1984 McLaren MP4/2

This is a photograph I took at the Donington Park Museum in October 1989.

It's a 1984 McLaren MP4/2, and with the number 7 it would have been Alain Prost's car that season. The MP4/2 was produced for the 1984 season by McLaren with the updated versions, MP4/2B and MP4/2C, being used in the following two seasons. It was designed by a team led by John Barnard and had a 1,499cc V6 TAG-Porsche TTE PO1 in place of the Cosworth engine that powered the MP4/1. Alain Prost and Niki Lauda drove the car in 1984, winning 12 of the 16 races and finishing in first and second places in the World Drivers' Championship. Niki Lauda won five races to Alain Prost's seven, but won the Championship, in part because Alain Prost won the Monaco Grand Prix where only half points were awarded as the race had been stopped due to dangerous conditions. Niki Lauda had retired from that race. McLaren, of course, won the World Constructors' Championship. In 1985 Alain Prost was the World Drivers' Champion, winning five races with Niki Lauda in his last season of racing finishing in tenth position, although he did win the Dutch Grand Prix. McLaren again won the World Constructors' Championship. In 1986 Alain Prost was joined by Keke Rosberg and again won the World Drivers' Championship although he only won five of the races, a string of second and third places helping him to finish ahead of Nigel Mansell in his Williams FW11. Keke Rosberg finished in sixth place with his best result being a second place at Monaco. McLaren were beaten into second place in the Constructors' World Championship by Williams thanks to Nelson Piquet finishing in third place in the Drivers' Championship.