McLaren MP4/5B
In 1990, McLaren entered the World Championship with the MP4/5B, an evolution of the previous year’s car, built to defend the titles it had just won. Senna remained at the wheel of car number 27, while Prost—now world champion—departed for Ferrari, taking engineer Steve Nichols with him. In return, Gerhard Berger arrived from Maranello to partner the Brazilian in car number 28.
The MP4/5B was an updated version of its predecessor, revised mainly to meet new regulations, particularly in the layout of its fuel tanks. The most visible change was the redesigned sidepods, now slimmer with smaller air intakes. While the car as a whole was developed around Senna’s driving style, the cockpit was modified to accommodate Berger’s larger frame: the air intake above the driver’s head was both narrowed and raised. At the rear, a new five-channel diffuser replaced the more conventional design used in 1989.
Drivers:
Ayrton Senna: 1990 was the first season in which the Brazilian raced without the looming presence of his long-time rival, Alain Prost. Free from internal pressure and perfectly supported by the many strengths of his new car, Ayrton delivered a masterful campaign. In addition to the six victories already mentioned, he claimed ten pole positions and two fastest laps. Despite retiring from the final three races, he secured the World Championship with a total of 78 points.
Nigel Mansell: With second place finishes in Brazil and San Marino, five third places in Monaco, Mexico, Germany, Belgium, and Italy, and four additional points finishes, he played a key role alongside his teammate in securing McLaren’s Constructors’ Championship title. Without diminishing his talent, Gerhard was effectively left with the crumbs that Senna did not take. Yet the bond that developed between them was, in all likelihood, the strongest relationship the Brazilian ever had with a teammate during his entire Formula One career.
Our model cars:
While the MP4/5B was being developed, McLaren also worked in parallel on a test version—the MP4/5C—designed to house Honda’s new V12 engine for the following season. A winter testing accident at Silverstone left Senna’s first “B” chassis badly damaged but also confirmed the new car’s sharper responsiveness compared to the MP4/5.
The MP4/5B kept McLaren at the top in 1990, in a fierce duel with Ferrari’s 641 F1 driven by Prost and Mansell. On track, the two cars were evenly matched: the McLaren was quicker in qualifying, while the Ferrari often proved stronger over race distance, particularly in the second half of the season. Reflecting that balance, both teams scored six wins apiece. Senna claimed all of McLaren’s victories—at the United States, Monaco, Canada, Germany, Belgium, and Italy Grands Prix—and went on to secure his second World Championship title.
