The McLaren MP4/6 is a Formula One vehicle that was operated by the Marlboro McLaren Honda team in the 1991 Formula One World Championship.
The MP4/6 was the last F1 car to win a Championship with a manual gearbox and the only V12 powered F1 car to do so. It was also the last car Ayrton Senna won a Championship with.
History
Development on a V12 powered McLaren F1 car began in mid 1990 when a MP4/5B was modified with a Honda V12. Despite months of development, both Senna and his teammate Gerhard Berger felt the V12 was underpowered in comparison to the Honda V10 that powered the MP4/5B in 1990.
When the MP4/6 was seen by the public for the first time at the United States GP in Phoenix, McLaren was seen by many as copying Ferrari's cars from 1989 and 1990. The reason for the appearance was due to former Ferrari designer Henri Durand (who left in mid 1990).
The Senna and his MP4/6 was able to win the first four races of the season, despite doubts at the first race in Phoenix over the car, with McLaren even bringing several MP4/5Bs just incase the MP4/6 didn't work. The MP4/6 hadn't even been tested that much before the first race.
Starting with the Monaco GP, Williams Renault, with their main driver Nigel Mansell and the FW14 began challenging McLaren and Senna for the Championship more successfully. In response to this and Senna's requests for more engine output, Honda upgraded the V12 in time for the Hungarian GP, with Senna winning it and the next race in Belgium as well as scoring points in Italy and Portugal.
The penultimate race at Honda's Suzuka Circuit in Japan saw Mansell go off at the first corner on Lap 10, allowing Senna to win the 1991 season. The final race in Adelaide saw heavy rain, leading to Mansell retiring and the race being red-flagged after 16 laps. With Senna and Berger on the podium, the MP4/6 was able to secure McLaren their fourth consecutive constructors' title.
In 1992, the MP4/6B (an improved version the MP4/6 with new front wing end-plates) was used for the first rounds of that year's season in South Africa and Mexico before being replaced by the MP4/7A. In the end, McLaren and Senna lost that season to Williams and Mansell respectively.
