Extremely Rare McLaren F1 GTR Long Tail in Gulf Team Livery up for Sale

Have your heart set on a race-spec McLaren F1? Then you'll be happy to know that the last F1 GTR to leave McLarens factory has turned up for sale in Japan. From a total production of 100 units, only a mere 28 were F1 GTR race cars built for private customers competing in the FIA GT series and the 24 Heures du Mans. This particular F1 GTR is allegedly the last model of the series with chassis number #28R.

The McLaren race car belonged to the 'Gulf Team Davidoff' and it features the characteristic stretched bodywork of the so-called 'Long Tail' F1 GTR of which only ten were produced in 1997.

The 1997 F1 GTRs were developed to meet major regulation changes made for both the FIA GT Series and the Le Mans 24 Hour race. Aside from the radical aerodynamic enhancements that included a much longer nose and tail, as well as a wider rear wing, the '97 models also featured further improvements to the 600HP BMW Motorsport V12 engine, an all new sequential transmission and a weight reduction of 75kg over the '96 model resulting in a kerb weight of just 915kg or 2,017 lbs.

There's no price tag listed on the Japanese website, but you know the saying - if you have to ask...

Link: Wintel

VIDEO: $2Million McLaren F1 Spontaneously Combusts in California

Picture this: it's a beautiful day, the sun is shining and you decide to take your prized McLaren F1 for a spin after six months of storage. All is great until you notice smoke coming out of the engine bay that houses the 627HP 6.1-liter BMW-derived V12. You pull over to take a looks and the next thing you know, the car is up in flames. This story actually happened yesterday, June 1, 2009, to Irv Kessler, 53, of Minnesota, as he was driving on Airport Boulevard in Santa Rosa California. .

As you can see in the video below, the McLaren F1, which was worth an estimated $2 million but was allegedly insured for $3 million (we know what you're thinking...), was a complete loss.

Pretty sad if you consider that from a total of 100 McLaren F1s, only 72 were road cars (including five F1 LM versions and three street-legal F1 GTs). The remaining 28 were race cars built for private customers competing in the FIA GT series and the 24 hours of Le Mans.

Via: Jalopnik , Source: Pressdemocrat

What's good for the goose, ISN'T good for the gander

From TSN:

"The World Motor Sport Council has found Renault guilty of bringing the sport of Formula One into disrepute, however, they will not be penalized."

Continued at the link above.

Not so long ago, McLaren was tagged for a $100 million+ fine for being found guilty of largely the same thing. McLaren could pay. Some say that kind of penalty would kill the Renault team.

The WMSC has yet to issue its reasons for the Renault/McLaren decision.... leaving many to wonder if the the difference in judgements was based solely on the guilty parties' abilities to pay? Or maybe the powers that be who run F1 really, really, really dislike McLaren boss Ron Dennis?

p.s. - After being found guilty of bringing F1 into disrepute by dealing in McLaren's secrets.... Renault is considering suing McLaren. You can't make this stuff up.

p.p.s. - The TSN story says that "this decision is expected to clear the way for Fernando Alonso to re-join the team (Renault)." But do you really think Ron Dennis will be in the mood - faced with this toothless decision and legal threats from Renault - to let Alonso walk over to Renault? Me neither.