At the 2025 Goodwood Festival of Speed, Ferrari rising star Ollie Bearman engaged in a unique discussion with four-time Formula 1 World Champion Alain Prost about the legendary McLaren race car. The exchange took place as Prost prepared to drive his iconic 1988 McLaren MP4/4, offering insights into the car’s design and challenges.
Prost, now 70 years old, captivated attendees by driving the historic McLaren that once secured a podium finish during the 1988 F1 season. Alongside him, Haas drivers Ollie Bearman and Esteban Ocon showcased GT concept cars developed in partnership with Toyota, creating a scene rich with motorsport heritage and contemporary talent. Bearman seized the opportunity to ask Prost detailed questions about the McLaren’s mechanics and performance.
Ollie Bearman’s In-Depth Questions About the McLaren MP4/4
During their conversation, Bearman was fascinated by the car’s compact interior and the controls. He noted,
“It looks so smaller, so tight! You have three pedals? Right-foot break?”
— Ollie Bearman
Prost acknowledged the challenge of operating the manual controls, responding,
“Yes, I have the clutch and the, you know, that is a problem”
— Alain Prost, while demonstrating the gear shift.
Bearman further inquired about the usage of special qualifying engines, a feature common in the late 1980s F1 era, to which Prost confirmed,
“We had qualifying engines, yes. I mean the last part, also in 1993, from, yeah, even early days we always had qualifying engines,”
— Alain Prost
The qualifying engines, engineered by Honda at the time, were known for delivering peak horsepower for a short duration, giving McLaren a substantial advantage during qualifying rounds. Prost also described the lightweight car as akin to a go-kart, weighing only 500 kilograms but producing nearly 1,000 horsepower thanks to the Honda 1.5-liter V6 turbocharged engine.
Prost Reflects on the Difficulty of Handling the McLaren MP4/4 Compared to Modern F1 Cars
Alain Prost shared his perspective on how much more demanding it was to drive the McLaren MP4/4 compared to today’s advanced Formula 1 vehicles, especially due to the manual transmission of that era. On the live broadcast at Goodwood, he expressed disbelief at his own ability to control the cars during his racing career.
He said,
“It’s much harder [in comparison to modern F1 cars]. But I knew also the automatic gearbox on the wheel with the Ferrari and the Williams,”
— Alain Prost
Prost continued,
“But going back to that is, for sure, I mean, very often when you go back, you ask: ‘How was it possible to drive these cars with more than 1200 horsepower, more or less, at one stage?’”
— Alain Prost
Prost’s reflection underscores the physical and technical demands drivers faced during his era, highlighting the evolution of technology in Formula 1 over the decades.
Historical Context of the 1988 McLaren Dominance
The 1988 season remains one of the most dominant periods in Formula 1 history, with Prost’s McLaren teammate Ayrton Senna clinching his first world championship while Prost finished second in the standings. McLaren secured victory in 15 of the 16 races, a remarkable feat that ignited one of the sport’s most intense rivalries.
This backdrop enhances the significance of Prost revisiting the legendary McLaren MP4/4 at Goodwood and sharing his knowledge with the younger generation, including Bearman, who represents the future of high-level motorsport competition.
The interaction between Bearman and Prost not only celebrates F1 heritage but also bridges the gap between past and present racing technologies, offering fans and drivers alike a deeper appreciation of the sport’s evolution.
Our Reader’s Queries
Q. Why is 17 banned in F1?
A. The number 17 is the only Formula 1 driver number that has been permanently retired. This honors Jules Bianchi, a French driver who tragically crashed with #17 during the 2014 Japanese Grand Prix.
Q. Which F1 driver has ADHD?
A. Lewis Hamilton, born in 1985, is a British Formula One driver. He currently races for Mercedes and previously raced for McLaren. Hamilton openly shares his experiences with ADHD and talks about his various interests and hobbies.
Q. Is number 69 allowed in F1?
A. Drivers can pick any permanent number between 0 and 99, but 1 is off-limits. Only the current World Drivers’ Champion can use number 1, but it’s optional.
Q. What F1 drivers have ADHD?
A. Lewis Hamilton, born in 1985, is a British Formula One driver. He currently races for Mercedes and has previously driven for McLaren. Openly sharing his experiences with ADHD, Hamilton also talks about his various interests and hobbies.