Fuji Speedway, Oyama, Shizuoka. The race, contested over 67 laps, was the fifteenth round of the 2007 Formula One season. It was held at the recently revised track in very heavy rain and misty conditions... |
CHN 2007 Chinese Grand Prix The 2007 Chinese Grand Prix was the sixteenth race of the 2007 Formula One season. It was held on 5–7 October at Shanghai International Circuit, Shanghai, China. The race was won by Ferrari's Kimi Räikkönen with Fernando Alonso finishing second and Felipe Massa finishing third... |
BRA 2007 Brazilian Grand Prix The 2007 Brazilian Grand Prix was the seventeenth and last race of the 2007 Formula One season. It was held from 19 to October 21 at the Autódromo José Carlos Pace in São Paulo. The Championship was decided in the race, which was won by Kimi Räikkönen... |
- | EX* | |||
| Fernando Alonso Fernando Alonso Fernando Alonso Díaz is a Spanish Formula One racing driver and a two-time World Champion, who is currently racing for Ferrari.... |
2 | 1 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 7 | 2 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 3 | Ret | 2 | 3 | ||||||
| Lewis Hamilton Lewis Hamilton Lewis Carl Davidson Hamilton, MBE is a British Formula One racing driver from England, currently racing for the McLaren team. He was the Formula One World Champion.Hamilton was born in Stevenage, Hertfordshire... |
3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 9 | 1 | 5 | 2 | 4 | 1 | Ret | 7 |
2007 Formula One espionage controversy
The 2007 Formula One espionage controversy, also known as "Spygate," or "Stepneygate" involves allegations that the McLaren Formula One team was passed confidential technical information from the Ferrari team, and that the Renault F1 team was passed confidential technical information from the...
.