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McLaren P1 breaks Nürburgring record. Honest!

McLaren P1

Remember last month when we reported a rumour the McLaren P1 had lapped the Nürburgring in 6 minutes 47 seconds? Well, it’s true. We promise. And here’s the video and press statement from McLaren to prove it:

 

Ahh, you can’t see it either? Well that’s because after two highly visible appearances at the Ring with the P1 hypercar in full view of spy photographers and McLaren’s own film crew on site they’re giving us… nothing.

Evo magazine thought they were getting the scoop. Editor Nick Trott was invited along to the Nürburgring during McLaren’s last visit and was hoping to emblazon the cover of his latest issue with a beautiful set of numbers, sure to boost sales and egos alike. But that didn’t happen.

Now, of all times, McLaren has stepped on its high horse and is preaching that chasing new records at the Ring is dangerous. In his editorial for Evo, Nick Trott explains:

When we began negotiations with McLaren about joining the P1 test team at the Ring, it was expected that the ultimate lap time would be achieved and revealed in time for this issue. At the last minute, I got a text from McLaren that read: ‘I have a conclusion on the Ring question. And not sure if you’re going to like it.’ A few minutes later, I was on the phone to Woking.

During the conversation that followed, it was explained that (spoiler alert!) the P1’s lap time would never be revealed and that the official line was that McLaren ‘had achieved its objective of a sub-seven minute lap of the Nordschleife’. My first feeling was disappointment because I’m sure many of you will be expecting the time, and we can’t give it, but my second feeling was relief. Here’s why…

I couldn’t give a monkey’s about the cult of the Nordschleife lap time. Never have. The chase for a notable lap time has become a form of motorsport in itself, but a motorsport without a governing body, without appropriate safety measures, without independent adjudicators, and a motorsport that is governed by the ‘competitors’ themselves. The result is a pissing contest, a trivialising of the Ring’s history and a chase for lap times that puts lives at risk.

And for what? A marketing message? Well, this week you’re able to find out what two prominent supercar customers think of the ‘allure’ of the Nürburgring lap time and the (lack of) effect it has when signing a cheque for the best part of £1million.

Aww, isn’t that cute, McLaren’s gone all shy, despite all those alluring smiles and incessant teasing it turns out they don’t want really want to measure up and get their dick out with Porsche after all.

So, after Ron Dennis’ bold claim in Geneva this year that the P1 would break the 7-minute barrier around the Nordschleife and take all records with it, the only evidence we have are a few hollow words. Not bold, confident actions, just a few meek words. Even Porsche, who rarely posts videos to support its claimed lap times, felt we deserved to see the 918 tackle the Ring from go to woah.

Yep, we’re disappointed in McLaren too.

[Sources: Jalopnik, Pistonheads, Bridge to Gantry, McLaren life]

11 replies on “McLaren P1 breaks Nürburgring record. Honest!”

There is only one reason for McLaren’s action, and that is they were not able to break Porsche’s time. Can you imagine Ron not boasting about it if they did???

Or maybe – just maybe- common sense prevails. The competition for lap times has gotten out of hand (IMHO) and it will one day result in tragedy for a test driver. What real world relevance is there to these lap times? Does anybody doubt that the P1 is blindingly fast?
Really – how many drivers are going to exploit even 50% of the potential of this vehicle?

That might be a very reasonable position for McLaren to take if…

Ron Dennis didn’t thump his chest and promise greatness on behalf of the P1 in Geneva, and

McLaren didn’t cock tease the P1 at the Nürburgring making no secret they were there chasing a lap record.

It’s hard to make a rational case for anything other than they have promised much and delivered, well, not so much.

Quick, then, says McLaren’s kookie marketing team, let’s come up with some poorly thought out moral high ground and say we achieved our goals, but regardless of the fact we had camera crews on the scene, we’re not going to provide documentary evidence of our record. Furthermore, we’re not even going to tell you the lap time.

You’ll just have to trust us doesn’t really cut it I’m afraid.

They may well have the last laugh, but right now they look like fools.

I’m on the fence about this one. the annoying part is that Mclaren were the ones to tout how much better their car was and how it will break all records now and forever. even so much so that ferrari actually started testing their prototype cars at the ring knowing that this was the battleground for the hyper car fight (i don’t think the ring is the ultimate, poor pavement, constantly changing weather, traffic, debris etc but that is another conversation). as we all know ferarri is not the most firendly with non-ferrari drivers testing their cars, but they were along for the ride. then porsche comes along and actually does what it set out to do and puts up a serious time.
i do not doubt that the p1 might be faster at the ring and most likely the ferrari as well but for all of us magazine heads numbers are the king. IMO the mclaren might have passed the porsche but not by enough or the car is too temper-mental at the limit and they know that repeating the time will be very difficult and somewhat embarrassing. if not done on call on the first lap of the first press date.

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