McLaren MP4/14

McLaren MP4/14

Mika Häkkinen driving the MP4/14 at the 1999 Canadian Grand Prix
Category	Formula One
Constructor	McLaren
Designers	Adrian Newey (Technical Director) Neil Oatley (Chief Designer) Steve Nichols (Engineering Director) Matthew Jeffreys (Head of Vehicle Design) David North (Head of Transmission) David Neilson (Head of Suspension) Paddy Lowe (Head of R&D) Henri Durand (Head of Aerodynamics) Mario Illien (Technical Director, Engine - Ilmor-Mercedes) Stuart Grove (Chief Designer, Engine - Ilmor-Mercedes)
Predecessor	MP4/13
Successor	MP4/15
Technical specifications
Chassis	Moulded carbon fibre/aluminium honeycomb composite structure.
Suspension (front)	Double wishbones, pushrod-operated rockers.
Suspension (rear)	Double wishbones, pushrod-operated rockers.
Engine	Mercedes-Benz FO110H 3.0 L (183.1 cu in) 72° V10, naturally aspirated, mid-engined.
Transmission	McLaren 7-speed sequential
Power	785–810 hp (585.4–604.0 kW) at 17,000 rpm [1] [2]
Weight	600 kg (1,323 lb) (inc. driver.)
Fuel	Mobil Unleaded
Tyres	Bridgestone
Competition history
Notable entrants	West McLaren Mercedes
Notable drivers	1. Mika Häkkinen 2. David Coulthard
Debut	1999 Australian Grand Prix
First win	1999 Brazilian Grand Prix
Last win	1999 Japanese Grand Prix
Last event	1999 Japanese Grand Prix
Races Wins Podiums Poles F/Laps 16 7 16 11 9
Drivers' Championships	1 (1999, Mika Häkkinen)

The McLaren MP4/14 was a Formula One car built and designed by the McLaren-Mercedes team to compete in the 1999 Formula One World Championship. Designed primarily by Neil Oatley and Henri Durand under the direction of Adrian Newey, Mario Illien provided McLaren with its bespoke engine. The car gave Mika Häkkinen his second Formula One Drivers' Championship in a row, but McLaren was unable to defend their title in the World Constructors' Championship, losing narrowly to Scuderia Ferrari.

Overview

The MP4/14 was the fastest car of the season, with aerodynamics that were even more advanced than the previous year's all-conquering MP4/13, while the Mercedes engine remained the most powerful on the grid. However, serious reliability problems, as well as errors by the drivers, meant that the Constructors' Championship was won by Ferrari. ^[3]

McLaren MP4/14 on display at the Donington Collection. The car carries chassis number 4 and is in the state it crossed the line to win both the 1999 Japanese Grand Prix and the Formula One Drivers' Championship for its driver, Mika Häkkinen.

Steering wheel

Mika Häkkinen and David Coulthard used different shaped MP4/14 steering wheels. Häkkinen adopted the butterfly-style wheel, Coulthard still felt the need to have a lower grip on his rim. McLaren used four gearshift paddles in the MP4/14. The two blue paddles are the gear selectors, while the lower pair allow the driver to operate the clutch with either hand. Hakkinen had cut his teeth on this approach but when Coulthard used longer paddles on his wheel to help with the feel. This feel to him that he retained a slim clutch pedal for those moments when he wasn't able to react quickly enough with the paddles. This became even more clear when McLaren’s brake-fiddle solution was discovered – Häkkinen had three pedals, but there were four squeezed into Coulthard’s footwell. ^{[4] [5]}

Sponsorship and livery

McLaren used the 'West' logos, except at the French, British and Belgian Grands Prix; they were replaced with a "double stars" logo in Britain, while in France and Belgium by the drivers' first names.

Complete Formula One results

(key) (results in bold indicate pole position; results in italics indicate fastest lap)

Year	Team	Engine	Tyres	Drivers	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	Points	WCC
1999	McLaren	Mercedes V10	B		AUS	BRA	SMR	MON	ESP	CAN	FRA	GBR	AUT	GER	HUN	BEL	ITA	EUR	MAL	JPN	124	2nd
				Mika Häkkinen	Ret	1	Ret	3	1	1	2	Ret	3	Ret	1	2	Ret	5	3	1
				David Coulthard	Ret	Ret	2	Ret	2	7	Ret	1	2	5	2	1	5	Ret	Ret	Ret

References

• AUTOCOURSE 1999-2000, Henry, Alan (ed.), Hazleton Publishing Ltd. (1999) ISBN   1-874557-34-9

1. "McLaren Racing - Heritage - MP4-14". www.mclaren.com. Archived from the original on 11 October 2020. Retrieved 15 November 2020.
2. "Engine Mercedes". www.statsf1.com. Retrieved 17 November 2020.
3. "McLaren MP4/14 Was Good, But Not Good Enough For the Double". www.snaplap.net. 22 March 2017. Retrieved 11 December 2019.
4. "Giorgio Piola's history of F1 steering wheel evolution". Motorsport.com. Retrieved 16 April 2026.
5. "Häkkinen and Coulthard Onboard 1999". Youtube.com. Retrieved 16 April 2026.

External links

Awards
Preceded by McLaren MP4/13	Autosport Racing Car Of The Year 1999	Succeeded by Ferrari F1-2000