2016 Mclaren 570 Coupe / Full Paint Protection / New Tires / Volcan on 2040-cars

Auto blog

McLaren confirms track-focused P1 GTR

McLaren is, first and foremost, a racing outfit. That's why it seemed odd that, when producing its first road-going supercar – the legendary McLaren F1 – it did not originally intend to take it racing. Of course competitive minds prevailed, and the rest is history: the resulting McLaren F1 GTR not only win in its own GT1 class, but beat out more advanced Le Mans prototypes to positively dominate endurance racing in the mid-90s. Now McLaren is out to revive that spirit with the announcement of the new P1 GTR. Instead of a racer, though, the P1 GTR will be – as expected – a track toy for wealthy clients... most of whom will probably be drawn from the existing pool of McLaren P1 road-car owners. Think of it as Woking's answer to the Ferrari XX program and you won't be far off. Differentiating the GTR from the road-going P1 will be more aggressive bodywork (for increased downforce and cooling), a wider track, slick tires and – arguably the best part – a target output of 986 horsepower, an increase of 83 hp over stock. Set to begin production only after all 375 examples of the road-going P1 have been produced, the McLaren P1 GTR will set Woking's wealthiest clients back a heft GBP1.98 million – equivalent to about $3.35 million at today's exchange rates, making GTR ownership one of the most expensive prospects on the market. For that much cash, owners will also get to train with McLaren's driver fitness team, train on its advanced simulator and participate in at least six track sessions on grand prix circuits each year. McLAREN AUTOMOTIVE TO BESTOW ICONIC BADGE ON ULTIMATE TRACK-FOCUSED McLAREN P1™ GTR 13/06/14 Twenty years on from victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans by the now legendary McLaren F1 GTR, McLaren Automotive will resurrect the iconic name from its history for the track-only edition of the award-winning McLaren P1™. The limited-run model will go into production when the 375th and final example of the road car has been completed, and in homage to its race-winning ancestor, the most powerful McLaren to date will be named the McLaren P1™ GTR. With no need to comply with road legislation, the McLaren P1™ GTR will be designed and developed as the best drivers' car in the world on track. This will see even greater levels of performance, grip, aerodynamics and downforce than the road car.

F1 legend Mika Hakkinen to become McLaren's public face

Two-time Formula 1 World Champion Mika Hakkinen is back at McLaren. The manufacturer announced Hakkinen is taking up a PR position at McLaren, becoming a Partner Ambassador, and it was at McLaren Mercedes that Hakkinen scored his championships in the late 1990s. For Hakkinen, the ambassador position means joining members of the manufacturer's marketing arm, so it is likely he will be seen in prominent McLaren advertisements and business ventures. In its press release, McLaren mentions executive director Zak Brown and CEO Mike Flewitt as Hakkinen's future collaborators. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. As Hakkinen says: "I've always considered McLaren to be my home in Formula 1, and I still have an enormous place in my heart for everyone in the team. Of course, the past few years for McLaren haven't been easy, but I've always believed that it's only a matter of 'when' rather than 'if' McLaren will come good again – and I want to play my part in helping that happen. "Returning to McLaren was an easy decision for me – I've never really lost contact, and I still know a lot of the hard-working men and women there from my eight-and-a-bit seasons with the team." This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Hakkinen also says he drives a McLaren P1 supercar. "I'm looking forward to immersing myself in the exciting world of McLaren Automotive. I have a modern-day McLaren in my fleet of road cars, and it's a truly superb machine." Related Video:

Race recap: 2016 Hungarian Grand Prix was the pits

The Hungarian Grand Prix hasn't seen a race this calculated since 2012, when Lewis Hamilton – driving for McLaren – led from pole position to the checkered flag. We don't expect massive action from the Hungaroring, but Hamilton's first win for Mercedes in 2013, the thrilling wet mess in 2014, and Ferrari's surprising dominance in 2015 made us hope for more on-track commotion this year. Hungary denied us that. Hamilton parked his Mercedes-AMG Petronas in second on the grid but stole the lead through Turn 1 and never looked back. Teammate Nico Rosberg yo-yoed behind him in second place, getting into DRS range on a few occasions but never close enough to pass. Red Bull's Daniel Ricciardo kept the leading duo honest, but the Aussie couldn't put genuine fear into the German team and finished third. This is the third year in a row for Ricciardo on the Hungary podium. The pits provided our few scraps of excitement. During a stretch when Ricciardo managed to close on Rosberg, Mercedes told Hamilton to speed up. When Hamilton said he couldn't go faster, Mercedes said they'd pit second-place Rosberg first instead. Suddenly, Hamilton found the extra pace. Ricciardo pitted in early, hoping that fresh tires and fast laps could allow him to pass one or both Mercedes drivers when they pitted, but once Hamilton hit the throttle the Red Bull couldn't respond. Further down the lineup, Jenson Button came in on Lap 5 so McLaren could fix his brake pedal problem. The radio exchange before the stop included one forbidden instruction to Button, though, so the Englishman had to return to the pits for a drive-through penalty. Renault's Jolyon Palmer beat Force India's Nico Hulkenberg in a straight-up pit stop battle on Lap 40, but threw the good work away on Lap 49 with a spin on track that cost him three places. A pit wall miscommunication meant the Force India pit crew wasn't ready for Sergio Perez when the Mexican arrived for his second stop on Lap 43. And Daniel Kvyat's regrettable run at Toro Rosso continued, first with car issues, then a drive-through penalty for speeding in the pit lane. Sebastian Vettel brought his Ferrari home fourth, sniffing Ricciardo's gearbox at the flag but unable to get around the Red Bull. Max Verstappen enacted a replay of the final stages of the Spanish Grand Prix, finishing fifth by holding Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen behind for 19 laps.