Paris Motor Show 2008Paris Motor Show, 4-19th October 2008

McLaren F1 GTR

The 1995 Le Mans 24 hours saw McLaren's F1 supercar put on a giant-killing performance and beat even the sports prototypes. Not exactly a case of the tortoise beating the hare - the McLaren F1 being the fastest road car money could buy at the time - the F1 GTR shouldn't really have beaten the more specialised prototypes. It managed to do so by being reliable, the prototype competition being more fragile and spending time in the pits. The race version of the McLaren was actually less powerful than the road car thanks to an air restrictor on the engine, the increased downforce also reducing its ultimate top speed.

Seven cars entered the race in 1995, five finishing in first, third, fourth fifth and thirteenth overall, McLaren underlining the F1 GTR's Le Mans ability by taking five of the top ten places the following year. The F1 GTR went on to race in many different sports car series, but it is for its performance at Le Mans that it'll always be remembered.

Wednesday June 18

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