The MP4-27 was designed by Paddy Lowe, Neil Oatley, Tim Goss, Andrew Bailey and John Iley and was powered by a customer Mercedes-Benz engine. The car distinguished itself from many of its competitors by eschewing the prevalent “platypus” nose design of 2012, instead opting for a gradual sloped nose. The Marussia F1 MR01 and HRT F112 also adopted a similar low nose approach, with the HRT car incorporating a less pronounced step in the nose while still adhering to the regulations.
The MP4-27 utilized a customer Mercedes-Benz engine. The car’s design focused on a low nose configuration, differentiating it from many of the other cars on the grid. From the Monaco Grand Prix onwards, the car was fitted with a higher front wing.
The MP4-27 demonstrated promising pace from the outset of the 2012 season, with Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button qualifying first and second at the Australian Grand Prix, the team's first front-row lockout since the 2009 European Grand Prix. Button went on to win the race, while Hamilton finished third. At the Malaysian Grand Prix, the pair again qualified first and second, but Button’s race was compromised by a broken front wing, while Hamilton finished third.
The Chinese Grand Prix saw the Mercedes-powered cars gain an advantage, with Nico Rosberg winning the race. Button finished second, having started fifth, while Hamilton recovered from a gearbox change that relegated him to seventh to finish third. This result placed Hamilton in the lead of the drivers' standings.
The subsequent races in Bahrain, Spain, and Monaco proved less successful for McLaren. In Bahrain, Hamilton finished eighth and Button retired. In Spain, both drivers finished outside the points, and Button retired in Monaco.
The Canadian Grand Prix brought a return to form for Hamilton, who won the race, marking his first victory since the Chinese Grand Prix. Button, however, struggled with tyre issues and finished 16th. The European and British Grand Prix were also disappointing, with Hamilton encountering issues and Button struggling for pace.
The German Grand Prix saw Button outqualify Hamilton for the first time in 2012, and he ultimately finished second after Vettel received a time penalty for an illegal overtake. Hamilton’s race was ruined by a puncture and a subsequent mechanical failure. The Hungarian Grand Prix saw Hamilton dominate qualifying and win the race, while Button finished sixth.
Following the summer break, Button secured a dominant victory at the Belgian Grand Prix, while Hamilton was involved in a first-lap collision. At the Italian Grand Prix, Hamilton took pole position and won the race, while Button retired due to fuel pressure issues.
In Singapore, Hamilton retired with a gearbox failure while leading, and Button finished second. At the Japanese Grand Prix, Button finished third, while Hamilton finished fifth. The Korean Grand Prix was a difficult race for McLaren, with Hamilton finishing tenth and Button retiring after contact. By this point, Ferrari had overtaken McLaren in the Constructors' Championship.
The Indian Grand Prix saw Hamilton finish fourth and Button fifth, effectively ending both drivers’ championship hopes. Hamilton secured pole position for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, but retired due to reliability issues. Button finished fourth.
At the United States Grand Prix, Hamilton won the race, and Button finished fifth. The final race of the season, the Brazilian Grand Prix, saw Hamilton involved in a late-race collision and retire, while Button won the race, finishing fifth in the drivers’ championship.
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