Motorsport

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

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By Tyler Rampersaud – September 04, 2024

Michael Jordan's 23XI NASCAR Team Wins First Regular Seas...

Michael Jordan’s winning streak goes from basketball to NASCAR. Often lauded as the greatest basketball player of all time, Michael Jordan is not only synonymous with the sport but with achievement in the sport and with victory itself. His incredible achievement goes beyond basketball, as Michael Jordan is co-owner of 23XI Racing, racing Toyota cars with drivers Bubba Wallace (number 23) and Tyler Reddick (number 45) behind the wheel. The regular season of the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series Championship is over, and 23XI Racing has a reason to celebrate. In the regular season, 23XI Racing driver Tyler Reddick emerged as the regular season champion. The championship win comes after this year’s Cook Out Southern 500 race at Darlington Raceway in Darlington, South Carolina, where Reddick and his number 45 Toyota race car finished in 10th place.. When asked about the team’s regular season championship win, Michael Jordan remarked on how proud he is of the team’s achievements and their hard work, but that there is still much more to achieve. Clinching the regular season championship victory over Kyle Larson by just one point, Tyler Reddick secured the first regular season championship title for 23XI Racing, marking an important milestone for the incredibly young team, which is up against longstanding titans in the NASCAR world. Up next are the Playoffs, where Michael Jordan’s 23XI team will hopefully continue to deliver incredible results. Finance A Luxury or Exotic Car For Sale View this post on Instagram A post shared by NASCAR (@nascar)

Mercedes Benz USA Hosts First Ever Race Day and Canadian Grand P

By Jordan Aquistapace – June 11, 2024

Mercedes-Benz Celebrates 130 Years In Motorsports With A ...

It was a celebrity show out at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mercedes-Benz recently celebrated 130 years in motorsports with an unforgettable Race Day event at the iconic Mercedes-Benz Stadium. The brand's first-ever F1 celebration featured a watch party for the 2024 Formula 1 AWS Grand Prix Du Canada, bringing together a diverse mix of customers, fans, brand ambassadors, and special celebrity guests. The star-studded feature included rapper Ludacris, NFL quarterback Kirk Cousins, model Jess Hart, and Eastside Golf founders Olajuwon Ajanaku and Earl Cooper. The fuel-driven atmosphere was electric as everyone gathered to honor the legacy of the Mercedes-AMG brand while watching one of the most exciting races of the season. Mercedes-Benz Guests were welcomed to an exclusive race viewing experience with live commentary from a Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team host. The event also showcased a special live performance by Ludacris. Formula 1 simulators and a Mercedes-Benz car corral showcasing rare pre-merger AMG and "young timer" Mercedes-Benz models added to the interactive experiences. Legendary cars on display included the 2024 AMG GT 63, AMG GT2, AMG GT3, and the iconic W 196 R "Monoposto" driven by racing legend Juan Manuel Fangio. Mercedes-Benz Ludacris, a proud Atlantan and MBUSA Brand Ambassador, expressed his excitement about partnering with Mercedes-Benz to bring the racing world's energy to his hometown. Under the motto "Defining Motorsport since 1894," Mercedes-Benz continues to lead the way in Formula 1, GT customer racing, and Esports. View all Mercedes-Benz models for sale on duPont REGISTRY by clicking the link below. View All Mercedes-Benz For Sale Source: Mercedes-Benz

By Jordan Aquistapace – May 22, 2024

These A-List Celebrities Are Out In Monte Carlo With Merc...

Everyone from Cristiano Ronaldo to George Lucas is showing out for Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1! Monte Carlo is the ultimate playground for celebrities and the ultra-affluent, especially when the iconic Monaco Grand Prix hits town. This highly anticipated race blends thrilling motorsport action with the luxurious lifestyle of the rich and famous, making it a can't-miss spectacle in the F1 season. As teams and drivers arrive for what seems to be a promising weekend of high-speed racing, so do the A-list celebrities, athletes, and other influential individuals. Proving that their spot at the paddock is the place to be coming race time, Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 has already welcomed a long list of familiar faces that you may not have expected to be fans of F1 racing. Commonly referred to as the G.O.A.T of Formula 1, with World Championships under his belt, Sir Lewis Hamilton shares the track spotlight with soccer superstar Cristiano Ronaldo. While celebs like Kris Jenner and Corey Gamble ventured through the pits, Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team CEO and Team Principle Toto Wolf was behind the scenes showing legendary American filmmaker George Lucas the ropes. Whether you're watching along the water from a luxury superyacht or on TV from the comfort of your home, there's no denying that the Monaco Grand Prix is a must-watch event for competitive F1 racing and top-tier celeb spotting. Check out all the celebrities and athletes who visited the Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 paddock by scrolling below. Shop All Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Fan Gear Sir Lewis Hamilton & Cristiano Ronaldo @mercedesamgf1 Instagram Serena Williams @mercedesamgf1 Instagram Kris Jenner & Corey Gamble @mercedesamgf1 Instagram Mick Schumacher & Fabio Quartararo @mercedesamgf1 Instagram Odell Beckham Jr. @mercedesamgf1 Instagram Toto Wolf & George Lucas @mercedesamgf1 Instagram

By Jordan Aquistapace – May 16, 2024

Watch Pierre Gasly Drive Ayrton Senna's First F1 Race Car...

Pierre Gasly experiences the drive of a lifetime! When considering the successful careers of renowned Formula 1 racing drivers, it's impossible to have a conversation without mentioning the name Ayrton Senna. Securing a legendary position in F1 history with Drivers' Championship wins in 1988, 1990, and 1991, Ayrton was on his journey to become an unbeatable force before his tragic accident at the Imola circuit in 1994. Being an influential figure and role model in the art of racing, Ayrton Senna has shaped himself as an inspiration to modern-day drivers like Alpine BWT F1's frontman Pierre Gasly. Presented as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and dream come true for the 28-year-old French driver, Alpine F1 set up a private track session for Pierre Gasly to drive Ayrton Senna's very first Formula 1 race car. While most passionate race fans are synonymous with McLaren F1's MP4/4 when referring to Ayrton's track weapon of choice, the Toleman TG183 stands out as the car that paved the way for the Brazilian racer. If the opportunity itself doesn't shock you, the sheer size of early-era race cars compared to modern-day F1 chassis gives insight into the progression of design, performance, and safety. Before setting off on England's Silverstone Circuit sporting a Senna-inspired helmet, Pierre expresses that he's most excited to experience the simplicity of the Toleman's setup and its traditional h-patterned gearbox. The Toleman TG183 generates a snappy 540bhp thanks to a 1.5L turbocharged engine, which at the time shied away from any sophisticated traction control or stability systems. Speechless over the drive, describing it as "an experience I will remember for my entire life," Gasly truly completed a childhood dream by hopping behind the wheel of his icon growing up. Shop all Alpine BWT F1 x Pierre Gasly fan gear by clicking the link below. Shop All Alpine BWT F1 x Pierre Gasly Fan Gear Source: Alpine YouTube

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By Tyler Rampersaud – November 14, 2023

Ken Block's Daughter Lia Block Joins F1 Academy With Will...

With a name already revered in motorsport, this is the beginning of an illustrious career. Lia Block is already known for her incredible racing talent and prowess despite being only 17 years old. With an incredible exhibition run at Pikes Peak in honor of her late father behind the wheel of his "Hoonipigasus" Porsche, motorsport legend Ken Block, sending buzz across the globe, it was immediately clear that Ken Block’s legacy would live on through his incredibly talented daughter. It turns out that that announcement was just the beginning, as Lia Block has been announced as Williams Racing’s newest Racing Driver Academy member. The F1 Academy that Lia Block will now be a part of has set out to revolutionize motorsport by shining the spotlight on young women with professional racing ambitions. With her racing legacy and undeniable talent behind the wheel, Lia Block is a perfect fit in this endeavor. Starting in the 2024 season, Block is set to race with ART Grand Prix, and she is anticipated to use the stage to showcase incredible racing prowess and continue building her family legacy in motorsport. Designed to give young women a stepping stone towards blossoming careers in professional racing, Lia Block’s participation in the F1 Academy is exciting news and just the beginning of what is sure to be a racing career to follow. View All Exotic Cars For Sale View this post on Instagram A post shared by Williams Racing (@williamsracing) Image Source: Williams Racing via Instagram

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