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Surprise! McLaren and Honda finally call it quits

It's been coming for a long while, so it should surprise no one to learn that McLaren and Honda have finally called it quits. Sources confirmed to Motorsport.com and Sky Sports that the two companies have finally settled on a deal that will end a partnership that has been nothing but heartache and tears. McLaren has reportedly inked a three-year deal to use Renault engines, ending in 2020 along with the current engine regulations. This also means McLaren driver Fernando Alonso is likely to extend his contract beyond the end of this season. When Honda first announced it was returning to F1 with McLaren, fans had visions of Fernando Alonso and Jenson Button reliving the glory days of Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost in the late 1980s. The truth couldn't be further removed. At points, McLaren has struggled to make it the full race distance, much less win races and fight for championships. Frankly, it's been embarrassing for both Honda and McLaren. No one comes out a winner here. Honda has sullied any reputation it had in F1, while Alonso's talent and McLaren's engineering expertise were both wasted the past few seasons. According to Motorsport.com, McLaren will get the same engine parity as the factory Renault Sport team as well as Red Bull Racing. Assuming that McLaren can provide a competitive chassis, that should vault it at least into the middle of the pack. Team principal Zak Brown hasn't been quiet about his frustrations. After both McLaren drivers failed to finish in Italy, Brown told Sky Sports, "We need to get more competitive. This weekend showed we're not making any significant progress." Meanwhile, Toro Rosso will switch from Renault to Honda power, with Toro Rosso driver Carlos Sainz Jr. making the move to Renault. What that means for Red Bull's junior team is unclear. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

McLaren MSO X is a bespoke 570S GT4 Le Mans car for the road

We like the McLaren 570S a lot. Few vehicles combine sharp looks, raw speed and genuine usability like McLaren's entry-level model. Still, there's always room for some custom changes. That's where McLaren Special Operations steps in. MSO builds bespoke vehicles like the MSO R and MSO HS (both based on the McLaren 675LT) for customers willing to shell out the dough. Usually it's a one or two-car run, but McLaren just announced a run of 10 road-legal cars done up like the 570S GT4 race car and painted like McLaren F1 GTR Le Mans cars from the '90s. One look at the McLaren MSO X and you'll know it means business. If the paint scheme, roof snorkel and pylon-mounted rear wing don't give it away, the stripped-down interior (complete with a fire extinguisher) probably will. This is a race car for the road, and since all the cars were commissioned by McLaren Newport Beach, they're actually legal in the US. McLaren wants the owners to be able to drive their cars to the track, so each MSO X retains parking sensors, rear-view cameras, air conditioning and a lift for speed bumps and driveways. MSO did as much as possible to make the cars look like the 570S GT4, adding a few other touches here and there. The rear wing adds 220 lbs of downforce to the rear. The roof snorkel was inspired by the 1997 F1 GTR Longtail and improves air induction. The hood has intakes that help channel air to the snorkel and rear wing. Dive planes on the front add some stability up front. Other changes include MSO Titanium Super Sports Exhaust and Pirelli PZero Corsa tires. The roof, hood, side skirts, engine cover, front and rear bumpers and rear diffuser are all done in a satin carbon fiber finish. McLaren says the cutouts in the bumper are there to shave weight. The rest of the car is painted in a different race livery. The interior of the standard 570S features carbon fiber on the steering wheel, instrument cluster and center console. The MSO X removes the carpeting and leather, exposing the McLaren's carbon-fiber Monocell 2 on the car's door sills. Each carbon-fiber seat is fitted with a six-point racing harness. The standard seat belts are still there for non-track driving. There's space behind the seats for a helmet. The McLaren Track Telemetry from the 720S adds cameras so you can review your laps. MSO doesn't ever list costs, but if you're ordering a bespoke supercar, money usually isn't an issue. We just want pictures of the other eight cars.

Justin Bell wrings out McLaren F1 GTR at Mid-Ohio

A supercar as raw as the McLaren F1 needs a talented driver to get the most out of it. All the more so for the racing version. Fortunately Justin Bell is just such a driver. The son of five-time Le Mans winner Derek Bell is a proven race winner in his own right, taking GT2 class titles in the FIA GT championship and the 24 Hours of Le Mans. In fact he came third overall (teamed up with his dad and '88 winner Andy Wallace, taking second in the GT1 class) at Le Mans in 1995 behind the wheel of the McLaren F1 GTR. And thanks to BMW (whose engine powers the McLaren) and GoPro, he's been reunited with the beast at Mid-Ohio, one of the finest road courses America has to offer. Because this video is a GoPro promo, the action-cam company strapped its devices on all over the legendary supercar-turned-racer from Woking, inside and out. The resulting footage is sports car racing like you've never seen it before. Check it out in the video below. Just don't mind Justin's grunting and occasional NSFW language. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. News Source: GoPro via YouTube McLaren Coupe Racing Vehicles Videos gopro mid-ohio mclaren f1 gtr