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6 Apr 2004, 07:32 (Ref:931904)
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Veteran
Join Date: Oct 2001
Posts: 1,217
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R.I.P. McLaren F1 GTR (1995 - 2003)
With the release of the Entry List and Qualifying results for Round 1 of the Japanese Grand Touring Championship at Aida in Japan, there are two stalwart entrants who are not present.
In 2003 Hitotsuyama team ran a 1997 McLaren F1 GTR and were the only McLaren in competition worldwide. Now, in 2004, that last racing McLaren has not been entred for the new season, but instead the team has entered a Ferrari 550. The lack of a McLaren racing any where in the world now, has not featured on the radar of the motorsport world, even though the McLaren F1 was the pinnacle of sportscar racing, with its debut victory at Le Mans, and its crushing championship wins of 1995 and 1996 in the BPR series, despite substantial handicaps. In 1997 McLaren again were strong at Le Mans, filling almsot half of the top ten for much of the race, before finishing with only two cars but being 2nd and 3rd overall. In the FIA-GT Championship as many as nine different McLarens were run by six teams with Gulf-Davidoff (3cars) and BMW Motorsport (2) being a permanent fixture at the pointy end of the grid, and podium as well. Again in 1998, against its strongest ever opposition in the Prototypes of Toyota, Mercedes, Nissan, and Porsche, a red and yellow McLaren nicknamed "Big Mac" and run by Steve O'Rourke, came home in 4th place setting an all time record for the least time spent in the pits during the 24 Hours. In 1998 and 1999, McLarens were raced in the BRDC GT championship in England against Porsche and Lister GT1s, Harrier, Sintura, Quaife. It was about this time too that a yellow blue and pink leveried 1997 McLaren F1 GTR appeared in Japan to race in the JGTC. The ex-Parabolica and LARK McLaren had raced in 1997 at Spa, Suzuka, and Le Mans. With strict rules based on power/weight/frontal area of vehicle body/construction/and weight bias, the series' success is in its handicapping method. With weight penalties applied to the podium finishers, the emphasis is on consistancy and improvement over the season. With significant handicapping the McLaren was beefed up from 950Kg to 1150Kg at worst, with power dropping from 630bhp to just around 530-550bhp. The small team struggled against the large teams to refine the car for each circuit and replacement parts were costly compared to their competitors. The team had some success however, and continued with the car until 2002. continued... |
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6 Apr 2004, 08:42 (Ref:931962)
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Ten-Tenths Hall of Fame
Veteran
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 9,482
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Considering their result in F1, they could focus more on sportscars, though...
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6 Apr 2004, 08:46 (Ref:931967)
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Veteran
Join Date: Mar 2002
Posts: 2,742
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being a superstitious soul i put their current f1 form down to the fact they've just very recently removed the mclaren f1 gtr they had on permanent display in a small showroom in londons park lane...covering up the laurel and words "winner 24 heures du mans 1995" that were on the window in the process.
this sort of sacrilege doesn't go un-noticed by the great gods of sportscars....i mean look at toyotas success since they binned the gt-one and went off to f1. 
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__________________
I want you to drive flat out
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6 Apr 2004, 10:34 (Ref:932058)
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#4 | ||
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Veteran
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 3,390
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It may not yet be all over for the Mclaren F1!
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6 Apr 2004, 10:36 (Ref:932060)
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Veteran
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 5,721
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You're teasing again, Mr Goodwin!
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__________________
Interviewer: "Will the McLaren F1 be your answer to the Ferrari F40?" Gordon Murray: "Hmm... I don't think we have anyone at McLaren who can weld that badly..."
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6 Apr 2004, 10:51 (Ref:932077)
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Veteran
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 3,390
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I will happily share this one if and when I hear more!!
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6 Apr 2004, 10:52 (Ref:932080)
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Veteran
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 3,390
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BTW mate I love your signature!!!
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6 Apr 2004, 10:58 (Ref:932087)
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Veteran
Join Date: Oct 2001
Posts: 3,580
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An F1 GTR is scheduled to appear later in the season in the Cup class of the British GT Championship. We are told everything can run there.
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__________________
Oops
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6 Apr 2004, 12:31 (Ref:932197)
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#9 | ||
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Veteran
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 5,721
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Is the only thing which prevents a McLaren from running in the FIA GT Championship the fact that it was once homologated as a GT1 car? After all, McLaren must have built enough road versions to qualify. How competitive would a long-tail F1 GTR be against Ferrari 550s, Saleens and Ferrari 575s? I'd guess very.
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__________________
Interviewer: "Will the McLaren F1 be your answer to the Ferrari F40?" Gordon Murray: "Hmm... I don't think we have anyone at McLaren who can weld that badly..."
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6 Apr 2004, 12:38 (Ref:932204)
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Team Crouton
20KPINAL
Join Date: Oct 2001
Posts: 39,570
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I guess it says something about this fantastic car that we're still talking about it some 9 years after it hit the tracks for the first time......
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__________________
44 days...
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6 Apr 2004, 12:40 (Ref:932208)
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#11 | ||
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Veteran
Join Date: Oct 2001
Posts: 3,580
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AFAIK one of the homologation criteria is that the car must be on offer for sale by the manufacturer at the time of its homologation. (I am not sure if Merc would like McLaren to start building the F1 again.)
Also, GT1 cars still cannot be rehomologated in GT2/GTS. |
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__________________
Oops
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6 Apr 2004, 12:46 (Ref:932213)
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#12 | ||
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Veteran
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 3,390
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Nope you're mixing this up with the Joest prepared VW DP that we're expecting in Britcar.
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6 Apr 2004, 12:49 (Ref:932216)
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Veteran
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 1,227
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Can we read between the lines???! -please...
New Macca for 2005???? Winners in 1995 and 2005? Might make a nice marketing slogan...
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__________________
You're either at Le Mans, or waiting for Le Mans. ('86, '87, '88, '89, '90, '91, '93, '94, '95, '97, '98, '00, '01, '02, '03, '04, '05, '06, '07, '08, '09, '10, '11, '12, '13, '14, '15, '16, '17)
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6 Apr 2004, 12:52 (Ref:932219)
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Veteran
Join Date: Dec 2001
Posts: 2,133
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Quote:
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6 Apr 2004, 12:56 (Ref:932227)
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14th
1% Club
Join Date: Jul 2001
Posts: 42,600
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It is a shame that no one is racing one anymore, but there is nothing to read into this - it is nearly ten years old, which is quite long in the tooth racing car wise!
A fantastic car! I do miss it.
Last edited by Adam43; 6 Apr 2004 at 12:56. |
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__________________
Seriously not taking motorsport too seriously.
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6 Apr 2004, 13:02 (Ref:932239)
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Veteran
Join Date: Dec 2001
Posts: 2,133
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Both the lister and viper are over 10 years old as well. Perhaps their should be a brithday party for them at the the next FIA round.
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__________________
Some people will tell you that slow is good - and it may be, on some days - but I am here to tell you that fast is better. H S Thompson 1937 - 2005
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6 Apr 2004, 13:06 (Ref:932245)
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Veteran
Join Date: Oct 2001
Posts: 3,580
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Quote:
Lotus, on the other hand, did not. The Esprit V8 would have been a good GTS car. Last edited by cybersdorf; 6 Apr 2004 at 13:10. |
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__________________
Oops
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6 Apr 2004, 13:15 (Ref:932257)
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Veteran
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 3,390
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Quote:
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6 Apr 2004, 13:59 (Ref:932310)
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#19 | ||
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Veteran
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 5,721
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I'm racking my brains to think where the F1 GTR might still race. If ACO and FIA regs are against it, it would have to be a national series. Belcar seems to welcome a wide variety of cars, but what about the Langstreckenpokal? A McLaren F1 on the Nordschleife would be a sight to behold indeed.
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__________________
Interviewer: "Will the McLaren F1 be your answer to the Ferrari F40?" Gordon Murray: "Hmm... I don't think we have anyone at McLaren who can weld that badly..."
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6 Apr 2004, 17:42 (Ref:932540)
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#20 | ||
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Rookie
Join Date: Mar 2004
Posts: 88
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Well the former Lark car was testing at Sebring in early march...
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6 Apr 2004, 17:51 (Ref:932550)
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#21 | ||
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Veteran
Join Date: Jun 2003
Posts: 6,699
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The former Lark car is listed for sale on 962.com
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__________________
"The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has its limits." Albert Einstein
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6 Apr 2004, 18:54 (Ref:932630)
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#23 | ||
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Veteran
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 1,525
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A stunning colour scheme
Here it is on 962.com http://www.962.com/other_racing_cars..._19r/index.htm |
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__________________
Interviewer: The strategy, have you got any tortoises, any hares in the Jaguar team? Brundle: Didn’t see too many in practice
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6 Apr 2004, 19:09 (Ref:932643)
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#24 | ||
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Racer
Join Date: Sep 2003
Posts: 399
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The Lark GTR is running in the HSR series i think.
http://www.962.com/other_racing_cars..._19r/index.htm |
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6 Apr 2004, 20:13 (Ref:932726)
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#25 | |
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Racer
Join Date: Dec 2003
Posts: 139
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The Lark was indeed testing in between HSR rounds at Sebring recently (one week before 12 hour week.) I have a good idea what Graham is talking about but its far from a done deal.
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