McLaren’s $3.3M P1 GTR Is Made to Drive Like an F1 Car

It looks like a carbon fiber bomb exploded inside the P1 GTR—every surface is covered in the lightweight checkerboard weave. McLaren Automotive

It looks like a carbon fiber bomb exploded inside the P1 GTR—every surface is covered in the lightweight checkerboard weave.

McLaren Automotive

Like in an F1 car, the wheel is covered in buttons so drivers can change the setup and characteristics of the car without moving their hands. All the controls, including the gear shift levers, are right there, and they’re easy to use even with gloves on. McLaren Automotive

Like in an F1 car, the wheel is covered in buttons so drivers can change the setup and characteristics of the car without moving their hands. All the controls, including the gear shift levers, are right there, and they’re easy to use even with gloves on.

McLaren Automotive

Other racing-specific features include a seat molded to perfectly fit the driver’s rear end, and a six-point racing harnesses mounted directly to the chassis (to reduce weight). McLaren Automotive

Other racing-specific features include a seat molded to perfectly fit the driver’s rear end, and a six-point racing harnesses mounted directly to the chassis (to reduce weight).

McLaren Automotive

The P1 GTR is a track-dedicated version of the P1 hypercar, with even more power. It was unveiled at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. Jason Henry/WIRED

The P1 GTR is a track-dedicated version of the P1 hypercar, with even more power. It was unveiled at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance.

Jason Henry/WIRED

The GTR uses the same twin-turbocharged 3.8-liter V6 engine and electric motor as the P1, but different pistons and higher octane fuel bump the output to 986 horsepower. Jason Henry/WIRED

The GTR uses the same twin-turbocharged 3.8-liter V6 engine and electric motor as the P1, but different pistons and higher octane fuel bump the output to 986 horsepower.

Jason Henry/WIRED

The rear wing, which on the P1 automatically adjusts to increase or decrease downforce, lost some of its mechanical actuators to save weight. Jason Henry/WIRED

The rear wing, which on the P1 automatically adjusts to increase or decrease downforce, lost some of its mechanical actuators to save weight.

Jason Henry/WIRED

Now that McLaren has made the P1 into a race car, it has to turn P1 owners into race drivers. Jason Henry/WIRED

Now that McLaren has made the P1 into a race car, it has to turn P1 owners into race drivers.

Jason Henry/WIRED

Because some of its customers weren’t content with the P1, which happens to be one of the best vehicles ever made, McLaren created the P1 GTR: a track-focused, stripped-down, 986-horsepower version of the hypercar. Customers (P1 owners only, sorry) willing to spend $3.29 million get more than a crazy car—they get an experience: two years of training and events to make them feel, and maybe even drive, like a professional Formula One racer.

After revealing the exterior and specs of the in-no-way-street-legal GTR at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance in August, McLaren has now given us a look at the car’s interior, and it doesn’t disappoint. It looks like a carbon fiber bomb exploded inside—every surface is covered in the lightweight checkerboard weave, with nearly every control mounted directly to the Formula One-style steering wheel.

Like in an F1 car, the wheel is covered in buttons so drivers can change the setup and characteristics of the car without moving their hands. All the controls, including the gear shift levers, are right there, and they’re easy to use even with gloves on. While the wheel in a standard road car might rotate turn two-and-a-half times from one side to the other, a F1 wheel will only turn 180 degrees in either direction from the center. This limited lock-to-lock turn means drivers never have to remove either hand from the wheel, and provides all the turning you need for a race track.

McLaren is keeping quiet on the specifics of the settings, but the wheel in the P1 GTR includes buttons to activate the drag reduction system (DRS) and Instant Power Assist System (iPAS) functions that temporarily speed up the car, as well as buttons for the in-helmet radio (PTT), launch control, turbo settings, engine start, rain mode, and to flash the headlights to signal an upcoming pass of a slower car. There are also two rotary dials to adjust the aerodynamic capabilities of the car and one marked “manual” that is likely for adjusting gearbox settings.

McLaren says the steering wheel is based on the one in its 2008 F1 championship car, the MP4-23. Other racing-specific features include a seat molded to perfectly fit the driver’s rear end, and a six-point racing harnesses mounted directly to the chassis (to reduce weight). These are necessary in F1 because the sport is so physically demanding. But because the goal of this program is to make the customer feel like he’s driving a real F1 car, the P1 GTR comes with all the trappings.

The training program includes behind-the-scenes access to the McLaren Technology Center and time in the racing simulator used by McLaren’s F1 drivers. The six track events, held around the world, will include a personal driving coach and race engineer to analyze telemetry and video analysis tailored to each driver’s skills and driving ability.

McLaren engineers are continuing to test prototypes, with hot-weather testing at the Bahrain International Circuit and cold-weather testing coming in Europe this Winter. The program starts in February.