2022 Mclaren 720s on 2040-cars

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Can Fernando Alonso win Indy? Here's why and why maybe not

SPEEDWAY, IN – The month of May has been a joy ride for Fernando Alonso at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The two-time Formula 1 champion came to Indy having never turned left in a race car without also turning right. But he acquired such a feel for Indy's 2 1/2 -mile rectangle during a month of practice and qualifying that he's considered a strong contender to win the 101st Indianapolis 500 on Sunday, rookie or not. "You're not trying to bring somebody on who has very little experience driving very high-performance cars," said 2003 Indy 500 winner Gil deFerran, who this month has helped Alonso learn the nuances that make the speedway such a tough place to conquer. "I suppose it would be a little bit different if you were dealing with a younger, much less experienced person." Driving a McLaren Honda from the potent Andretti Autosport team, Alonso was consistently near the top of the speed charts in practice, he qualified fifth fastest at 231.300 mph, and he handled runs in heavy traffic like a driver who'd done it many times before. But those were the prelims. The race is another creature. "The car felt the best (it has) in the last two weeks. I was making some moves, taking some different lines. I am extremely happy." Other drivers say the speedway looks different on race day when the crowd, expected to top 300,000, fills the grandstands and makes an already narrow track seem even tighter. The three-wide rolling start is something Alonso has never experienced, and he will see the green flag from the middle of the second row between Takuma Sato and J.R. Hildebrand. And the space he'll be given by his competitors in the first 180 laps may disappear In the last 20 when it's every driver for themselves. Can a rookie like Alonso win this race? Absolutely, as Andretti driver Alexander Rossi showed last year when his team used a fuel-mileage strategy to win in his first taste of Indy. We're talking about Fernando Alonso here, who easily could show his rookie stripes to the rest of the field most of the day. His best lap in Friday's final practice, 226.608, was fifth fastest in the field and, more important, he said the car felt comfortable in heavy traffic. "The car felt the best (it has) in the last two weeks," Alonso said. "I was making some moves, taking some different lines.

McLaren unfurls bespoke black-and-gold inscribed 720S for Dubai

Here's a unique regional spin on a supercar: It's a bespoke McLaren 720S designed by McLaren Special Operations done in Zenith Black paint with satin finish and gold accents, including an inspirational quote from the company's founder on the rear wing done in Arabic lettering stylized to echo the Dubai skyline. It's showing at the Dubai International Motor Show, after which the unnamed new owner will take delivery. McLaren says achievement was a key theme behind the commission, both for the British luxury carmaker itself and the United Arab Emirates and Gulf states themselves, which form a key client and shareholder base for the company. The quote on the rear wing reads "Life is measured in achievement, not in years alone," part of a longer quote from Bruce McLaren's 1964 memoir "From the Cockpit." A plaque inside the car identifies it as a "1 of 1" MSO commission. Offsetting the satin black finish are gold accents, such as gold-colored alloy wheels, a 24-carat (!) gold engine heat shield and gold-colored interior components. Also added were carbon fiber exterior packs encompassing the front splitter and air intakes, rear bumper and roof panel. Inside, the trim is a mix of black leather and black Alcantara complemented by MSO Defined carbon fiber sill panels, fascia vents and steering wheel, plus a regular carbon fiber interior upgrade pack. The gearshift paddles are satin gold-painted, and each door inner panel gets a satin gold-colored applique. The car is equipped with the 720S's standard 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 that goes 0-124 mph in 7.8 seconds and boasts a top speed of 212 mph. McLaren says the personalization added more than 120 hours to the production process, including 30 hours alone to complete the rear wing stencil graphic. Featured Gallery Bespoke McLaren 720S Dubai View 9 Photos Image Credit: McLaren Aftermarket Design/Style McLaren Coupe Supercars supercar mclaren 720s dubai motor show

2019 McLaren 720S GT3 race car is barely a 720S anymore

For a company with as much racing history as McLaren, it's no surprise that it is introducing a new race car based on the 720S. What is interesting is that there's very little in common between the 2019 McLaren 720S GT3 race car and the regular 720S. The company says that over 90 percent of the super coupe have been changed for the racer. Among the changes are a body that is completely reshaped compared with the road car. This includes the massively enlarged front grille, wider fenders and aggressive aerodynamic parts. The engine is based on the road car's twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8 and retains the same displacement, but it has been rebuilt for race duty. Power numbers aren't available. The engine is also mated to a six-speed sequential transmission, rather than the seven-speed dual-clutch unit in the road car. Other race-ready upgrades include several adjustable parts including the limited-slip differential, shocks, traction control and ABS. Those come standard, but there are some options such as a rear-view camera, parking sensors and tire pressure monitoring. Though power hasn't been announced, pricing has. For teams not directly backed by McLaren, the price for a 720S GT3 is $564,000. That's roughly twice the cost of the road-going 720S, which starts at a bit over $280,000. Deliveries will begin next year in time for a number of GT3-class racing series. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.