McLaren MP4-24
Encyclopedia
The McLaren MP4-24 was McLaren-Mercedes' Formula One
car
for the 2009 Formula One season
. It was revealed at McLaren's headquarters in Woking
, United Kingdom
on January 16, 2009.
The following day, team test driver Pedro de la Rosa
gave the MP4-24 its first test run at the Autódromo Internacional do Algarve
.
In testing, the MP4-24 was proven slower than its rivals due to aerodynamic problems, with Lewis Hamilton
and Heikki Kovalainen
repeatedly at the bottom of the timesheets. The car came under much scrutiny from team members and other critics alike. Martin Whitmarsh
, McLaren team principal, said the team "had not done a good enough job". He also went on to say "We have an underdeveloped car, we do not have sufficient aerodynamic downforce and we would like to focus on rectifying that as quickly as we can."
The car was originally designed with a conventional diffuser
. The MP4-24 was fitted with a modified diffuser based on similar principles to the double-decker cars at the 2009 Malaysian Grand Prix
after the FIA confirmed that such components were legal, after several teams had asked the FIA to clarify the matter.
After the British Grand Prix
, the mid point of the 2009 season, McLaren had scored just 13 Constructor's World Championship points with Hamilton scoring 9 and Kovalainen 4. By the same point in 2008 they had scored 72 points and Hamilton was jointly leading the Driver's World Championship with Felipe Massa
on 48 points. Hamilton had made public calls to scrap the car and a former team owner turned commentator Eddie Jordan
had proclaimed it as "possibly the worst car McLaren have ever designed".
The impact of upgrades to Hamilton's car for the next race at the Nürburgring
for the German Grand Prix
were positive and saw him qualify in 5th, with Kovalainen in 6th place. However, a collision with Mark Webber's Red Bull
at the first corner punctured a tyre and damaged the undertray of the car which effectively ended any chance of competing for a points scoring position, and Hamilton finished the race in 18th and last place with Kovalainen scraping into the points in 8th.
There was a 3 week break between Germany and the next round at Hungary
by which time both cars had been upgraded to the new specification. Again, the weekend started well with both cars showing good pace and Hamilton qualified 4th and Kovalainen 6th. This time Hamilton was able to demonstrate the true effectiveness of the upgraded car by winning the race in convincing style. Acknowledging his previous remarks live on the BBC after the race, Eddie Jordan
expressed his amazement at how McLaren had managed to turn the car into a race winner. Despite disappointing results at Spa
and Monza
, Hamilton claimed his second win of the year under the lights of Singapore's Marina Bay
from pole position, and a pair of third places in Suzuka
and São Paulo
helped McLaren clinch third place in the Constructors championship with 71 points, pipping rivals Ferrari
by 1 point.
The MP4-24 was succeeded by the MP4-25
.
Driver failed to finish, but was classified as they had completed >90% of the race distance.
Half points awarded as less than 75% of race distance completed.
Formula One
Formula One, also known as Formula 1 or F1 and referred to officially as the FIA Formula One World Championship, is the highest class of single seater auto racing sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile . The "formula" designation in the name refers to a set of rules with which...
car
Čar
Čar is a village in the municipality of Bujanovac, Serbia. According to the 2002 census, the town has a population of 296 people.-References:...
for the 2009 Formula One season
2009 Formula One season
The 2009 Formula One season was the 60th FIA Formula One World Championship season. The season took place over 17 rounds, and started with the on 29 March 2009. It ended on 1 November 2009 with the inaugural ....
. It was revealed at McLaren's headquarters in Woking
Woking
Woking is a large town and civil parish that shares its name with the surrounding local government district, located in the west of Surrey, UK. It is part of the Greater London Urban Area and the London commuter belt, with frequent trains and a journey time of 24 minutes to Waterloo station....
, United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
on January 16, 2009.
The following day, team test driver 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...
gave the MP4-24 its first test run at the Autódromo Internacional do Algarve
Autódromo Internacional do Algarve
The Autódromo Internacional do Algarve commonly referred to as Portimao Circuit is a race circuit located in Portimão, Portugal. With a total cost of €195 million , the project includes a karting track, technology park, five-star hotel, sports complex and apartments.Construction was finished in...
.
In testing, the MP4-24 was proven slower than its rivals due to aerodynamic problems, with 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 Heikki Kovalainen
Heikki Kovalainen
Heikki Johannes Kovalainen is a Finnish Formula One racing driver who spent the 2008 and 2009 seasons with British based team McLaren and the 2010 and 2011 seasons with Team Lotus....
repeatedly at the bottom of the timesheets. The car came under much scrutiny from team members and other critics alike. Martin Whitmarsh
Martin Whitmarsh
Martin Whitmarsh is the CEO of McLaren Racing, a subsidiary company of the McLaren Group and Chief Operating Officer of that group, as well as Team Principal of Vodafone McLaren Mercedes, following Ron Dennis' retirement on 1 March 2009...
, McLaren team principal, said the team "had not done a good enough job". He also went on to say "We have an underdeveloped car, we do not have sufficient aerodynamic downforce and we would like to focus on rectifying that as quickly as we can."
The car was originally designed with a conventional diffuser
Diffuser (automotive)
A diffuser, in an automotive context, is a shaped section of the car underbody which improves the car's aerodynamic properties by enhancing the transition between the high-velocity airflow underneath the car and the much slower freestream airflow of the ambient atmosphere...
. The MP4-24 was fitted with a modified diffuser based on similar principles to the double-decker cars at the 2009 Malaysian Grand Prix
2009 Malaysian Grand Prix
The 2009 Malaysian Grand Prix was a Formula One race held on April 5, 2009 at the Sepang International Circuit in Sepang, Malaysia. It was the second race of the 2009 Formula One season. The race was due to be contested over 56 laps, but due to torrential rain, the race was stopped after...
after the FIA confirmed that such components were legal, after several teams had asked the FIA to clarify the matter.
After the British Grand Prix
2009 British Grand Prix
The 2009 Santander British Grand Prix was the eighth race of the 2009 Formula One season. It was held on 21 June 2009 at Silverstone Circuit in Northamptonshire, England. This was scheduled to be the last British Grand Prix to be held at Silverstone, before the event moved to Donington Park for the...
, the mid point of the 2009 season, McLaren had scored just 13 Constructor's World Championship points with Hamilton scoring 9 and Kovalainen 4. By the same point in 2008 they had scored 72 points and Hamilton was jointly leading the Driver's World Championship with Felipe Massa
Felipe Massa
Felipe Massa is a Brazilian Formula One racing driver. He finished second in the Drivers' World Championship, and is under contract to race for Scuderia Ferrari until the end of the season.-Early years:...
on 48 points. Hamilton had made public calls to scrap the car and a former team owner turned commentator Eddie Jordan
Eddie Jordan
Edmund "Eddie" Jordan also known as "EJ" founded and owned Jordan Grand Prix, a Formula One constructor which operated from 1991 to 2005...
had proclaimed it as "possibly the worst car McLaren have ever designed".
The impact of upgrades to Hamilton's car for the next race at the Nürburgring
Nürburgring
The Nürburgring is a motorsport complex around the village of Nürburg, Germany. It features a modern Grand Prix race track built in 1984, and a much longer old North loop track which was built in the 1920s around the village and medieval castle of Nürburg in the Eifel mountains. It is located about...
for the German Grand Prix
2009 German Grand Prix
The 2009 German Grand Prix was the ninth race of the 2009 Formula One season. It was held on July 12, 2009 at the Nürburgring in Nürburg, Germany; the earliest German Grand Prix on the calendar, since 1926....
were positive and saw him qualify in 5th, with Kovalainen in 6th place. However, a collision with Mark Webber's Red Bull
Red Bull Racing
Red Bull Racing is a Formula One racing team based in Milton Keynes, England which currently holds an Austrian licence. It is, along with Scuderia Toro Rosso, one of two teams owned by beverage company Red Bull GmbH. The team have won two Constructors' Championship titles, in and , becoming the...
at the first corner punctured a tyre and damaged the undertray of the car which effectively ended any chance of competing for a points scoring position, and Hamilton finished the race in 18th and last place with Kovalainen scraping into the points in 8th.
There was a 3 week break between Germany and the next round at Hungary
2009 Hungarian Grand Prix
The 2009 Hungarian Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held on July 26, 2009 at the Hungaroring in Mogyoród, north of Budapest, Hungary. It was the tenth race of the 2009 Formula One season. The race, contested over 70 laps, was won by world champion Lewis Hamilton for McLaren-Mercedes,...
by which time both cars had been upgraded to the new specification. Again, the weekend started well with both cars showing good pace and Hamilton qualified 4th and Kovalainen 6th. This time Hamilton was able to demonstrate the true effectiveness of the upgraded car by winning the race in convincing style. Acknowledging his previous remarks live on the BBC after the race, Eddie Jordan
Eddie Jordan
Edmund "Eddie" Jordan also known as "EJ" founded and owned Jordan Grand Prix, a Formula One constructor which operated from 1991 to 2005...
expressed his amazement at how McLaren had managed to turn the car into a race winner. Despite disappointing results at Spa
2009 Belgian Grand Prix
The 2009 Belgian Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race, held on August 30, 2009 at the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps near the town of Spa, Belgium. It was the 12th race of the 2009 Formula One season. The race was contested over 44 laps, with an overall race distance of 308.2 km...
and Monza
2009 Italian Grand Prix
The 2009 Italian Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held on September 13, 2009 at the Autodromo Nazionale Monza, Monza, Italy. It was the 13th race of the 2009 Formula One season. It was contested over 53 laps.The race was won by Brawn GP's Rubens Barrichello...
, Hamilton claimed his second win of the year under the lights of Singapore's Marina Bay
2009 Singapore Grand Prix
The 2009 Singapore Grand Prix was the fourteenth race of the 2009 Formula One season. It was the second Singapore Grand Prix to be part of a Formula One Championship and the tenth Singapore Grand Prix overall. It was also the second Formula One race to be held at night...
from pole position, and a pair of third places in Suzuka
2009 Japanese Grand Prix
The 2009 Japanese Grand Prix was the fifteenth round of the 2009 Formula One season...
and São Paulo
2009 Brazilian Grand Prix
The 2009 Brazilian Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race which was held on October 18, 2009 at the Autódromo José Carlos Pace, São Paulo, Brazil. It was the sixteenth race of the 2009 Formula One season...
helped McLaren clinch third place in the Constructors championship with 71 points, pipping rivals 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....
by 1 point.
The MP4-24 was succeeded by the MP4-25
McLaren MP4-25
The McLaren MP4-25 was a Formula One motor racing car designed and raced by McLaren in the season. The car, which was driven by World Champion Jenson Button and World Champion Lewis Hamilton, was officially unveiled at title sponsor Vodafone's headquarters in Newbury, Berkshire, United Kingdom...
.
Complete Formula One results
(results in bold indicate pole position; results in italics indicate fastest lap)| Year | Entrant | Engine | Tyres | Drivers | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | Points | WCC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vodafone 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 |
Mercedes Mercedes-Benz High Performance Engines Mercedes-Benz HighPerformanceEngines Ltd. is a British Formula One engine manufacturer, owned by Mercedes-Benz. Since 1995, their engines have powered McLaren's Formula One cars. For the 2009 season, Mercedes-Benz also supplied the Brawn GP and Force India teams with engines... FO108W 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 2009 Australian Grand Prix The 2009 Australian Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held on 29 March 2009 at the Melbourne Grand Prix Circuit, Melbourne, Australia. It was the first race of the 2009 Formula One season. The race, contested over 58 laps, was won by Jenson Button for the Brawn GP team after... |
MAL 2009 Malaysian Grand Prix The 2009 Malaysian Grand Prix was a Formula One race held on April 5, 2009 at the Sepang International Circuit in Sepang, Malaysia. It was the second race of the 2009 Formula One season. The race was due to be contested over 56 laps, but due to torrential rain, the race was stopped after... |
CHN 2009 Chinese Grand Prix The 2009 Chinese Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held on April 19, 2009 at the Shanghai International Circuit, Shanghai, People's Republic of China. It was the third race of the 2009 Formula One season, a change from previous years, when it took place towards the end of the season.Sebastian... |
BHR 2009 Bahrain Grand Prix The 2009 Bahrain Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held on April 26, 2009, at the Bahrain International Circuit, Sakhir, Bahrain. It was the sixth Bahrain Grand Prix and fourth race of the 2009 Formula One season.... |
ESP 2009 Spanish Grand Prix The 2009 Spanish Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held on May 10, 2009 at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmeló, Spain. It was the fifth race of the 2009 Formula One season.... |
MON 2009 Monaco Grand Prix The 2009 Monaco Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race that was held on the 24 May, 2009 at the Circuit de Monaco, in Monaco. The race, which was contested over 78 laps, was the sixth round of the 2009 Formula One season... |
TUR 2009 Turkish Grand Prix The 2009 Turkish Grand Prix was the seventh race of the 2009 Formula One season. It was held on June 7, 2009 at Istanbul Park, Istanbul, Turkey.Felipe Massa won the 2008 Turkish Grand Prix for Ferrari, in addition to his wins at Istanbul Park in 2006 and 2007... |
GBR 2009 British Grand Prix The 2009 Santander British Grand Prix was the eighth race of the 2009 Formula One season. It was held on 21 June 2009 at Silverstone Circuit in Northamptonshire, England. This was scheduled to be the last British Grand Prix to be held at Silverstone, before the event moved to Donington Park for the... |
GER 2009 German Grand Prix The 2009 German Grand Prix was the ninth race of the 2009 Formula One season. It was held on July 12, 2009 at the Nürburgring in Nürburg, Germany; the earliest German Grand Prix on the calendar, since 1926.... |
HUN 2009 Hungarian Grand Prix The 2009 Hungarian Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held on July 26, 2009 at the Hungaroring in Mogyoród, north of Budapest, Hungary. It was the tenth race of the 2009 Formula One season. The race, contested over 70 laps, was won by world champion Lewis Hamilton for McLaren-Mercedes,... |
EUR 2009 European Grand Prix The 2009 European Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race, held on August 23, 2009 at the Valencia Street Circuit in Valencia, Spain. It was the 11th race of the 2009 Formula One season. The race was contested over 57 laps, an overall race distance of 303.9 km... |
BEL 2009 Belgian Grand Prix The 2009 Belgian Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race, held on August 30, 2009 at the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps near the town of Spa, Belgium. It was the 12th race of the 2009 Formula One season. The race was contested over 44 laps, with an overall race distance of 308.2 km... |
ITA 2009 Italian Grand Prix The 2009 Italian Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held on September 13, 2009 at the Autodromo Nazionale Monza, Monza, Italy. It was the 13th race of the 2009 Formula One season. It was contested over 53 laps.The race was won by Brawn GP's Rubens Barrichello... |
SIN 2009 Singapore Grand Prix The 2009 Singapore Grand Prix was the fourteenth race of the 2009 Formula One season. It was the second Singapore Grand Prix to be part of a Formula One Championship and the tenth Singapore Grand Prix overall. It was also the second Formula One race to be held at night... |
JPN 2009 Japanese Grand Prix The 2009 Japanese Grand Prix was the fifteenth round of the 2009 Formula One season... |
BRA 2009 Brazilian Grand Prix The 2009 Brazilian Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race which was held on October 18, 2009 at the Autódromo José Carlos Pace, São Paulo, Brazil. It was the sixteenth race of the 2009 Formula One season... |
ABU 2009 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix The 2009 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix was the seventeenth and last race of the 2009 Formula One season. It took place on November 1, 2009 at the 3.45-mile Hermann Tilke-designed Yas Marina Circuit. It was the inaugural Abu Dhabi Grand Prix and also the first ever day-night Grand Prix... |
71 | 3rd | |||
| 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... |
DSQ | 7 | 6 | 4 | 9 | 12 | 13 | 16 | 18 | 1 | 2 | Ret | 12 | 1 | 3 | 3 | Ret | ||||||
| Kovalainen Heikki Kovalainen Heikki Johannes Kovalainen is a Finnish Formula One racing driver who spent the 2008 and 2009 seasons with British based team McLaren and the 2010 and 2011 seasons with Team Lotus.... |
Ret | Ret | 5 | 12 | Ret | Ret | 14 | Ret | 8 | 5 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 11 | 12 | 11 |
Driver failed to finish, but was classified as they had completed >90% of the race distance.
Half points awarded as less than 75% of race distance completed.