1/43 1988 McLaren MP4/4 - Ayrton Senna

The McLaren MP4/4, also known as the McLaren-Honda MP4/4, is one of the most successful Formula One car designs of all time. It competed in the 1988 Formula One season.  It was designed by American engineer Steve Nichols, the full responsibility for the design of the car having been conferred on him by Ron Dennis. 

Gordon Murray, as Technical Director, subsequently confirmed this in an internal memo allocating responsibilities for the design department, nominating Nichols as chief designer for the car, and giving himself (Murray) the role of liaising between the drawing office and production. 

The car was powered by Honda's RA168E 1.5 litre V6 turbo engine. With Murray deciding that the base design of the MP4/4 would be inspired by his 1986 low-line Brabham BT55, Nichols, designing around the parameters Murray had set for the car then took elements of the MP4/3 from 1987 using the same design principles, but with more time, different components (smaller fuel tank, smaller engine, for example), and different rules the car was a significant development.

The Honda-powered MP4/4 is one of the most dominant Formula One cars ever built, winning all but one race and claiming all but one pole position in the 1988 season.