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McLaren's new F1 car is love at first sight for driver Carlos Sainz

WOKING — Spanish driver Carlos Sainz got into the Valentine's Day spirit by declaring love at first sight on Thursday as McLaren showed off its 2019 Formula One car and lineup. The blue and papaya orange MCL34 car was unveiled by 34 team employees at the former champions' Woking headquarters before Sainz and 19-year-old British rookie teammate Lando Norris stepped up to admire it. "I like the new colors. My teammate, I'll see in a couple of months if I like him," joked Sainz, 24, who has joined from Renault. The pair, replacing Fernando Alonso and Stoffel Vandoorne, are McLaren's first all-new driver lineup in 12 years, and former reserve Norris, 19, is the Renault-powered team's youngest ever driver. "I've got a lot to live up to," said the teenager. "There is a lot on my shoulders, a lot of people relying on myself and Carlos." This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. McLaren, the once-dominant team of champions like Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost, has not won a race since 2012 or a championship since Lewis Hamilton's first in 2008. It finished sixth overall last year, an improvement on three years with Honda in which McLaren plumbed the depths of disappointment. The overall position was flattered, however, by Force India being stripped of all its points and being replaced by Racing Point, and McLaren still have a long way to go to catch the sport's top manufacturer teams. Team boss Zak Brown, who has brought in new sponsors and presided over a management shakeup that saw Racing Director Eric Boullier leave last year, recognized it would be a long road back from sixth place. "We're in a rebuilding process and it's going to be a journey," said the American, who will have James Key joining as technical head later in the year after a long 'gardening leave' from Toro Rosso. Former Porsche Le Mans team boss Andreas Siedl will join as managing director on May 1.

Hennessey gives 2019 McLaren 600LT up to 1,000 horsepower

Last summer, McLaren launched the 600LT as a a vehicle for people that a bit more performance than what's offered by the 570 line. It's significantly lighter, and has a few more horsepower. But if that's still not enough, Hennessey Performance is offering a range of upgrade packages ranging from 708 to a whopping 1,001 horsepower. Each package is basically the same as those available for the 570 models, but with 600LT adaptations, such as having the exhaust exit through the top of the engine cover. The HPE 700 package adds high-flow air filters, an ECU tune and stainless exhaust to hit 708 horsepower and 635 pound-feet of torque. The HPE 800 package adds a more potent turbo and upgraded intercooler system to hit 805 horsepower and 722 pound-feet of torque. The HPE 1000 package is the most extreme, and swaps the single factory turbo for twin turbochargers and an aftermarket Motec ECU. It also features stainless exhaust manifolds and an unspecified transmission upgrade. Output is 1,001 horsepower and 865 pound-feet of torque. The company says this version should hit 60 mph in 2.1 seconds and complete the quarter-mile in 9.6 seconds. The various packages will be available soon. The HPE 700 package is the cheapest at $17,950, followed by the HPE 800 at $34,950. The HPE 1000 package tops the charts at $99,500. Naturally, all of these prices are for the parts and installation only, and you'll still have to supply the car. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

Tobacco giant BAT returns to Formula One racing with McLaren

LONDON — British American Tobacco, which had its own Formula One team before selling to Honda in 2006, is returning to the sport under a multi-year global partnership with McLaren. Both sides said in a statement announcing the deal on Monday that the partnership will focus solely on BAT's "potentially reduced risk products" with an emphasis on technology and innovation. "McLaren Applied Technologies will work with BAT on areas including battery technology and advanced materials. The two companies will share best practice, innovation know-how and mutual experience," it added. Tobacco advertising was widespread in Formula One until a ban in 2006 led most teams to kick the habit and seek sponsors elsewhere. Ferrari's partnership with Philip Morris International, whose Mission Winnow initiative focuses on smoke-free 'heat not burn' products and is the team's title sponsor, has been going for more than 40 years, however. BAT, the world's second-biggest international tobacco company by revenue, bought Tyrrell in 1997 and competed as British American Racing (BAR) from 1999 to the end of 2005 when Honda took over. Honda then quit at the end of 2008, handing over to principal Ross Brawn, who led them to victory in both championships under his own name in 2009. In 2010 they became Mercedes, which has won both titles for the past five years.Related Video:

Jason Statham and The Rock drive under a semi in 'Hobbs & Shaw' trailer

It's an unwritten (or maybe written) rule that every spinoff has to have heavy nods to the series or movie from whence it came. Jason Statham and Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson wasted no time checking that box by driving a McLaren beneath a semi truck box in the first trailer for "Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw." Sound familiar? The stunt, seen at about the 1:28 mark, is a direct callback to the original "The Fast and the Furious," in which the team drives a Honda Civic under a semi while boosting goods. The first film debuted in 2001, and 18 years later, much has changed. In a unique direction, the Fast franchise is branching off into a spinoff that focuses on two former bad guys, The Rock as Luke Hobbs and Statham as Deckard Shaw. In the new movie, Hobbs and Shaw are brought together to work on the same team in order to defeat the new villain played by Idris Elba. Brixton, as he's called, is a "human evolutionary change," AKA a tech-infused invincible superspecimen. As one would expect, Hobbs and Shaw are expected to save the world from his threatening plot. Rather than a trailer filled with dozens of high-end recognizable cars, this one is mostly filled with the wild stunt cars the series has used more and more often. The McLaren 720S is the most noticeable automobile cameo, with several motorcycles and military vehicles also making appearances. Further building the story, The Rock teased a separate part of the film on his Instagram. In the photo, he's at Hobbs Customs, a chop shop turned legal garage owned by the Hobbs Bros. Surely this will make for some major car scenes throughout the film. In other Fast news, The Rock said at a Sundance festival interview that he likely wouldn't be in "Fast and Furious 9" but could return for the 10th installment. Vin Diesel also made headlines via Instagram when he spoke on the upcoming female-focused "Fast and Furious" film, the second of three total spinoffs. "Hobbs & Shaw "will hit theaters this summer on August 2. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

McLaren envisions future of Formula One racing in 2050

We're seeing a lot of change in the car industry with the rise of electric vehicles, autonomous driving features and ever more connectivity, so much so that the car world will probably look pretty different 30 years from now. But what about in motorsports? Well, McLaren expects some pretty radical changes, too, and it put together an elaborate vision of what its bread and butter, Formula One, will look like in 2050. The race cars will still be open-wheel racers with elaborate active aerodynamics. The company describes flexible side pods that can retract for high speeds up to 310 mph, and can then expand for additional drag when braking and cornering. Downforce will come more from diffusers and undercarriage designs than external wings. The cars will be fully electric, and charging will come from induction coils placed in the ground with receiver coils in "self-repairing composite" wheels and tires. McLaren expects the cars to recharge 10 to 50 percent of battery capacity in 10 to 30 seconds. Traditional pit stops may give way to charging lanes or zones that provide different amounts of power depending on your speed, adding more strategy. With faster cars, McLaren suggests that track designs could be reimagined. They would include steeper banking in corners to keep speeds up, allow even tighter turns, and expand the tracks for the higher top speeds. Street circuits could even expand to encompass entire cities for more places to view the cars and more interesting courses. The driver will have some impressive technology at hand, too. To combat the high speeds and g-forces, especially on those hypothetical banked tracks, drivers will need fighter pilot-style suits with inflatable air bladders to keep from blacking out. An AI system will be on-board to help develop racing strategy, and make adjustments to the strategy and car to accommodate the driver's shifting emotions. This technology will have to be supported by drivers working on strength training, and crew mates that race the tracks virtually to develop strategies and racing lines that can be used in the race. It's a wild view of the future. And it's tempting to write some of this off as pure fantasy. But a lot can happen in 30 years. Just look at cars from now compared with those of 1989. We'll certainly be excited to see what does happen and how accurate McLaren's vision is. Related Video:

Here's how wildly expensive it is to participate in F1

The cost of competing in Formula One racing is extremely high. Not in the physical and lifestyle sense, although that too takes a major toll on each team and driver, but in a literal hand-over-the-cash sense. Each F1 team pays hundreds of thousands of dollars to enter, plus a fee for every single point the team earned in the previous season. Motorsport.com recently detailed just how absurdly pricey entering the F1 field is. According to the piece, the price of entry goes up each year due to the U.S. Consumer Price Index. For 2019, the entry fee is $546,133, and it doesn't stop there. There are additional dues required of each team based on where the team finished in the previous season. Interestingly, the winners pay more. For example, Mercedes-Benz, the constructor champion for the past five years, must pay $6,553 per point it scored in 2018. With 655 points scored, that's $4,292,215. All other teams must pay $5,459 per point. For a full rundown of what the teams will be paying for 2019, check out the full article here.Related Video:

McLaren 600LT Spider revealed: Top-down performance

In internet parlance, a long tail is a story or topic that endures, that people stick with over a long time. That idea could be translated in automotive terms to a classic. McLaren's Longtail models are modern classics, and the bespoke sports car maker has just minted its fifth Longtail, the 600LT Spider. McLaren promises the droptop has all the track-flavored performance of the 600LT coupe, with the "added exhilaration of open-air driving." With a top-down top speed of 196 mph, that's a lot of added exhilaration. (It's 201 mph with the top up.) And just imagine the tune from those top-exit exhausts just aft of your head. McLaren says it managed to limit the weight gain in the Spider to 110 pounds over the coupe, and cites a dry weight of 2,859 pounds. Well, 2,859.4, to be McLaren-exact. That's 220 pounds lighter than the 570S Spider from which this car is derived, and lighter than its exotic competitors. Customers can also order their cars with seats from the Senna and with radio and climate control delete for maximum weight loss. Much of the weight savings credit goes the car's carbon fiber MonoCell II chassis that, even with the roof cut off, remains as rigid as the coupe without any added reinforcements. As for power, McLaren cites 592 hp and 457 pound-feet of torque from its 3.8-liter twin-turbo V8. That's 4.82 pounds per horsepower, for a 0-to-60 time of 2.8 seconds, on par with the coupe. You surely won't even notice that the Spider's time to 200 kph (124 mph) at 8.4 seconds is 0.2 seconds slower than the coupe. All that power is delivered by a dual-clutch seven-speed transmission. An Ignition Cut feature in Sport mode is said to facilitate faster shifting "whilst delivering a dramatic aural crack from the top-exit exhausts." A feature called Inertia Push (isn't all driving an inertia push?) is supposed to boost acceleration in Track mode. The retractable three-piece hardtop can be operated at speeds to 25 mph. It stows into a tonneau cover behind the seats that can provide a bit more storage when the top is up. And even the Pirelli P Zero™ Trofeo R tires are bespoke, "for track-focused dynamics." The Spider is available to order now, starting at $256,500. Related Video:

Lego McLaren Senna is cheap to own, but you have to build it yourself

At about a million dollars, the McLaren Senna's price tag is eye-popping. But if you're willing to build it yourself, you can get it for a fraction of the price. Well, and if you're OK with it being much smaller and made of plastic, since this assembly-required Senna is a new Lego Speed Champions kit. Since the Speed Champions cars are quite small, a lot of detail is lost, especially when replicating such a complex and detailed car as the Senna. But key details such as the clear door panels and airplane-sized wing have been translated to brick. The kit also includes a wind tunnel fan so your Lego mini figures can live the McLaren engineer life, finding ways to cut drag on a vehicle with so many flat surfaces and sharp corners. The Lego McLaren kit is available now wherever Legos are sold. On the Lego web store, it's listed for $14.99. Related Video:

McLaren 600LT Spider to show its drop top next week

McLaren is adding yet another Longtail variant to its expanding stable of supercars, as teased in the video above. The company doesn't explicitly say it, but it's clearly the McLaren 600LT Spider. The upturned exhaust is the first clue that it's based on the 600LT, and as the camera pans around, we see the car's shadow has a gap where the roof is missing. Since this new McLaren is a derivative of the 600LT coupe, we assume it will make the same 592 horsepower and 457 pound-feet of torque. Those ponies ought to sound much sweeter without a roof in the way. The 600LT Spider will probably weigh about 200 pounds less than the regular 570S Spider, similar to the weight difference between the coupes. And if the 570S Spider is anything to go by, there shouldn't be much, if any, difference in performance between fixed- and removable-roof 600LT models. McLaren will reveal the car on January 16, so we won't have to wait long for all the delectable details. When it launches, it will be the fifth McLaren model to have the Longtail's LT designation. It won't be the first convertible, though, since McLaren made a 675LT Spider a few years ago. Related Video:

McLaren shows off personalization options for the Speedtail

The entire McLaren Speedtail production run has been spoken for, and McLaren wants to make sure no two Speedtails are exactly the same. A wide range of personalization options is offered to the 106 clients that have put down a deposit for the upcoming "Hyper-GT," and McLaren has now disclosed how it plans to make the cars unique. The 250-mph 1050-horsepower gasoline-hybrid cars will be available from early 2020 on, so there's a year's time to configure them according to one's taste. The supercar maker has recently showed off some of its special editions, and the Speedtail configuration options follow in the same exquisite vein. First of all, there are three style collections, which themselves have been divided into different themes depending of the customer's needs. The main collections are called Urbane, Visionary and Dynamic: the first of them is a subdued and sophisticated setting, the second a more striking and vibrant one, and the third a more futuristic one. The Urbane trim level includes the Stratosphere theme that shows off the car in "gloss 1k visual carbon fiber," the highlights of which are accentuated by a "contour pack" and anodized aluminum brightwork. The Visionary trim's Astral theme mainly features navy blue in various ways, contrasting with the car's silver-striped orange bodywork, again complete with glossy carbon fiber but now with white gold. As for the Dynamic collection, it can be tied in with the Bloodline theme, which combines a red car with a red driver seat but with aniline passenger seats, highlighting the central throne. There are countless ways to option the 106 cars' surfaces and features, especially when McLaren's MSO division is added to the table. McLaren also reminds that there are options such as electro-chromatic window tints that function as sun visors, or that one can add more carbon or white gold if desired. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Featured Gallery McLaren Speedtail collections McLaren Coupe Hybrid Performance Supercars McLaren Speedtail