Prost and the M30
The McLaren M30 is a Formula One racing car designed by Gordon Coppuck and run by McLaren for part of the 1980 Formula One season. It was a one-off car, powered by the well-known V8 Cosworth engine, and primarily driven by Alain Prost, in his debut year in F1 (picture above).
The purpose of the M30, was to further capitalise on ground-effect design, taking over from the McLaren M29 that had been entered in 1979 and started the 1980 season. It was a failure, the car not being competitive, and the one and only M30 was damaged in practice for the 1980 US Grand Prix.
The McLaren M30 was the last new car completed by McLaren before the team’s merger with Ron Dennis’s Project 4 Formula 2 team, and he assumed leadership of the team (from Teddy Mayer) the following year.
Alain Prost finished sixth at Zandvoort (picture below) and seventh at Monza aboard the M30, but the car was really not good and the team reverted to the M29 for the rest of the season.

Zandvoort, Holland. 29-31 August 1980.
Alain Prost (McLaren M30-Ford Cosworth), 6th position, leads Eddie Cheever