Hundreds of F1 cars have been developed over the history of grand prix racing – and while most are eventually forgotten, some have become an important part of the sport’s history and remain iconic until this day.
In this article, we’ll take a look at some of the most iconic cars produced for Formula 1 racing.
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McLaren MP4-8
The McLaren MP4-8 is a stunningly beautiful car no matter which angle you view it from. The car was designed by Neil Oatley for the McLaren team for the 1993 Formula 1 World Championship.
It is fitted with a semi-automatic transmission, active suspension, tractional control and a monster of 3.5-liter Ford HBD7 V8 engine. It is without a doubt one of the finest cars McLaren has ever made and deserves every bit of praise it gets.
Prost AP03
Does an iconic car have to be fast and reliable? Not necessarily. An iconic car can obtain its status just through its sheer beauty. And such is the unfortunate case of the Prost AP03.
The AP03 is the successor to the Prost AP02 and it was introduced for the 2000 Formula 1 Season. It was the last Formula 1 car to use a Peugeot engine before the company.
When the AP03 was put into use, the drivers from the Prost team found it unreliable and not easy to control marking for a disastrous year for the team. The car was a let-down in performance but a good-looker regardless.
Lotus 49
The Lotus 49 was a Formula 1 racing car designed by Colin Chapman and Maurice Philippe for the 1967 season. Fitted with the Ford Cosworth DFV engine, and having an aluminium monocoque chassis and stressed-member drivetrain, this was not just a beautiful car, but also a fast one.
Jordan 197
Our final car on this list is the Jordan 197. The car was used by the Jordan team for the 1997 Formula 1 World Championship. Fitted with a 3-litre Peugeot A14 V10 engine, double wishbone suspension, and a Jordan 7-speed sequential semi-automatic transmission, this car looked like it could be a serious contender for the Championship.
The car helped the team recover from a disappointing year in 1996 and enchanted fans with its yellow colour snaking through the tracks. A truly stunning car and a good example to end this list on.
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