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Formula One speeds towards radical thousand-horsepower shakeup

The teams, the drivers, the fans, the circuits... few, if any, were satisfied with how Formula One has shaped up since the current regulations took hold last year. But that doesn't mean they aren't working on it. At a recent meeting of the F1 Strategy Group, the leading parties in the sport outlined a new framework that would radically shake up the cars themselves while keeping costs in check. And the biggest change could see the engines producing around 1,000 horsepower. Although a proposal put forth by Ferrari to ditch the current V6 hybrid engines in favor of new twin-turbocharged units was rejected by Honda and Mercedes, the members of the group approved in principal to increase the fuel flow in the existing engines to dramatically boost output. As it stands, the current 1.6-liter turbocharged V6 engines develop around 600 horsepower, with an additional 160 or so kicked in by the electric Energy Recovery System, for a combined output of about 760 hp. What's not clear at the moment is whether the increased fuel flow would necessitate either the return of mid-race refueling (currently banned) or the installation of larger fuel tanks. Red Bull and McLaren also submitted proposals to radically redesign the shape of the cars as well, however a more evolutionary approach was adopted instead. Though far from finalized, the new design would keep the same basic form of the current chassis, but with adjustments to make them more aesthetically pleasing while producing more downforce. Wider tires are also said to be part of the mix. With more power and more grip from the tires and aero, the resulting cars would most certainly end up going much faster than the current ones, which are already starting to nudge the lap records at some of the circuits, many of which were set during the V10 era. The F1 Strategy Group is made up of representatives of the FIA, Formula One Management and six leading teams. The next step will be for the teams' technical directors to iron out how to implement what their bosses have agreed to. If they settle the details fast enough, the revised regulations could be pushed through in time for next season. News Source: AutosportImage Credit: Mark Thompson/Getty Motorsports Ferrari Honda Infiniti McLaren Mercedes-Benz F1

This is what it's like to drive McLaren's unbridled P1 GTR

McLaren is used to making the most of what it's allowed to do within certain limits. Those limits may be set by government regulators who determine what is and what is not acceptable for use on public roads, or by motorsport governing bodies like the FIA and ACO who determine what's fair to race on the track. But the P1 GTR is another beast entirely. Like the Aston Martin Vulcan or Ferrari FXX K, the McLaren P1 GTR represents the very best of what Woking can do without any restrictions beyond the engineers' own capabilities. Which is all well and fine in theory or sitting still on a show stand, but given the nearly $3 million price of entry, most of us will never find out what it's like to actually drive on a track like it's meant to. Fortunately the blokes over at Autocar had just such a chance to take Britain's finest out on the track at the Losail circuit in Qatar, and were good enough to bring a GoPro camera or two along for the ride. The video is only about five minutes long, and half of it is taken up by preparations and explanations from McLaren's affable factory test driver Chris Goodwin, but it represents our best look yet at what it's like to drive this gentleman racer's plaything flat out. Related Gallery McLaren P1 GTR View 18 Photos News Source: Autocar via YouTube McLaren Coupe Special and Limited Editions Supercars Videos mclaren p1 mclaren p1 gtr

McLaren 675LT Spider Carbon Series stuns in naked carbon fiber

Following its two-car showing at the 2016 Geneva Motor Show, McLaren Special Operations has turned out another special edition 675LT Spider – the Carbon Series LT. The last time McLaren's custom division touched a droptop 675LT, it was this lovely Ceramic Gray model shown in Geneva. This new one ditches the paint altogether, opting for exposed carbon fiber across the entire body. According to MSO, an extra 40 percent of the body panels are carbon fiber – the "retractable roof and tonneau, A-pillars, bonnet and rear deck, side blades, complete front and rear wings, and even fuel filler flap" are all finished in the stuff. That's on top of the pieces that were already carbon-fiber, like the front bumper, splitter, side skirts, side intakes, rear fenders, rear deck, bumper, diffuser, and airbrake. McLaren went with a gloss finish all around. What hasn't changed is the 675LT's powerplant. A 666-horsepower, 3.8-liter, twin-turbo V8 remains on duty. McLaren hasn't published any performance metrics for the MSO Carbon Series LT, but replacing a painted body with an exposed carbon-fiber one should lead to a healthy drop in weight, which in turn should improve acceleration, braking, and handling. MSO is only building 25 Carbon Series LTs, and they've all been spoken for. McLaren is selling these 25 cars in addition to the 675LT's original 500-unit run, though, so at the very least, your chances of purchasing a used long-tail in the future have increased, if only incrementally. Oh, and if you're waiting for delivery of your standard long-tail and think you can just ask real nicely for some more carbon fiber, McLaren claims the "significant additional development work by the team of MSO craftsmen," prevents swapping the normal car's body panels for the carbon-fiber pieces. Related Video: