Development
Following the 2007 Formula One espionage controversy the MP4-23 was subject to FIA inspection before the start of the 2008 season, to determine if any Ferrari intellectual property was on the car. [3] [4] After an admission that the Ferrari information was disseminated more widely throughout the team than was originally thought an apology by McLaren on 13 December 2007, and a pledge that measures would be taken to rectify the situation, caused the FIA to decide that there was no need for a formal hearing and the matter was considered closed. [5] [6]
As part of updated FIA regulations for the 2008 season, the MP4-23 as well as the other cars of 2008, used raised headrests in an effort to improve driver safety. The FIA had also banned traction control via the introduction of a standard ECU for 2008, making the MP4-23 the first McLaren to not use traction control since the 2001 MP4-16.
Revisions from the MP4-22 included a longer wheelbase, the removal of the "bullhorn" winglets from the airbox and a new rear wing which differed both in main profile and its endplates. [7] [8] In the pre-German Grand Prix testing, the car was run with a "shark fin" engine cover, as sported by cars such as the Renault R28 and the Red Bull RB4, but the team did not permanently run it. [9]
At the 2008 Hungarian Grand Prix, some new aerodynamic parts were added, including "dumbo wings" on the nose, similar to those used by Honda on the RA108, which were temporarily removed at the Italian Grand Prix but reinstated for the rest of the season.
The MP4-23 was succeeded by the MP4-24.
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Lewis Hamilton 
Heikki Kovalainen 
