Race debut for McLaren MP4-12C GT3
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McLaren MP4-12C GT3 at Spa (Belgium)
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The development programme for the new McLaren MP4-12C GT3
saw McLaren GT enter three cars in the Total 24 Hours of Spa over 30th-31st July 2011. Impressive lap
times, successful integration of a future McLaren GT customer into the team at Spa, and the safety of
McLaren GT driver and Project Manager Andrew Kirkaldy following a high speed incident, mark a positive
result for McLaren GT in its debut 24 hour endurance race.
Car 60, which ran in partnership with future McLaren customer team VonRyan Racing, impressed as it
finished its endurance race debut at Spa-Francorchamps. A team of drivers assembled specifically for the
race included Phil Quaife, Adam Christodoulou, Glynn Geddie and Roger Wills. At the hands of Christodoulou,
the 12C GT3 achieved an outstanding lap time of 2:23.214 on lap 256.
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Chris Goodwin, McLaren GT executive and McLaren Automotive Chief Test Driver said: “The performance
of the 12C GT3 and its drivers in car 60 was equally pleasing. Feedback from the team’s engineers and
drivers indicates that the 12C GT3 is meeting its reliability and driveability targets.”
Early in the race Kirkaldy’s number 59 car was hit by a competitor, forcing the carbon chassis-based 12C
GT3 off its trajectory and into the wall at turn 1. Kirkaldy was cleared of any serious injury at a nearby
hospital following a precautionary scan. The car was subsequently placed in Parc Ferme at the circuit and
awaits inspection by the McLaren GT team engineers.
Andrew Kirkaldy said: “I was obviously disappointed that one of our cars was forced out of the race
so early. Our performance has been strong in development tests and our debut race at Spa in the British GT
Championship showed the car is technically reliable.”
“I’ve had the opportunity to review the incident and the impact was clearly significant. If anything
positive can be drawn, it’s that we are delighted to be using the 12C road car’s carbon ‘MonoCell’ chassis
in our race car. It proved here that it is an incredibly robust safety cell for the driver. Just a few
hours after the incident I was back at the circuit with the team.”
Car number 58, the third car in the McLaren GT line-up to enter the Total 24 Hours of Spa, was retired
by the team following a thermal incident. Driver Tim Mullen walked away unharmed, and feedback from Mullen
indicates that although a small fire occurred, it was unrelated to any major mechanical component. The
cause of the incident will be investigated once the car is released from Parc Ferme at the
Spa-Francorchamps circuit and returned to the UK.
Chris Goodwin said: “Tim and his car were very quick up to the point his car was retired. One
advantage of taking a season to develop a new race car through a combination of private tests and
competitive races like Spa 24, is that we are able to review issues like this, and develop the car to
prevent the same issues repeating. We remain committed to delivering a reliable race car with great
performance to our customers next year.”
McLaren GT will continue to develop the MP4-12C GT3 throughout the 2011 season. McLaren GT plans to
enter the Blancpain Endurance Series races at Magny-Cours and Silverstone later this year, prior to
delivering 20 new MP4-12C GT3 cars to private teams for racing in 2012.
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