![]() ![]() ![]() Due to demand, nine more new GTRs were built, while two older GTRs (#03R and #06R) were also modified to the 1996-spec. These modifications allowed for the weight of the GTR to be lowered by 38 kg. The car's standard gearbox was modified to include a lighter magnesium housing and more robust mechanicals. The bodywork was also modified to allow it to be removed more quickly for easier repair. They were assisted by BMW Motorsport, who at the time decided to use their connection to McLaren to enter sports car racing by running their own race team with F1 GTRs.Īmong the modifications were an extension of the front and rear bodywork, including a larger splitter attached to the front of the car. įollowing the success of the 1995 season, McLaren set forth to upgrade the car to remain competitive, especially against the threat of newer sports cars appearing such as the Ferrari F50 GT (which was withdrawn quickly) and the Porsche 911 GT1. David Price Racing, BBA Competition, Mach One Racing, and Giroix Racing Team would all receive one chassis each, while the final chassis, #09R, was sold to Hassanal Bolkiah, the Sultan of Brunei, for his car collection.Īt Le Mans 1995, the Kokusai Kaihatsu McLaren obtained victory and the highest practice top speed of the year, reaching 281 km/h (174.605 mph) on the Mulsanne Straight. British team GTC Racing received two F1 GTRs, with a third being used to replace a destroyed car. Problems playing this file? See media help.Ī total of nine chassis would be built for the 1995 season, with #01R being retained by the factory as a test mule, except for a one-off use by Kokusai Kaihatsu Racing at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. McLaren co-ordinated a 24-hour test at Magny-Cours to find weaknesses in the car and develop upgrades to supply to the teams. Features such as the central seating position, Butterfly doors, and even the standard gearbox were retained. Because of the rules at the time, the BMW S70 V12 engine was required to use an air restrictor to limit power output to around 600 PS (592 hp 441 kW), making the racing car less powerful than the road car, yet faster and more nimble due to a lowered overall weight. The interior was stripped of all luxuries and given a full racing cage. Even the 1995 versions of F1 GTR generated enough downforce to run along the ceiling at 100 mph. A large adjustable fixed wing was added to the rear of the car. Bodywork modification saw the addition of various cooling ducts, most noticeably a large one in the center of the nose and two placed in the location of the storage lockers on the side of the car. Because of the similarity to a race car, extensive modification was not needed to actually turn the F1 into a racing car. An unused F1 chassis which was meant to become #019 was taken by McLaren and modified by the company as a developmental prototype. Many teams, such as those run by Ray Bellm and Thomas Bscher, seeing the potential in the McLaren F1 road cars, Le Mans winner John Nielsen turned to Gordon Murray in an attempt to convince him to offer factory backing on racing versions for the BPR series.įinally, Murray relented and agreed to modify the F1 into a racing car, agreeing to build several chassis for competition in the 1995 season. At the same time, teams were also looking for faster and more capable cars for the series top class, GT1. Viewed as a possible replacement for the defunct World Sportscar Championship, major manufacturers were taking interest in the series. Starting in the 1994 season, the series featured racing modifications of sports cars such as the Venturi 600LM, Ferrari F40, and Porsche 911 Turbo. However, soon after the launch of the McLaren F1, the BPR Global GT Series was created. Although the car used many racing technologies and designs, it was felt that the car should be a road car first, without any intent built into the creation of the car to modify it into a racing car. Gordon Murray, creator of the McLaren F1, originally saw his creation as the ultimate road car, with no intention to take the car racing. The F1 GTR raced internationally until 2005 when the final race chassis was retired.ĭevelopment 1995–19 F1 GTR of Gulf Racing at Brands Hatch. It is most famous for its overall victory at the 1995 24 Hours of Le Mans where it won against faster purpose-built prototypes in very wet conditions. It was powered by the naturally aspirated BMW S70/2 V12 engine. The McLaren F1 GTR is the racing variant of the McLaren F1 sports car first produced in 1995 for grand touring style racing, such as the BPR Global GT Series, FIA GT Championship, JGTC, and British GT Championship. ![]()
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