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The competitive but controversial McLaren that lost both championships despite eight wins.

The McLaren MP4-22 is a Formula One racing car constructed by the Vodafone McLaren Mercedes team for the 2007 Formula One World Championship. The chassis was designed by Paddy Lowe, Neil Oatley, Pat Fry, Mike Coughlan, and Simon Lacey, with Andy Cowell and Markus Duesmann designing the bespoke Mercedes-Benz engine. The car was revealed in testing at Circuit de Valencia in Spain on 15 January 2007, and was driven by double World Champion Fernando Alonso and debutant Lewis Hamilton.

Quick Facts

First prominent use: 2007

Lore & Background

The MP4-22 proved to be one of the most competitive cars of the season, with Alonso and Hamilton achieving four victories each. However, a fierce rivalry between the two drivers, combined with the 2007 Formula One espionage controversy, resulted in McLaren losing both championships to Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro. This was the first McLaren Formula One car to run with Bridgestone tyres since the MP4-16 in 2001.

Reader's Guide

The car featured 'some advanced engineering concepts' and 'novel aerodynamic solutions'. On 17 January 2007, Fernando Alonso completed a shakedown test at 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 a new unique front wing design that made its racing debut at the Spanish Grand Prix. The wing was deemed surplus to requirements during the 2007 Italian Grand Prix due to high speed/low drag requirements. The MP4-22 was the last McLaren Formula One car to use traction control.

Did You Know?

The MP4-22 scored eight victories in 2007, compared to a winless 2006 season.
The car had no mechanical retirements in any race during the 2007 season.
McLaren race drivers completed 5,340 racing kilometres in 2007, 45% of which were whilst leading a race.
The MP4-22 completed 27,150 kilometres in testing.