McLaren has achieved its final development objective for the now sold out
McLaren P1: a sub-seven minute lap time of the Nurburgring circuit.
From the outset, the McLaren P1 has been
developed with one clear goal: to be the best driver's car on both road and
track. To achieve this, the development program has focused on ensuring the
McLaren P1 pushes the boundaries in terms of sheer performance, with testing
carried out in some of the harshest conditions around the world. But one
challenge remained, and that was arguably the toughest of them all.
20.8 kilometers driven at an average speed in excess of 110 mph (178 km/h).
Sounds easy, until you add in more than 150 corners, 300 meters of elevation
changes and cornering forces of up to 2g. All in less than seven minutes.
Commenting on the sub-seven achievement by the McLaren P1, McLaren Formula 1
driver and 2009 world champion Jenson Button said: "'Over the past dozen-or-so
years I've owned a lot of ultra-high-performance road cars. I've driven the
McLaren P1 on a number of occasions - including up the hill at the Goodwood
Festival of Speed, where it was sensational - and I think it's a truly superb
machine: unbelievably refined yet unbelievably quick. But, as I say, for it to
have recorded a sub-seven minute lap time around the Nurburgring is the icing on
the cake: proof positive, backed by hard data, on the greatest racetrack of them
all, that McLaren has created a genuine game-changer."
McLaren hasn't yet revealed the exact lap time.
From Road Car to Race Car at a Push of a Button
The Supernova Silver example of the McLaren P1, codenamed XP2R, was driven the
390 miles from Woking, England across to the Nurburgring ahead of this final
development test phase, underlining the car's unique road-to-race ability. On
arrival at the track, 'Race' mode extended the active rear wing by 300mm,
dropped the ride height by 50mm and saw the RaceActive Chassis Control
suspension system stiffen by 300 percent - a fully-focused track car at the push
of a button.
The McLaren P1 generates up to 600 kg of downforce through the use of advanced
active aerodynamics which, in conjunction with the bespoke tires, provides
unprecedented levels of grip and superior balance and handling. This allows the
McLaren P1 to carry greater levels of speed through the corners, and achieve
higher apex speeds, and the optimized traction enables the driver to get on the
power earlier.
"The track is like the rollercoaster from hell. However, the car feels balanced
and poised throughout, and inspires you to push on with the levels of grip and
all-round ability," explains Goodwin, McLaren's test driver.
"The acceleration from the Aremberg right hander down the Fuchsröhre is
absolutely amazing. I have only experienced acceleration like this before in a
Formula 1 car. This downhill snaking section of the track is taken flat, using
DRS, shifting gear all the way down to the base of the valley, and the
compression that follows applies the maximum vertical g-forces to the car. The
forces really load the tires, chassis and wing, but it is taken with only a
slight lift of the throttle."
Goodwin concludes: "The sub-seven minute lap time of the Nurburgring was set as
part of a list of targets the McLaren P1 had to meet and, as with other
objectives within the program, the team has more than achieved what we set out
to do. It is a fitting tribute to the company in its 50th year, and to Bruce,
the founder, whose ideals we live every day."
McLaren P1
The groundbreaking McLaren P1 is equipped with a dual powerplant drivetrain
generating 903 hp. A highly efficient 3.8-liter twin turbo V8 petrol engine
produces 727 hp which is coupled to a 176 hp lightweight electric motor to offer
optimized performance. The efficient drivetrain offers instant torque and
throttle response, with performance figures to match - 0-60 mph in 2.7 seconds,
0-124 mph in 6.8 seconds and 0-186 mph in 16.5 seconds.
