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McLaren

McLaren MP4-12C laps Nürburgring in 7:28

McLaren MP4-12C

One of the world’s newest supercars, the McLaren MP4-12C, has unofficially lapped the Nürburgring in 7 minutes 28 seconds. The time was recorded by respected German magazine Sport Auto.

Perhaps McLaren would secretly wish for a faster time, as the mighty Mac is around 16 seconds slower than the Dodge Viper ACR, 12 seconds slower than the Lexus LFA and 10 seconds slower than a Porsche 911 GT2 RS. At least it’s four seconds faster than a Ferrari 458 Italia.

UPDATE: Official video from McLaren Automotive has been added below, which confirms the Sport Auto lap time and includes a few words from their noted test driver Horst von Saurma.

[Source: Teamspeed]

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McLaren

Veyron bashing McLaren F1 coming in 2014

2014 McLaren F1 rendering

Autocar brings word of a new Super Mac which they say will be faster than the all-conquering Bugatti Veyron. Testing has already begun for the successor to the iconic McLaren F1 road car.

Initial evaluation is said to have taken place on closed roads in Spain, with further developments to take place in Germany. Hot weather testing is likely to be undertaken in Bahrain.

Despite such lofty performance targets the ‘mega Mac’ only has an 800hp 5.0 litre V8 engine, according to the Autocar report. It will be rear wheel drive, as you would expect, and will also feature a 7-speed double clutch transmission. Performance predictions suggest the following numbers: 0–100km/h in 2.8s, 0–160km/h in 5.5s and 0–320km/h in 20s.

Apparently the ‘mega Mac’ will be “bigger, angrier and more functional looking” than the MP4-12C. As well as expected inclusions such as carbon-ceramic brakes, switchable ABS and traction control settings and a carbon fibre monocell, the new hypercar could also feature a data logger and in-built video camera to record track day experiences.

Sounds like it will be the super-mega-hypercar du jour when 2014 rolls around. It’s a good thing you’re getting plenty of notice, too. Just 500 will be built over a four year production run and you’ll need to pony up £1 million to call one your own.

[Source: Autocar]

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F1 in pictures Ferrari Lotus McLaren Mercedes-Benz Red Bull Racing Renault

2011 Korean Grand Prix in pictures

2011 Korean Grand Prix

After safely tucking away another world championship in Japan, Sebastian Vettel showed no mercy to his rivals by putting in a dominant performance on race day at the Korean Grand Prix. He was pretty happy about it too. It’s his 10th win for the year; third on the all time list. He’ll need to win the remaining three races to equal Michael Schumacher’s epic 2004 season, where he won 13 out of 18 races.

Of course, the first place for Vettel and third place for Mark Webber wrapped up consecutive constructors’ titles for Red Bull Racing. The team has courted controversy during its relatively short life span, but there’s no denying their effectiveness.

After the break you’ll see over 100 pictures from Yeongam. It’s not a surprise anymore to see just how many marbles the Pirelli tyres have spat out at F1 circuits this year, but it’s been illustrated very will in a few of the pics below.

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Formula 1 McLaren Red Bull Racing

2011 Korean GP: Post-race press conference

2011 Korean Grand Prix

Sebastian Vettel capped off a great Sunday for Red Bull Racing by winning today’s Korean Grand Prix. It was the new world champion’s tenth win of the year and it sealed back-to-back constructors’ titles for his team.

Rain had affected proceedings on Friday and Saturday and Lewis Hamilton and McLaren had looked the team to beat. This perception was reinforced when Hamilton became the first non-Red Bull driver to claim pole position.

However, on race day Vettel was able to claim the lead on the opening lap and it was only surrendered momentarily before Fernando Alonso pitted for new tyres. Situation normal, it would seem.

Behind Vettel and Hamilton the opening lap had provided action and excitement. Mark Webber, for example, started fourth, was down to fifth and ended the lap in third place. He managed to stay there and was probably denied a better finishing result when his team called him in for a first pit stop on the same lap as Hamilton.

The Australian was still looking strong and had he stayed out, with clear track ahead, his tyres appeared to have the grip left in them to give Webber an opportunity to build a lead over Hamilton. It was not to be and Mark spent the rest of the race looking at Hamilton’s gear box.

After conventional methods hadn’t worked, Webber tried something different by overtaking Hamilton at the end of pit straight. However, Hamilton was able to get past Mark before the next corner by using his DRS on the long 1.1km straight. Unfortunately for Mark, his car was not as effective with DRS and he finished slightly frustrated in third.

At the back of the field Daniel Ricciardo was able to gain track position from last place and finish ahead of Jerome d’Ambrosio and teammate Tonio Liuzzi. He is expected to sit out the next race in India to allow Narain Karthikeyan a drive at his home race.

If Ricciardo is to secure a drive with Toro Rosso next year the once vulnerable Jaime Alguersuari looks safe; he put in a solid drive today to finish seventh. The Spaniard has performed very well since Ricciardo started with HRT and if the young Aussie has hopes for a better pathway with his Red Bull connections then he must have Sebastian Buemi’s seat in his sights.

Post-race comments from the three podium placegetters can be read after the break. You almost begin to feel sorry for Hamilton after every journo seemed to ask him the same question over and over.

[Pic: Red Bull/Getty Images]

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Formula 1 McLaren Red Bull Racing

2011 Korean GP: Qualifying press conference

2011 Korean Grand Prix

It’s finally happened. Sixteen races into the season and Lewis Hamilton has broken Red Bull’s qualifying dominance after he put his McLaren onto pole position at the Korean Grand Prix.

Hamilton very nearly took pole last week at Suzuka, but there was no mistimed second run in Q3 this at Yeongam and Lewis topped the timesheets with a best lap of 1:35.820. Unsurprisingly, newly crowned world champ Sebastian Vettel was second quickest in his Red Bull (1:36.042). Continuing the McLaren-Red Bull pattern are Jenson Button in P3 (1:36.126) and Mark Webber in P4 (1:36.468).

Red Bull only used super soft tyres (options) during quali, choosing to keep all three sets of soft tyres (primes) brand new for the race. It will be interesting to see how that strategy plays out, with as many as four stops being predicted.

Daniel Ricciardo will start from the rear of the grid after a lingering cooling issue from Free Practice 3 prevented him from taking part in qualiyfing.

The transcript from the post-qualifying press conference can be read in full after the break. The closing lines from Vettel and Button provide a bit of a chuckle too.

Oh, does anyone else think the sulking and sour faces from Lewis Hamilton of late are way out of perspective with his lot in life? Sure, by his lofty standards, he hasn’t had a great year. But c’mon Lewis, you drive an F1 car for a living, cheer up mate.

[Pics: Red Bull Racing/Getty Images & Vodafone McLaren Mercedes]

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Formula 1 McLaren

Ayrton Senna interview with Murray Walker

Last week we witnessed the crowning of Formula One’s youngest ever dual world champion. Back in 1991 Ayrton Senna became the sport’s youngest ever triple world champion. The feat was, unsurprisingly, enough to see him gain the F1 trophy at the Autosport Awards handed out in the same year.

With thanks to Autosport we can bring you this great archival footage of Senna being interviewed by commentary legend Murray Walker.

In the light-hearted interview Senna reveals some tense moments he shared with McLaren team boss Ron Dennis during the year after he ran out of petrol two races in a row. More intriguing, however, is hearing Senna explain the unexpected turn of events that led to him giving a souvenir helmet to FISA President Jean-Marie Balestre. You may recall the two men had previously shared a less than cordial relationship.

[Thanks to Tim for the tip]

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F1 in pictures Ferrari Lotus McLaren Mercedes-Benz Red Bull Racing Renault

2011 Japanese Grand Prix in pictures

2011 Japanese Grand Prix

Here’s the pics from Suzuka where Jenson Button and Sebastian Vettel were the stars at the 2011 Japanese Grand Prix. It’s one of AUSmotive’s biggest F1 race compilations ever, with 109 images for you after the break. There’s some fantastic shots in there too; the late afternoon light was captured perfectly by the world’s best photographers.

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Ferrari Formula 1 McLaren Red Bull Racing

2011 Japanese GP: Post-race press conference

2011 Japanese Grand Prix

Today’s Japanese Grand Prix was a story of two winners that almost ended in tears before the first corner. Sebastian Vettel had put his Red Bull on pole position ahead of Jenson Button’s McLaren. When the lights went out to start the race Button very nearly got past Vettel into the first turn. Perhaps he might have too had Vettel not squeezed Button onto the grass. The stewards looked at the incident and deemed it a fair move.

From that point on Vettel looked as though he would claim his second drivers’ world championship with a race win. However, a Safety Car period and a conservative approach conspired to push the 24-year-old back to third following sterling drives from Button and Fernando Alonso (Ferrari). Of course, third place was more than enough for Vettel to etch his name into the record books as the sport’s youngest ever dual-champion. And, in truth, the race win was just reward for Button who has been snapping at the heels of the Red Bulls for a few races now.

Seeing a Ferrari on the podium added some welcome colour, too. We expect the final four races will become something of a travelling carnival now. While there’s still likely to be a tight scrap for second place in the drivers’ title race—between Button (210pts), Alonso (202), Webber (194) and Hamilton (178)—it won’t quite have the same intensity as chasing the main prize.

For the Australians, Mark Webber drove a reasonable race, with good pace in the middle stages, to finish in fourth place. Two places better than his P6 starting position. While Daniel Ricciardo once again finished ahead of his more experienced HRT teammate, although that still amounted to second last.

Words from the first three drivers after the break. You may need to indulge Vettel, too, who had quite a lot to say about his second world crown.

[Pics: Red Bull/Getty Images]

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Formula 1 McLaren Red Bull Racing

2011 Japanese GP: Qualifying press conference

2011 Japanese Grand Prix

Red Bull Racing has hung onto its 100% pole position record for 2011 by just .009 seconds when Vettel went quickest in qualifying for the Japanese Grand Prix. Today’s final qualifying segment was turning out to be a bit of a non-event—three drivers chose to conserve tyres for the race and did not set a time—but the closing few minutes had enough drama to keep chins wagging for some time.

The McLarens have been sharp all weekend, consistently topping the time sheets. Lewis Hamilton was shaping as the best threat yet to break Red Bull’s qualifying dominance. In the end, though, Sebastian Vettel found something within and claimed pole with a best time of 1:30.466. Jenson Button was ever so close behind, his time was 1:30.475.

For Lewis, who held provisional pole after the first run in Q3, it was a case of tough luck. Seven drivers went out for a late run with Hamilton, Mark Webber and Michael Schumacher at the end of the tail. With seconds remaining until the chequered flag fell for Q3, Lewis slowed to find a clear gap bewteen himself and Button ahead. In doing so Mark Webber pounced and overtook Hamilton with Schumacher following Webber through.

Only Webber managed to cross the line in time to set a final fast lap. No live footage of the incident was shown, but Hamilton’s ire was clear for all to see after he stepped out of his car. He elaborates a bit more in the press conference text available below. For his part, Mark has said the incident was nobody’s fault.

Vettel only needs to finish the race tenth or better to wrap up his second world drivers’ championship.

[Pic: Red Bull/Getty Images]

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McLaren not amused with MP4-12C eBay listing

2011 McLaren MP4-12C

A person named ‘Frank’ has upset the bosses at McLaren after he listed his MP4-12C on eBay the same day he took delivery, Autocar reports. Indeed, it may well have been the very first 12C to be delivered.

The car in question had a £250,000 reserve, some £65,000 over the official asking price. McLaren has an arrangement with its 12C customers that they do not on sell their new wheels for profit. Within eight seconds, it is believed, McLaren saw the listing and quickly started asking questions.

After some stuffing around and, no doubt, a few heated phone calls the Rybrook dealership in Birmingham effectively refunded ‘Frank’ and took the car back.

[Source: Autocar]

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Formula 1 McLaren

Jenson Button signs long-term deal with McLaren

2011 Hungarian Grand Prix

Jenson Button has secured a new long-term contract with McLaren. The 2009 World Champion, who turns 32 next January, is overjoyed to be staying with the Woking-based outfit.

‪”I’ve won four of the greatest races of my life here, I’m currently lying second in the drivers’ world championship, and I feel that I’m driving better than ever,” Button said.

“I’ve made no secret of my ambition to continue winning races and world championships, and I fully believe this is the place where I can achieve those aims.”

Team Principal, Martin Whitmarsh, has joined the love-in as well stating, “Jenson is a great driver and a great guy.

“In fact, I can safely say that he’s one of the most capable and respected drivers we’ve ever had, and I’m therefore absolutely delighted that he’ll continue to work with us into the future.”

It’s not clear at this stage when the new contract expires, but it would appear to be a three-year deal at least. All going well this will take Jenson beyond his 35th birthday and extend his career to around 270 grands prix.

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F1 in pictures Ferrari McLaren Mercedes-Benz Red Bull Racing Renault

2011 Singapore Grand Prix in pictures

2011 Singapore Grand Prix

Sebastian Vettel’s dominance in 2011 has been perfectly captured by the image above. Love him or hate him, nobody can deny the young German has been in a class of his own this year. And so it was at the Singapore Grand Prix; Vettel’s most complete race this season.

To see how the also rans went we have compiled another 80 pictures from the unique night race held at Marina Bay. They’re all there for you after the break and don’t forget to click your favourite images to view in 2000px super sizing.

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