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McLaren W1 First Drive: Ferocious Hypercar Transcends the Track

You know things are getting serious when McLaren rolls-out the ‘1’ suffix. The origin story is, of course, the very first road car McLaren ever built, the F1. Designed by visionary Formula 1 aerodynamicist and engineer Gordon Murray, it arrived in 1992 and rendered all other supercars obsolete. The tiny, lightweight F1 embraced carbon-fibre material technology, adopted a radical centre seat driving position with two passengers set back and either side and was powered by a 6.1-litre V12 engine from BMW that might as well have been passed down directly from the Gods. Game-changer? That doesn’t even come close to describing its impact, even if at the time sales didn’t come easy… The P1 was very different. Rather than a unique side project from the Formula 1 team, it was instead a statement piece for McLaren Automotive, a new road car division still in its infancy. It arrived in 2013 and was a wild-eyed showstopper. It traded the long-legged gait and supple suspension of the F1 for a weaponized hybrid system capable of delivering 903bhp and huge blue flames from its drainpipe exhaust. In Race mode, it lowered by 2-inches and its massive concave rear wing extended into the sky. The P1 was all about aerodynamic downforce, crazed acceleration and a snorting, angry soundtrack that mixed venomous twin-turbocharged V8 with the manic whirr of electric motors. Not so much a car as a force of nature. And now there’s this: The W1. It’s a true successor to the P1 with a similar brief and, on the face of it, it evolves rather than radically reinvents McLaren’s vision for the ultimate hypercar. This is not a criticism. How could it be when the result is this dramatic and has such staggering, other-worldly potential? The W1 has 1258bhp delivered to the rear wheels. It’s capable of 0-124 mph in 5.8-seconds, the quarter mile in 9.6-seconds at 167 mph and produces 2205lbs of downforce at 174 mph. The active aerodynamics – particularly a rear wing that extends way out beyond the rear of the car – are pure performance art and deliver massive aerodynamic efficiency. The result, aside from looking extremely cool, is that the W1 is McLaren’s fastest road car around a racetrack. Ever. Their benchmark circuit is the breath-taking Handling Track at the Nardo proving ground in southern Italy, where the W1 beats their previous benchmark, the flyweight McLaren Senna, by three seconds per lap. Or “a lifetime” as they call it in racing. Maybe two lifetimes! Core to the W1’s performance is the new ‘Aerocell’ carbon fibre tub. With integrated seats and a raised footwell to allow for inboard pushrod-operated front suspension – which in turn gives air a clean path to the huge underbody diffuser – it’s light, stiff, space efficient and has been instrumental in McLaren realising a full ground-effect concept. Just like last year’s F1 cars, which were the fastest ever made. There is also an active front wing and the aforementioned complex rear wing dubbed ‘Active Long Tail’. All of which is very admirable. But the ‘anhedral’ or gullwing doors and the fantastically shirnked-wrapped feel to the minimalist, highly-focussed interior are a pretty good side effect. The W1 feels special. Those fixed seats are perhaps a shade more upright than expected, and the driving position is less obviously racecar than, for example, the Aston Martin Valhalla or Ferrari F80. However, once you’ve adjusted the pedals (they move on a slider) and the delicate, slim-rimmed and alcantara-trimmed steering wheel, there’s an overwhelming sense of purpose. The cabin is so tightly tailored and imparts a sense of lightness and agility before you so much as start the all-new 4.0-litre twin-turbocharged V8 engine, which makes 916bhp all on its own and revs to 9200rpm. Reach up to a roof-mounted control panel to find the starter button. Maybe this fighter plane trope is a little corny, but somehow you feel thrilled rather than manipulated. The W1 has a sense of humour as well as all that motorsport-derived sophistication. There’s a short delay, but when the engine does fire it’s instant – as the high-powered hybrid system negates the need for an old-school starter motor. A sharp flare of revs tells you that this engine is hyper-responsive and angry. On some deep level your brain and body have been sent all the signals required to prepare for something new and intense. Ahead of us, an empty Mugello racetrack, so press and hold the blue button next to the red starter to select Race mode. The centre display graphic shows the W1’s transformation in real time as it lowers by 37mm at the front and 17mm at the rear whilst simultaneously undocking all that active aero goodness. Race mode is not road legal and is geo-locked. You can show your friends and neighbours the aero dance, but it won’t allow you to select a gear to actually drive unless you’re at a circuit. Incidentally, the rocker switches either side of the display binnacle allow further options now: Toggle up the Handling control on the left for Race+ (for F1-spec super smooth tracks) or stick to Race for gnarlier ones. On the right toggle select ‘GP’ for sustained performance over a stint or ‘Sprint’ to unleash all 1258bhp for a time attack. There’s also a DRS and Boost function on the steering wheel. But I guarantee you won’t have the mental capacity to use them… Exit the pitlane, pin the throttle and W1 takes maybe a millisecond or two to gather its might (the gearing stretches to around 60mph in first, nearly 100mph in second, primarily to aid traction), but then lunges at the first turn with incredible ferocity. It instantly feels light, almost like inertia is no longer a thing. McLaren really does prize lightweight engineering, and at 3084lbs (dry) the W1 has a 278lbs advantage over the Ferrari F80. Plus, Ferrari uses figures for cars fitted with every single carbon fibre option. In reality, the gap is probably wider still. The impression of agility and stunning control continues as the track is unravelled at startling pace. The electric motor mounted to the side of the new 8-speed dual-clutch transmission is good for 342bhp and 324lb ft and it boosts any low rev lethargy the new flat-plane crank V8 might have (spoiler alert: It doesn’t appear to have any), so the W1 just feels massively, almost impossibly powerful at any revs. Even so, there’s real reward for wringing it out to 9200rpm and the power curve feels superheated but organic, too. In Race mode the steering – still hydraulically powered – has less assistance and it is noticeably heavier than other McLarens. However, that resistance is welcome as it gives you something to push against and imparts so much information about the front grip level. New Pirelli Trofeo RS tyres with a bigger front footprint than P1 or Senna really help. The front-end feels incredibly secure and the rear-axle follows with perfectly-aligned precision. The whole car feels super-stiff, completely locked into the surface and inspires confidence, but there’s an inherent agility and adjustability that means you’re quickly confident to push at its limits and really impose yourself on the chassis. It’s such a complex car but the driving experience is intuitive, and the driver feels a key contributor rather than just amazed (or terrified) observer, holding on for dear life. Every dynamic ingredient really is shockingly effective and yet has a subtlety and lightness of touch. From that delicious steering to the incredible brakes, the W1 just feels so mission-focussed, so hooked-up. Only the new 8-speed gearbox is a slightly disappointment. It’s fast and punchy, but after the scintillating energy of the Ferrari F80 ’box it feels competent rather than inspired. Other quibbles – it’s okay to quibble when the starting price is $2.1-million before tax and destination charge. Well, that new twin-turbocharged V8 sounds tightly wound and aggressive but if you have a P1 tucked in the garage you’ll miss the snorting, Darth Vader-style soundscape and all the drama that goes with it. Ferrari does this better, too. The F80 sounds deathly dull from the outside but is a riot of turbochargers, electric motors and all sorts of mechanical fury within the cockpit. Even so, the W1 is wildly entertaining on track, and the rear-drive configuration makes it more of a challenge and more satisfying than the F80 when chasing lap times or just sliding around for fun. In the Ferrari, you must second-guess what the front e-axle might do, whereas in the W1 it’s all on you. There are plenty of tools to help, including the ingenious Variable Drift Control, but somehow the W1 is more heroic. Or at least fools you into feeling more heroic – which is surely the point! On the road? Nimble, loaded with feel and sublime response. The ride is noticeably tougher than, say, a 750S but the control is ramped-up too, and with a bit more speed the whole car finds a delicious rhythm. Sport mode for the drivetrain brings some nice turbo whooshes and chirps, but the noise remains high-quality rather than extreme excitement. It is perhaps the one area the W1 feels just a little too tame. Of course, there’s nothing tame about the raw performance… which is genuinely shocking and literally hurts your neck muscles after a few hours. How McLaren has given the W1 such immense traction through just two driven wheels is beyond me. So, is it worthy of that ‘1’? I think so. Perhaps we won’t be talking about $25-million auction results for the W1 in 30 years from now, as we are for the F1. Perhaps it doesn’t quite have the amazing presence and jaw-dropping star quality of the simply gorgeous P1. But it is such an intense experience and the way it marries stunning track performance with delicate poise and entertainment on normal roads is something akin to magic. Maybe not ‘the one’ but definitely a searing, outrageous addition to McLaren’s fiercest family line. Just 399 W1’s will be built and they’re all sold. I’m not surprised at all. View All McLarens For Sale Images: McLaren Automotive

F1 and Apple TV logos above blurred Formula 1 cars, with text stating "Official U.S. Broadcaster of Formula 1. F1 streaming coming to Apple TV in 2026.

By Khris Bharath – October 18, 2025

Exclusive F1 Streaming Comes to Apple TV in 2026

Starting next year, every Grand Prix, Sprint, qualifying, and practice session will stream exclusively on Apple TV. That’s a major shake-up for F1 coverage in the United States, where fans have juggled networks like ESPN and F1 TV Pro for years. Now, Apple is rolling it all into one seamless experience. This five-year deal builds on Apple’s deepening footprint in the automotive world, besides Apple CarPlay, and more recently, CarPlay Ultra, the next-generation interface that first appeared in an Aston Martin. The tech giant’s Vision Pro integration with Porsche helped give us a closer look at the T-Hybrid tech seen on the 992.2 GTS and the 992.2 Turbo S. Besides being used in the development phase, the mixed-reality headset even allows for a showroom experience, giving users the ability to explore vehicles like the Taycan in full-scale 3D. At this year’s 2025 WWDC in June, Craig Federighi, Apple’s Senior Vice President of Software Engineering, appeared in an APXGP F1 car atop Apple Park. While it was CGI, it reflected Apple’s increasing involvement in the world of motorsports. After all, seven-time F1 world-champion Lewis Hamilton served as one of the producers and collaborated on Apple Original’s film F1: The Movie, the Brad Pitt-led blockbuster that shattered box office records, earning over $629 million globally and becoming the highest-grossing sports film in history, set for global streaming on December 12, 2025. Now, with this latest partnership, your Apple ecosystem becomes your F1 command center. Through the Apple TV app, you’ll get live coverage, exclusive content, and replays. Practice sessions will even be free to stream. Apple Sports, the company’s real-time hub, will provide standings, driver rankings, and push notifications so you can follow lap times right from your iPhone’s Lock Screen. Even Apple Maps and Apple Music will feature race-week playlists and Grand Prix city guides. F1 TV Premium, the sport’s own flagship streaming service, will now be accessible in the U.S. exclusively through an Apple TV subscription and included at no extra cost for subscribers Eddy Cue, Apple’s Senior VP of Services, called 2026 “a transformative new era” for Formula 1, pointing to upcoming regulation changes and new teams. That timing couldn’t be better, as an American entry, Cadillac, is also set to join the F1 grid next season officially. Dan Towriss, Cadillac F1’s CEO, said, “Cadillac F1 is incredibly excited about today’s announcement. As we build a truly American team, Apple’s scale, influence, marketing, and most importantly, deep commitment to innovation will bring us to American audiences in exactly the ways we want to reach them.” Post Liberty Media’s takeover of F1 in 2017 and the sport’s surging popularity in the U.S., fueled by Netflix’s Drive to Survive that first aired back in 2019, millions of new fans Stateside have been introduced to the world of Formula 1. The result is: the F1 calendar now includes three U.S. races, Austin at COTA (happening this weekend), Las Vegas, and Miami, whose contract was recently extended through 2041. Stefano Domenicali, F1’s CEO, said this partnership will maximize growth in the U.S. “I want to thank Tim Cook, Eddy Cue, and the entire Apple team for their vision and passionate approach to delivering this partnership, and we are looking forward to the next five years together.” The sport’s American fanbase reached 52 million in 2024, with nearly half between 18 and 24 years old, half of whom are female. Many already live inside Apple’s ecosystem, making this partnership a natural evolution. Images: Apple

A black race car with the number 5 and "Pruett Dodge" branding speeds around Laguna Seca during the 2025 Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion, celebrating IROC All-Star Legends on the iconic racetrack.

By Charles Bradley – June 27, 2025

IROC All-Star Legends Join 2025 Rolex Monterey Motorsport...

The unmistakable roar of 24 International Race of Champions (IROC) race cars will echo through the hills of WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca once again during the 2025 Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion, set for Aug. 13-16. This landmark appearance marks the historic reunion of all seven generations of IROC cars in one place – offering fans a rare glimpse into one of motorsport’s most iconic spec series. Founded in 1973 by racing pioneer Roger Penske, IROC was designed to pit the world’s top drivers against each other in identical race cars. IROC ran for 30 seasons (1974-2006) and featured champions from NASCAR, IndyCar, Formula 1, and sports car racing to determine the “best of the best.” In period, IROC only raced at Laguna Seca on two occasions, with Al Unser winning in 1978, and then-reigning Formula 1 world champion Mario Andretti scoring victory in ’79. Now, thanks to IROC co-owner, the renowned former NASCAR team boss and crew chief Ray Evernham, and support from collectors and former champions, the series will be celebrated in full scale at Monterey. The event brings together machines once piloted by legends such as Jeff Gordon, Mark Martin, Bill Elliott, Scott Pruett, and Danny Sullivan. Al Unser Jr., a two-time IROC champion, will serve as Grand Marshal of the IROC class. Among the standout vehicles on track: A 1974 Porsche 911 Carrera RSR, originally raced by F1 world champion Denny Hulme and NASCAR superstar David Pearson. A 1975 Chevrolet Camaro, campaigned by ’76 IROC champion A.J. Foyt, IndyCar star Johnny Rutherford, and F1 world champion James Hunt. Zak Brown’s 1978 Camaro, once driven by 1986 IROC champion Darrell Waltrip and F1 world champion Alan Jones. A golden 1985 Camaro IROC-Z, with NASCAR legend Bill Elliott behind the wheel again. A rare 1990 Dodge Daytona, rebodied from a two-time winning Camaro, that has been in Roger Penske’s private collection until early 2025. Bruce Canepa’s 1995 Dodge Avenger, famously driven by NASCAR icon Dale Earnhardt. A 2006 Pontiac Firebird, which helped Tony Stewart secure IROC’s final title. The Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion, one of the premier historic racing events in the U.S., will feature more than 400 period-correct race cars across 14 competitive groups. This year’s IROC celebration offers an unmatched combination of legendary drivers, championship history, and rare vintage race cars – cementing its place as a must-see for collectors, enthusiasts, and motorsport purists alike.

By Khris Bharath – May 08, 2025

Land Rover Set For Rally-Raid Racing Comeback With Defend...

Land Rover is making a bold return to rally-raid racing with the Defender Dakar D7X-R. Wrapped in a distinctive camouflage design, this purpose-built prototype has just wrapped up testing in the Moroccan Sahara desert. This is a significant more for the British brand, which has a storied past with long-distance endurance racing. Three competition Defender Dakar D7X-Rs will take part in the ‘Stock’ category of the Dakar Rally in 2026, whereas a two-car entry will participate in the FIA World Rally-Raid Championship (W2RC) next year. The team has roped in 14-time Dakar Rally winner, Stéphane Peterhansel, and Rokas Baciušk young rising star in the world of rally racing. Peterhansel's extensive experience, combined with Baciuška's recent successes, including a W2RC championship in the T4 class, should bring a blend of expertise and youthful energy to the team. Showcasing strength and durability, the Dakar D7X-R is built upon the robust underpinnings of the production Defender Octa, and shares a lot, including its lightweight aluminum body based on the D7x architecture, transmission, and driveline layout, with the same 626 horsepower, 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8 engine doing duty under the hood. Land Rover’s history with the Dakar Rally dates back to the early years of the event. Back in 1981, a Range Rover Classic won the rally, in a display of the brand’s off-road prowess. Over the years, countless Land Rover models, including vintage Rovers and Bowler vehicles, have taken part in the Desert rally. The Dakar itself has also evolved since its inception in 1979. Originally, the Paris-to-Dakar rally was conceived by French racer Thierry Sabine and was designed to put man and machine to the ultimate test across some of the world’s most challenging terrains. Land Rover’s renewed commitment to the Rally-Raid racing with the Defender Dakar D7X-R marks a return to the brand’s roots of competition 4x4s and endurance racing. Prior to the team launch, Land Rover has an exhaustive test program planned, ahead of both events in 2026. View All Land Rover Defenders For Sale Image ource: Land Rover

By Charles Bradley – May 04, 2025

Cadillac Formula 1 Team Debuts Bold New Logo at Glamorous...

The new Cadillac Formula 1 Team has revealed its official team logo in a cinematic teaser video unveiled during a star-studded event at the 2025 Miami Grand Prix. Set to join the FIA Formula 1 World Championship grid in 2026, the team took center stage at Queen in South Beach, Miami, hosting a high-profile launch that matched the luxury and ambition of the brand. The exclusive event, hosted by actor and former NFL star Terry Crews, brought out motorsport royalty, including Mario Andretti and ex-Ferrari F1 winner Eddie Irvine. A key highlight of the evening was the first glimpse of the team’s bold branding, a visual representation of Cadillac’s entrance into the pinnacle of global motorsport. General Motors, through its iconic Cadillac luxury brand, is stepping into Formula 1 with a 350-strong team to compete against elite names like Ferrari, Mercedes-AMG, McLaren, and Red Bull Racing. The entry is backed by a partnership with TWG Motorsports, led by Dan Towriss and born out of the Andretti Global organization, which competes in the IndyCar Series and Formula E World Championship. The team’s branding draws from Cadillac’s rich heritage and American identity, bringing a fresh voice to Formula 1’s traditionally European landscape. “Cadillac is honored to share the F1 stage with the best luxury brands from around the world,” said GM President Mark Reuss. “It’s a brand whose legacy on and off the track is filled with innovation, technological precision, and timeless beauty. Our journey has been long, but from the very beginning, it has been about ambition… audacity… and now acceleration.” https://twitter.com/Cadillac_F1/status/1918850162509709602 Cadillac Formula 1 Team CEO Dan Towriss also addressed the journey to Formula 1: “It’s been a long journey, and when we said we were going to build a Formula 1 team, we were told it would be ‘too hard, too ambitious and take too long to do it,’ but every ‘no’ sharpened our focus… Every time we ran into an obstacle, we just found a new way, a new path to get around it.” As the 11th team on the 2026 Formula 1 grid, speculation has intensified around Cadillac’s driver lineup. American IndyCar star Colton Herta remains a strong candidate, while a huge crowd assembled outside the Miami event and echoed chants of “Get Checo!” in support of Sergio ‘Checo’ Perez, following his exit from Red Bull Racing at the end of last season. Cadillac has appointed experienced F1 figure Graeme Lowdon as team principal and will begin racing with Ferrari power units until 2029, when GM Performance Powertrains will take over as a full FIA-approved F1 power unit supplier. With the reveal of its branding, Cadillac has set the tone for what promises to be a groundbreaking chapter in luxury performance and American motorsport ambition. View All Cadillacs For Sale Source: Cadillac, X

By Motorsport Network – July 07, 2023

F1 CEO Domenicali Hails The Role Images Play In Engaging ...

F1 President and CEO Stefano Domenicali has emphasized the vital role images play in the storytelling of F1.

radford pikes peak special edition at the iconic international hill climb credit larry chen 10.jpg

By Tyler Rampersaud – June 29, 2023

Radford & Tanner Foust Shatter Pikes Peak Hill Climb Clas...

The Radford Type 62-2 Pikes Peak Special Edition sets a new class record with its impressive power and technology.

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