The 1984 McLaren MP4/2 was one of the most dominant F1 cars in Grand Prix racing History.
Following the introduction in 1984 of the 220-liter fuel limitations as a means of controlling the phenomenal power of turbo engines, the various F1 engine manufacturers found themselves faced with a complicated exercise that required most drivers to monitor their fuel consumption while racing, which resulted sometimes in skewed and relatively unspectacular races.
In this game, it was the TAG-Porsche engine that performed the best with the help of the sophisticated Bosch electronic ignition/injection control, a sequential fuel injection which supplied the fuel to each
cylinder just before the firing stroke, each injector working
individually. And occasionally some dry ice. The TAG-Porsche fuel efficiency allowed it to race with over 800bhp for the full race distance.
This added to the use of the full carbon monocoque that McLaren was the 1st team to use in racing (if we forget about the isolated case of the 1981 Lotus 88B which never raced actually), the use of the carbon brakes on most occasions, a well balanced and versatile John Barnard chassis with its typical "coke bottle" shape which later became a trend in F1 and single seaters racing in general, the huge technical experience of Niki Lauda, the speed and reliability of Alain Prost, and the highly rigorous management of Ron Dennis, all of this helped make Marlboro McLaren TAG-Porsche the team to beat in 1984, leaving Williams-Honda, Brabham-BMW and Ferrari a few consolation crumbs.
