At first glance, you’re just looking at a pretty basic sketch. Some simple pen strokes on a piece of paper. But these are familiar lines. They came from the hand of legendary designer Frank Stephenson. And the three letters that accompany the rendering make the world of difference to what the sketch means.
Automotive press releases are ten a penny, coming through in a constant stream to tell you about a some tedious piece of plastic bumper or the hundredth new model line in an already bloated range. But then a press release comes through that shakes you out of the stupor and causes the earth to stop rotating for just a second. This release from McLaren was just that kind of event. Back in the mid-’90s McLaren shook up the sportscar racing world by unleashing the F1 GTR onto the track, following ‘pressure from customers’. Now, history is set to repeat with McLaren’s latest hypercar, the P1.
Yes, a racing P1. With that GTR epithet.
Once the final P1 of the 375 due to be crafted rolls off the production line in Woking next year, a limited run of P1 GTRs will be constructed, the most powerful McLarens ever, to be sold at a whopping £1.98m. With no regulations to worry about, this could make previous track specials like the FXX look like kittens. Think 1,000hp, phenomenal downforce, insane grip… Oh, and when you consider that the Le Mans regulations are changing in a couple of years time, to more reflect road-going cars, perhaps this car makes even more sense.
As if it needs an excuse, it’s a perfect reason to show this new video of an original 1996 GTR being pedalled in extremis around the classic Mid Ohio track by Justin Bell, son of five-time Le Mans winner Derek. The 20-year-old F1 “still puts lead in your pencil,” according to Justin, and you can see the sheer effort required to muscle this brute around the track. I love the reverse-mounted helmet cam, and the clip shows the nimble footwork and quick reactions required to get the most out of the racer. And then there’s the sound. Oh the sound!
Then, inevitably, it leads to checking out Andy Wallace’s qualifying lap of Le Mans from 1995. And bang. The afternoon’s gone. Sorry about that.
Jonathan Moore
Instagram: speedhunters_jonathan
jonathan@speedhunters.com
OFFICIAL SPEEDHUNTERS SUPPLIERS
sounda like Aventador!
Music! Is it just me who thinks that cars with manual gear boxes sound better than ones with dual clutch?
That gap between gears are magical!
ftobb i know exactly what your talking about ^_^
PavelLipski you mean the aventador sounds like this
Sexy sound!
That is some nice heel-toe action and I'm still learning how to do that lol
"...holy shit, it's got some power." Lol, I love it
It seems like speedhunters is posting more news lately, which would be nice except for the fact that other sites (jalopnik) are covering that same news about 2 to 3 days earlier.
McLaren will do it, then maybe the 918 GT1? Or a La Farrari FXX? Oooooo maybe even a Aventador SV? Think about the cars they could make! Then theres TVR or Lotus or even a new gen GT40? I could keep going all day thinking about it! lol
Build an actual P1 racecar then I'll care. I'm sure this P1 GTR will be one of a track weapon, but that's just it. It's a track weapon, not a racecar. What ever happened to the real GTR racecar variants of standard road cars? I want to see P1s, 918s, LaFerrari's, Aventador's, Agera's and so on in full blown race trim battling it out at the likes of Le Mans. Quit building track weapons and start building racecars.
Yeah... I'm just going to sit here for a little while. Both videos were fantastic.
However, my drive home is officially boring. Thanks for that.
I think its a shame there isn't a category for hyper cars to race one another.
McL had to de-tune and reverse engineer the Mc12 to race in GT3. The FIA need to sort this out. The manufacturers are clearly ready!
No-one want to see bloated wall-street billionaires and Saudi shakes 'race' these monsters round brands hatch in 4th gear, let the pros rag the crap out of them and put it on TV!
SQUEEEEEEEE!!
"and when you consider that the Le Mans regulations are changing in a couple of years time, to more reflect road-going cars, perhaps this car makes even more sense."
According to no one.
I shot!!
Mclaren were recently hiring software engineers for their motorsports division and knowledge of the the P1XXX series of processors was a requirement. Tells me that something is in the works.
why does he makes those noises?