MP4-22 conceived before predecessor ran.

McLaren has revealed that the thought process behind this year's challenger was already well in motion before the 2006 car had even turned a wheel, even though the rulebook for 2007 had yet to be finalised.

The premature withdrawal of tyre supplier Michelin added another variable to the mix, but McLaren and engine partner Mercedes remains confident that the Vodafone-backed MP4-22 will provide new signings Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton with a chance to take on Renault and Ferrari at the front of the field.

The team preceded the new car's launch by announcing that it would feature 'advanced engineering concepts', showcasing the strength of both partners, and underlining just how long the MP4-22 had been in development. Its conception period began before the MP4-21 had even turned a wheel, as initial sketches of aerodynamic concepts and discussions over the design of the clutch and gearbox first occurred back in December 2005.

During the design process, each of the car's 11,000 components were reviewed in meticulous detail in the quest for improved performance, reliability and efficiency. The MP4-22 represents the latest research and development concepts, with initial ideas developed with CAD systems in mid-March 2006, and the first Computational Fluid Dynamics simulations running later that month. The wind tunnel programme commenced in May.

"I haven't seen much of [the new car] yet, but it sounds very promising," test driver Gary Paffett commented, "We have been doing a massive amount of simulation work at the McLaren Technology Centre since the middle of last year, and we feel the development is going really well. HPE [Mercedes High Performance Engines] have a good understanding of the V8 engine and they seem to be making some fairly big steps forward. Over winter testing, we seem to have a stronger package than we did this time last year, so I can't wait to see what the MP4-22 can give us."

The design also incorporates three new pieces of crash protection legislation. A totally new rear crash structure is noticeably wider and blunter than its predecessor, while an extra 6mm-thick laminated panel is now also required to be bonded to the side of the driver cell to guard against penetration from another car or object. Frontal protection for the driver has been improved too, with the velocity of impact in the crash test raised from 14 to 15 metres per second, with a softer deceleration both front and rear.

Other regulation changes that have impacted on the design process include the use of a homologated engine for 2007, and the enforced switch to a single tyre supplier. The construction and profile of the Bridgestone Potenza tyres have had an influence on the MP4-22's chassis dynamics and, significantly, the aerodynamics. The tyres affect the flow structures behind the front wheels, and the team's engineers have used CFD software - for the simulation of heat and fluid flow - to devise the optimum solution to getting the best from the new rubber.

The MP4-22's development involved the generation of 4500 component and 3500 tooling drawings, and the aerodynamic development will be very demanding, with a continuous programme which required an entirely new set of wetted surfaces for the launch car, with around a third being updated before the first race. This will be followed up with new aero components being brought to the car every 3-4 weeks throughout the season.

Following the MP4-22's first test in January 2007, development will continue apace on the track and at the McLaren Technology Centre before the car's race debut on 18 March at Albert Park.