I’m a relative late bloomer when it comes to appreciating the McLaren F1, but this particular car has quickly turned into my favorite race car of all time.
We are probably all pretty familiar with the story of F1 GTR chassis #01R, but in case you are not, here is the quick and dirty:
When the BPR Global GT Series was launched in 1994, several teams saw racing potential in the just-released McLaren F1 and asked Gordon Murray to build a racing version of it so they could use it in competition. Murray agreed to build several chassis for the 1995 season and used F1 chassis #019 as the test mule, turning it into F1 GTR chassis #01R.
Eight more were built, but after a heavy crash at a testing session in Jarama in March 1995, McLaren needed to replace one of the Gulf GTRs and was unable to supply Kokusai Kaihatsu Racing with #08R, which they were originally promised. So instead, they quickly turned the test mule into a Le Mans ready race car, and ended up winning the whole thing, setting the highest practice top speed of the year at 281 MPH on the Musanne Straight.
That backstory alone makes this car the stuff of legends. Add to that the fact that the main sponsor is a plastic surgery clinic specializing in male enhancement, and you have a cool story, bro!
This is a 1/64 by Kyosho. It is very well detailed as one would expect from Kyosho’s 1/64s, but sadly does not roll.
I’m hoping to add a 1:43 version and 1:18 version soon as well, but for now this is it.
Enjoy your Wednesday!
