| Chief Designer | John Barnard |
| Designed In | 1981 |
| Significance of Name | McLaren Project 4, 1st design |
| History | First carbon-fibre monocoque |
| Active Years | 1981 |
| Cars Entered | 23 |
| Races Contested | 13 |
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| Average Classification | Median: 7, Mean: 6.31 (Standard deviation: 3.38) |
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| Average Qualifying Position | Median: 9, Mean: 9.35 (Standard deviation: 4.05) |
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| Fastest Laps | 1 |
| Average Fastest Lap Position | Median: 6, Mean: 7.24 (Standard deviation: 4.43) |
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| Races Led | 1 |
| Laps Led | 8 |
| Race Distance Led | 38 km |
| Debut | 1981 Argentine GP |
| Maiden Win | 1981 British GP |
| Last Race | 1981 Las Vegas GP |
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