Credit: Arnaud 25, Musée Lamborghini – F1 V12 engine (1991), 21 August 2013. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0
Credit: Arnaud 25, Musée Lamborghini – F1 V12 engine (1991), 21 August 2013. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 – Wikimedia Commons
Was McLaren Lamborghini deal close? And what happened so why this collaboration did not work out.
In the early 1990s, F1 was a world of rapid innovation, with Williams team bringing every year something that would make them unstoppable, fierce rivalries like the Senna-Prost era.
However, one of the most intriguing stories from that era is the near-collaboration between Lamborghini and McLaren.
In 1992, Honda withdrew from Formula 1 after financial struggles, leaving McLaren behind after a long collaboration together, McLaren 1993 engine was Ford for the 1993.
In the late 1993, McLaren was searching for a new engine supplier for the 1994 season after its partnership with Ford came to an end, McLaren was not happy and the engine was uncompetitive.
Lamborghini already active in F1 as an engine supplier, had developed a V12 that promised immense power but was hampered by reliability issues.
The possibility of mergning McLaren’s engineering excellence with Lamborghini’s V12 power, created one of the sport’s greatest ‘What if’ scenarios.
Banned But Brilliant: The Genius of McLaren’s F-Duct
Ayrton Senna McLaren Lamborghini Test
To evaluate the Lamborghini V12, McLaren conducted tests using a modified MP4/8 (1993 design) chassis at two legendary circuits, Silverstone and Estoril.
Ayrton and Mika tested the car, the three time world champion in F1, Senna, who was looking to come back at the front in F1, he admired Lamborghini and he wanted the deal.
In 10 years McLaren was able to win 7 championships as a team and at the end of 1993 test, the team felt excited, while in 1992 and 1993 the team was unable to match Williams.
It was not only within the garage, the fans were excited and enthusiasts were excited to see Lamborghini engine in one of the best teams at the time.
Still, many wonder what might have been if Lamborghini power had been paired with a great team like McLaren in 1994?
Lamborghini supplied other teams in F1 early in ’90s, Minardi, Ligier, Larrousse and Lambo team (known as Modena Team)
Why the Deal Did Not Happen
After promising tests, McLaren decided not to go with Lamborghini, they chose Peugeot V10 engine instead.
Why that happened so fast? Some reports suggests that while McLaren was testing the V12s of Lamborghini, the team had financial agreement with Peugeot for 1994.
Later it was confirmed by Martin Witmarsh about the agreement, when he explained why the promising Lamborghini tests never turned into a real partnership with the British team.
The Lamborghini V12, though powerful, suffered from frequent reliability issues and was heavier than rival engines, affecting overall chassis balance.
McLaren required an engine that could be developed consistently and provide long-season dependability, concerns about Lamborghini’s ability to support a full works program also weighed heavily.
Ayrton Senna wanted those engine , but even Senna praise could not override the practical considerations of a championship-contending team.
But if you look the details, the engine was heavier than Ford engine of 1993, but some sources suggests that the Lamborghini F1 V12 was more powerful at the time.
Was the deal McLaren-Peugeot that forced Senna to leave the team at the end 1993? It is one-million dollar question, but he wanted to compete at the front and it could be the reason why he left.
The missed opportunity of McLaren-Lamborghini partnership remains a fascinating footnote in F1 history, a glimpse of what could have been when ambition met caution.
The McLaren F1 Road Car
While McLaren opted against Lamborghini power in F1, 1994 also saw the debut of the McLaren F1 road car, that would become a legend in its own right.
Unlike the racing tests, the McLaren F1 road car was powered by a naturally aspirated 6.1-Liter BMW V12 engine, and it produced 618 horsepower and capable of reaching 240mph.
Its success solidified McLaren’s reputation not just in motorsport, but in a global supercar arena, now able to compete with Ferrari in the market, demonstrating that engineering excellence could thrive both and off the track.
Lamborghini’s Formula 1 Struggles
The Lamborghini engine program in F1 had always been fragile, they lacked the financial and technical resources necessary to support a long-term and front-running engine program.
The V12 had reliability problems, and with limited resources and the absence of top team in F1 meant the engine never exploited its full potential.
The failed deal with McLaren in 1994, became povital moment and probably the end of the Lambo of competing at the highest level.
It impressed Ayrton Senna, but despite that, the program could not achieve sustained success, leaving the world to imagine what might have been.
This 1970 McLaren Was So Radical, It Looked Illegal
Lamborghini’s Motorsport Focus Today
For now, Lamborghini has no plans to return to F1, but are they capable of competing in F1? The answer is yes.
But the company is focused on GT Racing, endurance series and supplying other brands.
