The MP4-24 was designed by Paddy Lowe, Neil Oatley, Pat Fry, Andrew Bailey and Simon Lacey. Andy Cowell designed the bespoke Mercedes-Benz engine, which was also supplied to Force India and Brawn GP, but specifically engineered to fit within the MP4-24 chassis. The car was revealed on January 16, 2009, at McLaren’s headquarters in Woking, United Kingdom, and underwent its initial test run the following day at the Autódromo Internacional do Algarve with test driver Pedro de la Rosa. The design period was heavily influenced by the evolving aerodynamic regulations of the 2009 season, particularly those surrounding diffusers.
Initial testing revealed aerodynamic deficiencies in the MP4-24, resulting in slower lap times compared to its competitors. The team principal, Martin Whitmarsh, acknowledged that the car was “underdeveloped” and lacked sufficient aerodynamic downforce. The original design featured a conventional diffuser. However, following clarification from the FIA regarding the legality of double-decker diffuser designs – prompted by inquiries from several teams – McLaren implemented a modified diffuser based on these principles at the Malaysian Grand Prix. The car also featured a Kinetic Energy Recovery System (KERS), which played a role in its later successes. McLaren was the first team to win a Grand Prix with a KERS-equipped car, achieving this at the Hungarian Grand Prix with Lewis Hamilton. Hamilton also secured pole position with a KERS-equipped car at the European Grand Prix, with teammate Heikki Kovalainen qualifying second, marking the first all-KERS front row. McLaren utilized the KERS system in all races except the British Grand Prix.
Lewis Hamilton and Heikki Kovalainen were the designated drivers for the MP4-24 throughout the 2009 season. The car initially struggled for performance, with both drivers consistently near the bottom of the timesheets during testing. By the midpoint of the season, after the British Grand Prix, McLaren had accumulated only 13 points in the Constructors’ Championship – 9 from Hamilton and 4 from Kovalainen. This contrasted sharply with the 72 points earned by the team at the same stage in 2008. Hamilton publicly expressed his frustration with the car’s performance, and former team owner Eddie Jordan described it as “possibly the worst car McLaren have ever designed”.
Significant upgrades were introduced for the German Grand Prix at the Nürburgring, resulting in improved qualifying positions for both drivers – Hamilton in 5th and Kovalainen in 6th. However, a first-lap collision for Hamilton hampered his race, and he finished in 18th place, while Kovalainen managed to score points in 8th. Further upgrades were implemented before the Hungarian Grand Prix, where Hamilton achieved a dominant victory. Following disappointing results at Spa and Monza, Hamilton secured his second win of the season at the Singapore Grand Prix from pole position. Third-place finishes in Suzuka) and São Paulo ultimately helped McLaren secure third place in the Constructors’ Championship.
The introduction of the double-decker diffuser, initially a point of contention, prompted clarification from the FIA, who ultimately confirmed its legality. This allowed McLaren, along with other teams, to adopt similar designs.
The MP4-24 was the last McLaren Formula One car to operate as the primary works team for Mercedes-Benz. Following Mercedes-Benz and Daimler AG's buyout of Brawn GP in late 2009, McLaren was relegated to a customer team for Mercedes F1 in 2010, marking the return of a full-factory Mercedes-Benz constructor team to Formula One. The MP4-24 was succeeded by the MP4-25.
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