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McLaren 650S leaks out ahead of Geneva reveal [w/video]

Late last week, McLaren announced it will be bringing a new model to the Geneva Motor Show. Called the 650S, it's set to slot in between the 12C and P1 in Woking's supercar range. But before McLaren gets to unveil the new model, the first batch of photos – as well as a video walkaround – have leaked online. What we seem to be looking at is an MP4-12C with revised styling to more closely resemble the P1. Which is a good thing, because to most eyes, the P1 is a far better-looking car than the 12C, whose appearance – finalized before design director Frank Stephenson arrived on the scene – has oft been derided as derivative. The 650S also features an updated interior, but best of all, it's said to pack more power: the name hints at a 650 metric horsepower (641 hp) output from what we can assume to be the same 3.8-liter twin-turbo V8 that powers the 12C (which currently offers 616 hp) and the P1 (727 hp before the 176 hp electric motor comes into play). What remains to be seen at this point is whether the 650S you see here will eventually replace the 12C or continue alongside it indefinitely. The prevailing wisdom seems to be that McLaren will offer both and see how sales pan out. Scope it out in the (unfortunately grainy and low-res) leaked image gallery above and the walkaround video below, and watch this space for the official reveal. Featured Gallery McLaren 650S leaked images News Source: Driving.co.uk Geneva Motor Show McLaren Coupe Performance 2014 Geneva Motor Show mclaren mp4-12c mclaren 650s

Lewis Hamilton needs to step up in his 200th F1 race

LONDON — Lewis Hamilton will start the 200th grand prix of his Formula One career in Belgium this weekend, but the triple world champion has smaller but more significant numbers on his mind. Refreshed from an August break in the Caribbean, including a trip to Cuba in his role as UNICEF ambassador, the Mercedes driver is 14 points behind championship leader Sebastian Vettel as he revs up for the second half of the season. A fifth victory of 2017 for the Briton would put the pressure back on Ferrari's Vettel, and Hamilton can celebrate another milestone by bagging pole position on Saturday at the long and fast Spa-Francorchamps circuit. That would see Hamilton, who sportingly relinquished third place to team mate Valtteri Bottas in Hungary before the summer shutdown, match the record of 68 poles set by Michael Schumacher with Ferrari in 2006. Mercedes has won the last two Belgian Grands Prix, with now-retired 2016 world champion Nico Rosberg triumphant from pole last year after Hamilton won in 2015. Nobody will be taking anything for granted, however, after Ferrari's one-two win in Budapest at the end of July. "On paper, people will assume that Spa should suit our car because it is a circuit where aerodynamic efficiency is extremely important," Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff said. "But assumptions are dangerous — we have seen too many times already this season that the form book can be rewritten from one weekend to the next. So we will be making no assumptions." Hamilton has won twice before at Spa, as has Vettel, but the track — a classic blast from the past — has not been particularly kind to him. In 2008, when he won his first title, the Briton was demoted from first to third after the race for cutting a chicane, with then Ferrari rival Felipe Massa savoring victory instead. Spa can often be a lottery, with its capricious weather, and rain could be a boon for Red Bull's Belgian-born Dutch teenager Max Verstappen, who can count on plenty of local support in what amounts to a home race. "I just love the track and it'll be nice seeing so many orange (Dutch) fans in the grandstands," he said. "Spa is my favorite track of the year. You have to get everything right but when you get a good lap it's very rewarding." Belgium could also be good for Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen, who arrives with a new contract for 2018 in his pocket.

McLaren Senna GTR spied testing at the track

The McLaren Senna really moves. With its 3.9-liter twin-turbo V8 producing 789 horsepower and 590 pound-feet of torque, it's a fitting tribute for the legendary driver it's named after. While it's a road-legal car, it does have a race mode. But if that weren't racy enough for you, McLaren has a gnarlier version on the way, as you can see from these spy photos. That car, the McLaren Senna GTR, will be too hot for public roads, though, and will be a track-only version of the car. McLaren first envisioned the Senna GTR as a concept car, which it trotted out at the Geneva Motor Show last spring. The British automaker has said it only intends to build 75 examples, and each will cost around $1.4 million. That'll buy the lucky owners at least 813 horsepower and 2,200 pounds of downforce. A lot of dramatic carbon fiber bodywork helps it perform that aerodynamic feat. As McLaren Automotive CEO Mike Flewitt has said, the GTR will offer "more power, more grip and more downforce ... than the McLaren Senna and post even faster lap times." The prototype we see in the spy shots above looks incomplete, so expect to see more aero bits as development continues. It has a more aggressive stance, with wider fenders to match its wider track. We'll be curious to hear more details from McLaren closer to the car's production launch late next year, but seeing the Senna GTR hit the track is certainly a thing to behold. Related Video: