A Mercedes-powered McLaren that wore Vodafone colours, carried an F-Duct controversy and kept Hamilton and Button in the hunt until the final round.
The McLaren MP4-25 was the team's 2010 Formula One car, powered by a customer Mercedes-Benz engine and driven by Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton. It was unveiled in January 2010 and is known for the F-Duct rear wing that the FIA allowed after a Red Bull complaint.
The McLaren MP4-25 carried Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton through the 2010 Formula One season. Its engine came from Mercedes as a customer supply, and its rear wing produced the F-Duct controversy that dominated the early part of the year. The team stayed in the title hunt until the final round, where Sebastian Vettel took the championship.
What was the MP4-25?
The MP4-25 was the car McLaren raced in the 2010 season. Lowe, Oatley, Goss, Bailey and Iley shaped its chassis, and it ran on a Mercedes-Benz engine supplied to McLaren as a customer. The car was unveiled at Vodafone's Newbury headquarters in January.
McLaren had bought a 75% stake in Brawn GP to return as a full constructor. The MP4-25 was the first McLaren built by McLaren alone, although its engine still came from Mercedes.
A Mercedes-powered McLaren, an F-Duct wing and a title race that went to the final round.
How much did the F-Duct add on the straights?
The F-Duct was a rear wing system that stalled the wing at high speed, cutting drag. It could add up to 6 mph (9.7 km/h) on the straights. The FIA did not treat it as a moveable aerodynamic device, so it fell outside the rules that would have banned it.
Red Bull complained about the rear wing's legality. A snorkel in front of the driver channelled air through a cockpit duct and back toward the car's rear. Changes in pressure inside that duct, combined with small slots on the rear wing, stalled the wing and reduced drag.
Known internally as RW80, the system took its popular name from the 'F' in the sponsor's name, which sat on the snorkel. The driver operated it by blocking a small opening in the cockpit with his left leg. The car was inspected on the Thursday before the Bahrain Grand Prix and cleared to race.
How did the MP4-25 perform early in 2010?
The MP4-25 was a clear step up from the MP4-24. Both drivers reached the third qualifying session in Bahrain, with Hamilton fourth and Button eighth. Hamilton finished third after a problem struck Vettel's car, and Button took seventh.
In Australia Button switched to slicks first on a damp, drying track, which lifted him to second. He inherited the lead when Vettel retired with brake trouble and held it to the flag, while Hamilton finished sixth after a controversial weekend.
China brought a dominant 1-2 finish for the team. Spain was less kind. Hamilton was in front for much of the race before a front wheel rim cracked on the penultimate lap, and Button lost time at his first stop and finished fifth.
Malaysia was harder. Hamilton failed to get out of the first part of qualifying, and Button aquaplaned into the gravel and started 17th. Both finished in the points, with Hamilton sixth and Button eighth.
What happened in Monaco and Turkey?
Monaco was a poor weekend. Button's engine overheated on lap 3 and he retired, after a cooling duct had been left in the radiator, and Hamilton finished fifth after Schumacher was penalised.
In Turkey the two McLarens qualified second and fourth, behind the Red Bulls. Hamilton fought Webber for the lead early on, and after the two Red Bulls collided on lap 41, Hamilton crossed the line ahead of Button, giving McLaren its second one-two of the year.
Did McLaren lead the championship at any point?
Yes, briefly in mid-season. Hamilton took the first pole in Canada that was not held by a Red Bull driver, and he won the race with Button second. That gave Hamilton the Drivers' lead and gave the team the Constructors' lead. In Valencia a drive-through penalty for passing the safety car illegally did not stop Hamilton finishing second, with Button third.
The lead did not last. At Silverstone new aerodynamic updates failed to suit either driver, and both reverted to the older package. Hamilton finished second and Button fourth. Hungary was worse, with Hamilton retiring with a gearbox issue and Button a lap down in eighth, which cost McLaren both of its championship leads.
How did the second half of the season go?
At Spa a wet race looked set to suit McLaren, Hamilton was second on the grid and Button fifth. The pair quickly moved into first and second, but Sebastian Vettel hit Button on lap 16 at the Bus Stop chicane and eliminated him. Hamilton held the lead through the closing laps to win.
Monza was another difficult race. Button got past Alonso at turn one for the lead, but Hamilton hit Massa at the second chicane and was out. Alonso won, with Button just under three seconds behind him at the end.
Singapore brought a clash with Mark Webber that ended Hamilton's race, and Button finished fourth. At Japan Hamilton took a five-place grid penalty for a gearbox change and started eighth, while Button finished fifth. Korea was a red-flag race after three laps: Hamilton finished second behind Alonso, and Button recovered only to 12th.
In Brazil Button was knocked out in Q2 by Felipe Massa and started 11th, while Hamilton ran in the top five. The title was then decided at Abu Dhabi, where Hamilton needed a win while Alonso was outside the points.
How did the 2010 championship finish?
Vettel won the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix and the title. Hamilton finished 16 points behind him, and Button a further 26 points adrift. McLaren kept second place in the Constructors' Championship, finishing 44 points adrift of Red Bull and 58 clear of Ferrari, which was third.
Season summary
| Measure | Result |
|---|---|
| Chassis designers | Lowe, Oatley, Goss, Bailey, Iley |
| Engine | Customer Mercedes-Benz |
| China | Dominant 1-2 finish |
| Canada | Hamilton pole and win, Button second |
| Hungary | Hamilton retired, Button eighth |
| Abu Dhabi | Vettel champion, Hamilton 16 points behind |
| Constructors' Championship | Second, 44 points behind Red Bull, 58 ahead of Ferrari |
Where else does the MP4-25 appear?
The MP4-25 was a playable car in F1 2010 from Codemasters, and it came back as a classic model in F1 2019 and F1 2020. It also appears in the mobile game Asphalt 8: Airborne, added in the December 2016 Championship Update.
Did the Silverstone aerodynamic updates work?
McLaren brought new aerodynamic updates to Silverstone, hoping to challenge Red Bull. Neither driver found the right balance with them, so both reverted to the original package.
Hockenheim proved difficult. McLaren prepared damage-limitation tactics until bigger updates arrived. Hamilton kept his championship lead with a fourth place, and Button sat just behind, keeping McLaren in the constructors' lead.
Which circuits suited the car least?
The car's grip problems showed on circuits with slow corners. At Monaco it lacked mechanical grip, and at Hungary the circuit's character hindered McLaren, with Button missing the top ten again and Hamilton nearly two seconds off pole.
Suzuka was a different test. Japanese qualifying was held on the race morning after torrential rain. Hamilton qualified third but dropped five places for a gearbox change, moving Button up to fifth.
How did the team respond after Hungary?
After Hungary the team lost both of its championship leads, and the next races were about damage limitation and recovery. At Spa, Monza and Singapore the drivers fought through incidents, while Korea and Brazil gave Hamilton and Button fresh points to chase.
The final round at Abu Dhabi was the decider. Button jumped Alonso at the start, and the title fight turned on the position of the drivers around them. Vettel went on to win the race and the championship, and McLaren's second place remained secure.
