 Jenson Button driving the MP4-29 at theChinese Grand Prix | |||||||||||
| Category | Formula One | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Constructor | McLaren | ||||||||||
| Designers | Neil Oatley(Executive Engineer) Tim Goss(Technical Director) Matt Morris(Engineering Director) Mark Williams(Head of Vehicle Engineering) Mark Ingham(Head of Vehicle Design) Sam Purvis(Project Leader) Marcin Budkowski(Head of Aerodynamics) Doug McKiernan(Chief Aerodynamicist) | ||||||||||
| Predecessor | McLaren MP4-28 | ||||||||||
| Successor | McLaren MP4-30 | ||||||||||
| Technical specifications[1] | |||||||||||
| Chassis | Carbon-fibre composite incorporating driver cockpit controls and fuel cell | ||||||||||
| Suspension (front) | Carbon-fibre wishbone and pushrod suspension elements operating inboard torsion bar and damper system | ||||||||||
| Suspension (rear) | Carbon-fibre wishbone and pull-rod suspension elements operating inboard torsion bar and damper system | ||||||||||
| Length | 5,100 mm (201 in) | ||||||||||
| Width | 1,800 mm (71 in) | ||||||||||
| Height | 950 mm (37 in) | ||||||||||
| Wheelbase | 3,460 mm (136 in) adjustable -/+20 mm (0.7874 in) | ||||||||||
| Engine | MercedesPU106A HybridTurbo[2] 1.6 L (98 cu in)V6 (90°), 15,000 RPM limited , in arear mid-mounted, rear-wheel drive layout | ||||||||||
| Electric motor | MercedesPU106A HybridMotor Generator Unit–Kinetic (MGU-K) MercedesPU106A HybridMotor Generator Unit–Heat (MGU-H) | ||||||||||
| Transmission | McLaren 8-speed + 1 reverse sequential seamlesssemi-automatic paddle shift with epicyclic differential and multi-plate limited-slip clutch | ||||||||||
| Weight | 691 kg (1,523.4 lb) (with driver) | ||||||||||
| Fuel | Exxon andMobil High Performance Unleaded (5.75% bio fuel) | ||||||||||
| Lubricants | Mobil 1 | ||||||||||
| Tyres | Pirelli P Zero dry slick andPirelli Cinturato treaded intermediate and wet tyres | ||||||||||
| Clutch | AP Racing electro-hydraulically operated, carbon multi-plate | ||||||||||
| Competition history | |||||||||||
| Notable entrants | McLaren Mercedes[3] | ||||||||||
| Notable drivers | 20. Kevin Magnussen[4]22.  Jenson Button[5] | ||||||||||
| Debut | 2014 Australian Grand Prix | ||||||||||
| Last event | 2014 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix | ||||||||||
| |||||||||||
TheMcLaren MP4-29 was aFormula Oneracing car designed and built byMcLaren to compete in the2014 Formula One season.[6] The chassis was designed byTim Goss,Neil Oatley,Matt Morris,Mark Ingham andMarcin Budkowski and was powered by a customerMercedes-Benz powertrain. The car was unveiled on 24 January 2014,[6] and was driven by2009World Drivers' ChampionJenson Button and debutantKevin Magnussen, who replacedSergio Pérez, after he won the2013 Formula Renault 3.5 Series title.[4][5]
The MP4-29 was the most mechanically reliable car of the season with 36 classified finishes out of a possible 38. This was the last McLaren car to lead the World Constructors' Championship until theMCL38 in 2024.
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The MP4-29 was designed to useMercedes' new 1.6-litre V6 turbocharged engine,[7] the PU106A Hybrid.[2]
The MP4-29 was McLaren's first turbo-powered Formula One car since theHonda enginedMP4/4 which poweredAyrton Senna andAlain Prost to 15 wins and 15 pole positions from 16 races in1988. This was the last McLaren model that was powered by a Mercedes-Benz engine until theMCL35M in 2021, due to the team switching toHonda in 2015. It was also the last Mercedes-powered F1 car to useExxonMobil fuel to foster Mercedes' partnership withPetronas.
It is the first Formula One car to use theEsso brand since 2009, which applied in some places for the 2014 season and applied fully from 2015 along withExxon andMobil in selected locations before switched toRed Bull Racing in 2017.[8]
At theAustralian Grand Prix,Kevin Magnussen andJenson Button finished third and fourth on the road, respectively, but were elevated to second and third afterDaniel Ricciardo's disqualification.[9] This was McLaren's last podium until the2019 Brazilian Grand Prix. The cars sported a Mobil 1 livery to honour the team's 20-year association with the brand.[10]
The promising result from Australia was followed by disappointing performances. In theMalaysian Grand Prix, Button could only manage sixth and Magnussen in ninth.[11] Both cars were unable to complete theBahrain Grand Prix due to issues with the clutch during the race. This marks the first time McLaren suffered a double DNF since the2006 United States Grand Prix.[12]
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The team failed to record another podium finish all season, and although statistically, the MP4-29 was the most mechanically reliable car of the season with 36 classified finishes out of a possible 38, they ultimately finished fifth in the Constructors' Championship.
After losing theVodafone sponsorship, the car ran with a full chrome livery and black accents. During pre-season testing and in the video gameF1 2014, andF1 2015 (via its 2014 season mode) the car's sidepods and rear wing featured the name of the car. Sponsor stickers on the car come fromMobil 1,Hugo Boss, andTAG Heuer.
Ahead of the Australian Grand Prix, McLaren announced that it would initially compete without a new main sponsor, but instead with black sidepods and largeMobil 1 logos. This was due to the 20-year partnership between McLaren and theExxonMobil corporation. At the following races,Esso,SAP, andJohnnie Walker were advertised on the open spaces.
A variation of the MP4-29, known as theMcLaren MP4-29H/1X1 was introduced as a development car ahead of the team's engine partnership withHonda in2015.[13] After completing a shakedown atSilverstone, the McLaren ran the MP4-29H at the post-season tests at theYas Marina Circuit in the week after theAbu Dhabi Grand Prix, where it was driven by McLaren's development driverStoffel Vandoorne.[14] The car suffered problems throughout, completing a total of six untimed laps over the two-day test.[15][16]
(key)
| Year | Entrant | Engine | Tyres | Drivers | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | Pts | WCC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | McLaren Mercedes | MercedesPU106A Hybrid | P | AUS | MAL | BHR | CHN | ESP | MON | CAN | AUT | GBR | GER | HUN | BEL | ITA | SIN | JPN | RUS | USA | BRA | ABU‡ | 181 | 5th | |
| Kevin Magnussen | 2 | 9 | Ret | 13 | 12 | 10 | 9 | 7 | 7 | 9 | 12 | 12 | 10 | 10 | 14 | 5 | 8 | 9 | 11 | ||||||
| Jenson Button | 3 | 6 | 17† | 11 | 11 | 6 | 4 | 11 | 4 | 8 | 10 | 6 | 8 | Ret | 5 | 4 | 12 | 4 | 5 |
Notes:
McLaren believes its world championship challenge with Mercedes next year will not be compromised by its planned switch to Honda engines for 2015.
