McLaren has announced that it will be entering the GT3 races with a modified version of their most recent road car – the MP4 12C. It is the first time a racing version of a McLaren road car has been created since 1997, and the team has high hopes that it will bolster their automotive brand even further.
The decision to enter GT3 racing was made rather quickly. The reasoning being that the company might as well develop the road car into a racing car themselves, instead of sitting by while their customers did it themselves. Racing, after all, is the heart and soul of McLaren.
While this super car is based on the humbler road car, there are some distinct differences. A meaty looking diffuser and a mighty wing are the highlights of the rear, while at the front, the car is lower to the ground in order to reduce drag. Aeroblades along the sides channel more air through the intakes, which provides more down force and extra cooling – essential to prevent a car breakdown mid-race. The other big difference between the road car and this one is that all the mod-cons have been stripped away, in order to create the leanest, fastest car possible.
The most eye-catching change on the interior is probably the presence of the F1 steering wheel, lifted from McLaren’s Formula One racing car.
Any GT3 racing enthusiast will of course be delighted to hear the news that McLaren is entering this thrilling type of racing once again – bringing a bit of high octane F1 magic to the series. There are even rumours that McLaren will enter the legendary Le Mans 24 hour race, something that will cement the brand’s reputation for endurance as well as for speed.
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