formula racing car designed compete formula season car driven world drivers champion returned years drove team world champion button drove team temporarily stood test accident additional testing development work carried car built contested season powered engine known ended year partnership mercedes end season car nicknamed size zero formula car team distinct sharply tapered rear end achieved designing engine operate higher temperatures engines end season car recorded best finish fifth place hungarian grand prix scored seven points leaving ninth button classified sixteenth seventeenth positions respectively world drivers championship formally classified start race entered difficult season formula team endured thirty years string technical problems compromised car performance analysis project pointed failure communication estimating technology required engine critical faults engine design cause team problems design development design team having developed returned design build previously worked recruited team served team head aid designing oversee team operations alongside designer engine developed facilities facility develop civic use world touring car championship compete japanese super championship project led early development previously competed formula purchased british american racing selling team ahead season sport introducing brand new engine formula mercedes engine supplier establishing team sought new engine supplier view long term relationship partnership announced engine spent eighteen months development team mercedes hybrid engine season development started variation developed test new engine car appearances test sessions driven testing development driver testing programme limited technical problems engine prevented significant running chassis shelved following appearance team carrying engine chassis ahead pre season test season car entries pass mandatory crash tests getting final approval december pre season testing début pre season test team endured difficult start engine suffering series recurring mechanical faults restricted team running days finished test having completed mileage present issues plagued car resolved time second test prompting replace parts supplied parts developed independently team finally managed substantial running final test barcelona completing seven laps day able complete second weeks opening race longest stint continuous running completed laps barcelona circuit distance quarter grand prix distance testing accident team pre season preparations overshadowed accident involving final day testing saw hospitalised concussion ruled final test test reserve driver drafted replacement remainder test opening round season later attributed accident steering failure maintained evidence car failure data following accident power unit analysis revealed developed power unit season mind substantial revisions technical regulations forward decision head start developing engine time trying maintain development juvenile power unit furthermore developing tight packaging introduced radical concepts engine allowed develop smaller engine weighed fit confines chassis trade required additional water cooling temperatures control split positioned alongside motor generator unit heat generator harvesting heat energy exhaust power turbine positioned cylinder banks forming configuration engine order fit use fan single stage favour smaller fans positioned intervals shaft limit ability build maximum boost pressure fuel flow limit introduced impact motor generator unit generator harvesting energy engine spinning braking positioned engine deliver energy directly following convention established introduction energy recovery system batteries housing energy harvested merged positioned engine capable harvesting energy lap regulations systems deploy energy lap hungarian grand prix noted taken unusual step giving engine individual designation season development engine manufacturer grid granted limited scope develop engines given develop power unit required despite having eighteen months development prior race regulations power units divided thirty areas development given permission develop course season engine updates introduced aimed improving reliability motor generator units mid season engine reported producing power mercedes hybrid engine grid preparations ceo chairman noted team encouraged aerodynamic data collected chassis particularly mid corner speeds claimed similar produced teams added car performance issues traced lack outright power poor fuel efficiency engine team principal suggested main problem team faced improving efficiency energy recovery systems harvesting deploying additional power developing areas car seconds lap time car compete regularly podium finishes engine struggled reliability issues half season declared happy progress following announced development focus switch improving performance ahead round planned updates plans wider range updates spread remainder season race representative new engine performance predicted updated produce horsepower rival ferrari engine despite average mph slower fastest driver speed trap half season analysis engine performance revealed gradually reduced deficit went suggest engine advantage estimated mercedes updates introduced belgium included changes chamber intake exhaust aimed reducing stress engine components allow operate peak efficiency analysis team mechanical problems suggested critical fault internal chamber having effect components placing stress inefficient energy faster harvested net effect engine lose halfway lap race car observed harvesting energy straight fastest point circuit cars deploying energy place despite insistence advantage engine estimated car losing seconds lap mercedes italian grand prix unable attack defend position powered cars drag reduction system deployed comments came amidst public signs tension reports team requested removed position project manager analysis development carried rival manufacturers revealed mercedes ferrari found additional course season development fuel blends chambers promote efficient fuel burning gains started introduce final round upgrades ahead focusing internal engine associated exhaust parts aim improving efficiency gradually introducing new parts rounds engine allow better packaging chassis replaced conventional albeit smaller design exhaust updated ahead planned development exhaust outlets improve engine power curve chose focus internal engine instead directly addressing problems felt problems adequately addressed remaining season development instead deferred development end season restrictions development lifted upgrades given button scheduled receive rounds later updates received positively pointed setting lap times faster recorded opening phase race team identified potential gain half seconds lap engine adopting aerodynamic design elements teams button optimistic pointing engine struggle mexico high altitude metres sea level leave turbine power given low density air team predictions difficult weekend proven true qualifying highlighted deficit leading mercedes power dependent sectors circuit consistently tenths second margin course season reception widely criticised wider formula community team struggles recurring theme season criticism particularly directed project manager structure companies saw develop engine independently minimal input failure recruit engineers rival engine manufacturers mercedes ferrari demands sport technology required compete responding criticism claimed size zero approach demanded attempting create compact design fit tight packaging chassis compromised overall design engine limited ability develop course season defended suggesting independent development programme difficult manufacturers copy design ceo took broader view team difficult season range factors including chassis development staff morale engine performance criticism directed decision consciously limit involvement sport supplying single team touted potential customer gather additional data team rejected criticism arguing infrastructure needed establish partnership distract campaign season earliest possible date expansion considered team performance targets regular points acknowledged team facing budgetary season estimated million million team originally anticipated finishing fifth ninth great share prize money build japanese grand prix noted addressing power unit shortcomings remained team biggest challenge unhappy operations citing lack running friday practice sessions starting procedures pit stops parts gearbox problems engine powerless defend repeated race condemning embarrassing engine radio despite running engine peak performance hungarian grand prix driver commentator opined felt pursuing research development programme pure racing programme looking different outcomes season outright results button qualifying thirteenth russian grand prix half second described team having meaningful progress season races later following upgrade introduced mexico said engine power inefficient lacking reliability suffering issues plagued start season conclusion season left role team replaced managing director focused development successor competition history season review opening rounds weeks australian withdrew race medical advice following testing accident having driven pre season testing remained team race team endured difficult start season melbourne button qualified final row grid engine ahead race preserve reliability button later recorded going speed trap mph mph slower fastest car race attrition button final classified finisher eleventh position laps race winner completed race distance start engine failed whilst driving grid returned team malaysian grand prix engine operate higher level performance team introduced range aerodynamic updates including fins new wing button qualified penultimate row grid ahead drivers stevens cars retired race mechanical problems team score points round races struggling poor reliability lack engine performance chinese grand prix race cars classified finishing repeated team best finish eleventh place hope improved performance arrested start european season round spain button finished sixteenth retired brake problems european season button scored car points eighth place finish later attributed result having confidence car noting raise ride height end car brake heavily locking brakes hitting road performance car turning apex corner following races canada austria team struggles came head forced reduce power output engine levels australia provide competitive package long slow corners addition arrival austria button engine components season combined gearbox changes resulted drivers receiving place grid penalties team introduced major aerodynamic updates season replacing nose original design squared end similar designs rear floor revised series slots cut body rear wheels change air pressure flowing team saw limited running retired opening lap collision able assess new design post race test enduring consecutive scored point season tenth place finish great_britain amended allow supply extra engine penalty opted use hungary tight confines lower demands outright power expected benefit despite reliability problems preventing car reaching final qualifying session team expected button expressed satisfaction feeling chassis team development describing best weekend season team went record finish cars points finished fifth button ninth team went summer break seventeen points points deliberately introduced brand new engines button effectively moving grid allowing contest italian singapore prix deemed crucial races assessing engine development risk penalty despite plan team forced penalty italy engine changes needed bringing total use engines original allocation belgium saw team second major aerodynamic update team added extra fins floor improve air flow car lowered height revised engine cover position cool energy recovery system changed cars completed finished outside points lap thirteenth fourteenth place button described result embarrassing cars classified finishing despite retiring race final lap team reverted longer specification nose italian grand prix order provide better aerodynamic balance lower drag high speed circuit change proved little benefit drivers eliminated qualifying period struggled race button finished fourteenth retired electrical problem classified eighteenth position completed race winner race distance race marked milestone races grand prix win brazilian grand prix asian american rounds championship returning asia second round races team arrived singapore confident scoring points despite cars advancing second period qualifying running race cars retired gearbox problems forced car kept selecting neutral input problem affected drivers button involved contact pastor trying pass slow moving safety car restart gearbox experimenting new wing designed improve air flow tyres free practice singapore team introduced parts race japan week later team struggled tyre pressures following high speed tyre blow introduced mandatory minimum tyre pressure setting advice tyre supplier japanese grand prix pressures raised psi kpa compared levels race affected ride height vertical suspension travel produced increased despite taking advantage grid penalties saw start twelfth fourteenth respectively button went finish eleventh sixteenth team acknowledging represented final opportunity score points merit focus shifted development car final leg championship addition engine upgrades brought russia team sought use high speed low degradation characteristics circuit test experimental parts including exhaust configuration race attrition button initially finished points button ninth taking tenth given second penalty race relegated eleventh place addition engine upgrades introduced brought new aerodynamic package revised wing increase altered turning improve air flow adopted concept pioneered ferrari rear floor designed reduce impact washing rear wheels disrupting rear turn opened wider range set options ride height angle rear ride height updates designed bring line designs developed teams engine aerodynamic updates team hoped compete points merit clashed opening lap running high fifth closing stages course replicate team best result season suffering loss power slipping order finish eleventh points button promoted sixth race saw car best qualifying performance started eleventh points button scored saw team close points world championship result meant endured longest streak races previously set japanese grand prix british grand prix despite progress team previous rounds struggles continued mexico drivers eliminated early qualifying setting new record grid penalties changing parts warrant seventy place penalty retired race problem team identified night button finished fourteenth overall team struggles continued championship moved brazil penultimate round stopping twice circuit free practice recurring engine fault forced miss qualifying button finished race fifteenth sixteenth place respectively fourteenth fifteenth disqualified tyre pressure button later noted speed deficit circuit relative engines scary despite extensive development programme time season came close completely shifted development car testing platform season half parts considered experimental including brand new configuration rear suspension geometry despite expected speed deficit long recording speeds mph slower fastest cars speed trap minor contact pits button complimentary car drive twelfth describing best felt year went finish seventeenth receiving drive penalty role causing collision pastor opening lap race chance experiment continuous deployment time team race conditions saw set fastest lap race tenths second slower fastest lap race recorded final standings finished season ninth seven points points nearest rivals scored points nineteen starts best result fifth place hungary race time cars finished inside points team best points scorer sixteen points scored team best individual race result hungary qualifying performance eleventh united_states result marked button worst individual season driving racing worst début season retirement competition following final race took series tests organised tyre supplier assess planned tyre compounds season teams opportunity new compounds including different builds brand new compound resumed testing duties team duration test completed ninety laps set fastest time test tenths second faster rest field tenths faster fastest time set race final appearance retired competition taking wet tyre tests preparation season car subsequently replaced rules introduced declared previous car cars contested season restricting use testing promotional filming means preventing illegal testing given similarities technical regulations complete formula results key results bold indicate pole position results indicate fastest lap notes driver failed finish race classified completed winner race distance results adjusted post race following application penalties
McLaren MP4-30