THE MCLAMBO TEST! The Story of the McLaren-Lamborghini Engine Test (1993) 

I hope you feel better soon but also thanks for doing this story again! I live doing the what if team engine combos in the motorsport manager game if you did something like this again could you maybe do the whole thing regarding Toyota suppiling engines to Jordan/Midland or just that whole period for the team from Jordan selling the team to 2009 when the team became good ish again

To be flippant without being insensitive and without wishing to speak for everyone- I think we're all here for the great content. Personally I don't notice your complexion even after you mention it. And to be totally honest you could have a complexion like a pepperoni pizza and it wouldn't make a difference. The content is great and that's why I come. 👍

@@Ricky_Baldy yeah, but if I can make a joke about it before someone with no content and no subscribers comes along to roast me on it, I win 🤣

To this day I still can't comprehend the breath taking stupidity of Coughlan('s wife) taking a confidential 700+ page Ferrari document to a public photocopying shop.

I looks like: "Aidan...was pissed" On a serious note: Hope all is good :D

So true

Lost senna , lost Adrian Newey

​@@User-dd2xvLost Mercedes too

Ron Dennis is a god

​@@project182r3You clearly forgot Spygate and Honda part 2

It's a shame Senna wasn't in McLaren in 1994 for obvious reasons.

And probably would still be alive…

Yes one of those "what ifs" stories that has seismic ramifications 🙏😑 Had they got that Lambo engine it may have convinced Senna to stay and may be changed the course of Formula One history if not the whole world... but, the Lord has other ideas...

Not actually true. Senna had already signed with Williams by the time McLaren started testing the Lamborghini V12. Even if Ron Dennis had decided to go with Chryster/Lamborghini instead of Peugeot in 1994, Senna would still have gone to Williams.

@@Holden308 true. Senna was't stupid, he knew McLaren problems was not the engine alone, also an aero side they had big problems that led to fire Henri Durand. in fast corners the Mp4/8 simply had not the downforce of a Benetton B193. McLaren had that sort of problems for year, only that in Honda era this was covered simply by giving more rear wing because the engnine was fantastic. So Senna needed that Williams. Williams had all he wanted, the only problem was the regulation imposed a passive car for 1994.

I agree those sounds were awesome I know there was a onboard from Paul Richard of Eric Bernard driving one probably the Larousse

Can vouch, was there too!

Were they louder than the last couple of v10s?

There was the chance that Lamborghini (road car production) could be sold and that the F1 racing division stay with Chrysler and continue to be developed.

@@weofnjieofing Yes, although as I said Larrousse who was already using the Lamb engine wasn't convinced that it would continue and so was looking elsewhere with three years left on the contract.

That series is TV gold!

Episode 6 - The Rules Of The Game

Mika testing it ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-_zAeX-SittI.html

Prima la scuderia, secondo i piloti.

There was talk of the Renaults going to McLaren as well, but the fuel deal (Elf rather that Total) was a big problem for the same reasons. I'm not sure what changed by 1994/5 with Mobil and Shell, but one wonders if Ron realised the right engine partner was better than the long term sponsor, or that Shell had already jumped ship to join Ferrari and Schumacher.

Just like Ferrari no? (And Williams)

You'll always find a way to like Ron Dennis less. Just think, if you've had a bad day, it's Ron Dennis' fault!

@@heliumtrophy That would be a “sub-optimal day, deviating from normal operating parameters” in Ron-speak.

@@BungleBare Revised optimal parameters are not in Ron's vernacular.

I met Ron at a sponsors event in Montreal. He just radiated smug condescension. Hakkinen on the other hand was a cool, normal dude with no ego. The Lamborghini problems I’ve always thought could have been corrected by a top team. I suspect there could have been an oil starvation problem that could have been corrected.

Peugeot seemed like a better option. They dominated le mans with a 3.5 ltr engine. They could do well lasting 24hrs. But turned into ticking random time bombs in a 1.5 hrs formula 1 race.

I can imagine that loud V12 engine wouldn't be very fuel-efficient.

@@mrdraw2087 worse than the V12 Honda which they ran aswell and less power.

Think it might be, actually. I’m going right back into the 60s now to see if there was a Ferrari or a Vanwall that did it.

@@AidanMillward all I can find is that they experimented using a V12 in Fangio's Maserati 250F in 1957. But I don't think they raced it

@@elliotcrossan6290 no constructors at that point either so would it count? 🤔

@@AidanMillward a win is a win

@@AidanMillward lol true. I count cars which won the Drivers' as title winning too

Warwick almost punched out Schumacher at the Nurburgring too after Michael tried to chop him on one of the straights. Makes you wonder if he’d been lamped, he’d have not had those questionable moments of driving standards through his career.

@@AidanMillward That motorsport podcast is such a great one, especially Schlesser going "hit him, hit him!"

They were running with a completely different powertrain, one that required a significant alteration to the wheelbase. Added weight was likely already expected.

@@jsquared1013 Added weight is fine. But 100Kgs (220LBS) is just too much for a car which was around 550Kgs. Also: I can be wrong.

07:56 the engine was 29KGs (66 pounds) lighter then the one they had (Ford). If the drive is strengthened it had 29 KGs in hand to get back to the level of the Ford + original drive train.

The story I knew originally was this: Dennis had the Peugeot contract in hand when the Chrysler/Lambo engine test took place. And he said he cannot switch the engine deal now, because by braking the contract he will lose credibility and won't get a contract next time from any carmaker for a factory engine (for free). I don't think he needed to play games to trick Senna and Hakkinen, even if Senna said to him, he will stay with the team if they have the Chrysler/Lambo engine for next year (at least this is how I remember the story). Again: I can be very wrong. I think Ron Dennis knows the full story. It would be interesting to hear from him.

Definitely

Doubt it. He would have still jumped to Williams.

The race on Sunday I didn’t stream becuase I knew people would rather watch the f1, so we started a bit earlier. Ended up winning with a grand slam 🤣 But yeah, I’ve got some highlights from Spa to go up.

@@AidanMillward Ha ha oh well I guess not being live brought you more luck and a speed

The British always overreact when there are foreigners involved. Especially when it’s the French.

And would of been alive

But what *other* V10/V12 were even available at that time? Only the Yamaha V10.

Who knows, probably not as chassis wise the McLaren just wasn't near Bennetton or Williams. Although maybe Senna would've still be in the position of over-driving to combat Schumacher's shithousery with Option 13. Imola could still have happened, or worse later on in the season. I think some times you have to wonder whether the sport would've changed so much if Imola had just taken Ratzenberger's life, I don't think it would've. Not to the extent that it did. Which if that's true, what would have happened in F1 in the following years? Would Belgium 1998 been a total bloodbath?

@@MyWifeHatesThisCar that’s a very good point.

“10 million for the offence, 90 million because Ron Dennis is a cunt”- Max Mosley. Max and Bernie didn’t like it that Ron would question them.

It's also interesting to wonder if he'd still be with us now if that had happened.

where did you hear 900bhp at suzuka 92? I tohught it was only a little over 800bhp.

Ah bollocks not again.

F1rst

Yep.

Chrysler would have lobbed money at the problem and McLaren would have used their know how to get it fixed. Even with a full tank it was as fast as the Williams.

Senna was already signed for Williams when Dennis and Peugeot signed the deal.

A contract is just a piece of paper. It's not a gun to the head.

@@AidanMillward Yes, but if Senna thought McLaren could be competitive again, with an engine that he knew had development left in it, it's possible he'd have gotten out of his Williams deal

@@arthuralford ​ But the bottom line is that that Lamborghini V12 was never going to be successful in its 1989-1993 guise. It was too heavy, too bulky, too thirsty and too unreliable. It all rested on an all-new V10 or V12 being developed for 1994. That in turn all depended on Chrysler financing the whole thing... And anybody who had a smidgen of insight in how Chrysler was doing in the mid 90's knew that was an uncomfortable long-shot. Here's the thing: Senna already wanted to join Williams in 1993 knowing how much better the 1992 Williams FW14B was to his McLaren MP4/7. In fact Senna even offered to drive for free(!) for Williams if they only signed him. Unfortunately for him Prost already had a contract with Williams for 1993 and it said Senna *couldn't* be his team mate. "it's possible he'd have gotten out of his Williams deal" Not a chance. Senna knew that Prost would retire at the end of 1993 and if Senna *didn't* get that Williams-Renault drive for 1994 he knew all-too well somebody else might win the 1994 title. Damon Hill and whoever was hired to replace Prost, probably Mansell. Heck if Senna stays at McLaren for 1994 Prost might even reconsider his retirement. At any rate Senna knows he'd be gambling really high allowing somebody else to take that Williams seat for 1994. "with an engine that he knew had development left in it," V12's were on their way *out* by the start of the 90's. Only Ferrari endured until 1995 before even they realized V10's were the way to go. Senna's 1991 title with the Honda V12 powered McLaren was more due to his stellar start to the season and Williams' constant reliability issues. By 1992 this was abundantly clear and Honda pondered designing an all new V10 for 1993 before they decided to pull the plug on their F1 program. *Ferrari* struggled with the V12's throughout their final 5 seasons and only won 2 races in total. As you may know, Ron Dennis tried to broker a deal with Renault to supply McLaren as well as Williams. It never materialized. So unless there is a *Renault V10* in the back of the 1994 McLaren Senna will sign for Williams.