2011 McLaren MP4-12C GT3
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2011 McLaren MP4-12C GT3
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McLaren MP4-12C GT3
McLaren GT, a new race car manufacturer which brings together the
expertise of McLaren Racing, McLaren Automotive and CRS Racing, unveiled
the McLaren MP4-12C GT3 race car and plans for a 2011 development
programme.
The new McLaren MP4-12C GT3 will be the first McLaren car built for FIA GT series racing since the McLaren F1 GTR
finished production in1997. The 12C GT3 is based on the new MP4-12C
high-performance sports car and a team of engineers, designers and test
drivers with vast experience in Formula 1 and GT racing has been assembled to undertake the process of adapting the carbon chassis-based 12C to racing specification.
Martin Whitmarsh, McLaren Group Chief Executive Officer said: "McLaren
has racing in its blood and it was a natural step to take our MP4-12C
road car and turn it into the most reliable, efficient and easy to drive
GT3 car. Every car on the grid will have its performance balanced by
race rules, meaning our objective must be to select a technical
specification that ensures any driver is able to access the 12C GT3's
performance limit with ease.
"We have worked with CRS Racing to ensure the 12C's design and
development programme is as close as possible to one McLaren Racing
would employ in developing a Formula 1 car. The team at CRS is well
qualified to shape decisions in this area as they have an outstanding
record in racing GT3 cars, and understand what is required to be
successful in that level of competitive motorsport.
"In return, McLaren Racing is able to bring new levels of technology to
GT3 racing. No other GT3 car in 2012 will be supplied with a road-car
carbon chassis, or a steering wheel and other associated technology from
a Formula 1 car.
"The 12C GT3 will be supplied with the 12C's carbon MonoCell and the
same steering wheel design employed by Lewis Hamilton in his MP4-24
Formula 1 car. Plus, we are working closely with Formula 1 suppliers
past and present: Akebono, Mobil 1,
McLaren Electronic Systems, Ricardo and Michelin for example. This
blend of road car and Formula 1 technology and experience will be a
great advantage to anyone racing a 12C GT3 in 2012."
Drivers and FIA approved races confirmed for 2011
McLaren GT aims to deliver the highest quality, most reliable and most
driveable car on the GT3 grid when 20 cars are delivered to privateer
teams for racing in Europe in 2012. The unique combination of McLaren
and CRS Racing's technology and development methodology is matched by
McLaren GT's appointment of experienced and successful racing drivers to
develop the 12C GT3 at challenging races over the 2011 season.
McLaren GT plans to debut the new McLaren MP4-12C GT3 at this season's Blancpain Endurance Series race at Spain's Circuito
de Navarra, followed by Magny-Cours in France and Silverstone in
England. As part of the development programme for the 12C GT3, McLaren
GT also expects to enter the Total 24 Hours of Spa endurance race.
CRS Racing Team Principal Andrew Kirkaldy will be joined by 2010
Vodafone McLaren Mercedes test driver Oliver Turvey and Portuguese
racing driver Álvaro Parente in the McLaren GT driver line-up for the
2011 development programme.
McLaren fans eager to see McLaren's first GT racing car since the legendary McLaren F1 GTR can expect to see the new 12C GT3 driven up the famous Hill at Goodwood Festival of Speed from 01-03 July 2011.
McLaren MP4-12C GT3 development targets
McLaren GT comprises a team of designers, engineers and test drivers
with vast experience in developing successful race and road cars. Marcus
Waite, McLaren GT Chief Engineer, began his career working with the
McLaren Formula 1 Simulation Group. A move onto the Formula 1 team where
he was Senior Test Team Engineer for many years was then followed by
his appointment to McLaren Automotive as Test Team Leader responsible
for the new MP4-12C sports car. Combining practical experience of
Formula 1 car development methodology and a deep understanding of the
12C road car's technical specification is invaluable to McLaren GT.
Marcus Waite said: "We have defined the technical requirements for the
12C GT3 in the McLaren simulator and I am pleased to say that feedback
from the three new drivers in the team means we can immediately focus on
fine-tuning the set-up of the car, rather than address any fundamental
changes.
"There is no substitute for having the 12C GT3 pound around the European
circuits on which we plan to race, so that is exactly what we are
doing. A varied circuit programme is vital. Circuito de Navarra in Spain
is a great track: a mixture of slow and fast corners and long
straights, meaning the new engine calibration we are testing has to
undertake relentless accelerations from low speeds. A successful
shakedown there means we are now confident of powertrain durability.
"We followed Navarra with a test session at Autódromo Internacional do
Algarve in Portugal. The long, sweeping and fast bends of that circuit
were a good test for the new oil tank we have designed for the 12C GT3. The oil is constantly moving and yet the new tank proved robust in that environment.
"These are just two examples of the way we will test every component of
the 12C GT3 before delivering cars to race teams in 2012. I personally
will not be satisfied until we have undertaken test programmes
that significantly surpass the requirements of 3hr and 24hr endurance
racing. We are committed to dealing with emerging issues that race teams
often face in their first season running a new GT3 car and we will
ensure our first customers receive a very reliable race car next
season."
Formula 1 simulator readies the new 12C GT3 for its track debut
On March 4th, virtually 30 years to the day that the world's first
carbon-based racing car, the McLaren MP4/1 was shaken down at
Silverstone (March 5th 1981), the 12C GT3 also debuted at the UK
circuit.
One week later, it took to the Circuito de Navarra in Spain for its
first FIA circuit test. These shake down and test sessions followed
months ofextensive testing on simulated versions of international race
circuits including Silverstone, Circuit de Catalunya and Paul Ricard. In
simulated tests, McLaren GT was able to fine-tune engine calibration,
power steering, spring rates, weight distribution, gear ratios and
differential settings.
Mark Williams, Head of Vehicle Engineering at McLaren Racing, said:"The
new 12C GT3 was initially developed in the Simulator where we were able
to fully explore the parameter space before defining the power, weight
and downforce targets. We used Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) to
develop the aerodynamic configuration
and then tested the various map shapes in the McLaren Simulator,
working with the McLaren Automotive simulation team to define the
vehicle set-up and access the resultant driveability. Being able to
review our aero package and car set-up using a simulator developed for
Formula 1 prior to first track running is unique. No other GT3 car will
have been specified using this level of technology."
Following the Spanish shakedown session, Andrew Kirkaldy Team Principal
at CRS Racing and McLaren GT Project Manager, said: "The performance of
the car in Navarra was testament to the work we were able to do in the
McLaren simulator in selecting the right set-up for the car. The virtual
and real world versions of the 12C GT3 felt near-identical.
"The new aerodynamic body panels and features designed for the 12C GT3
are of outstanding quality and markedly increase the dynamic performance
of the car. This level of quality can only be achieved using FE design
analysis and knowing how best to apply carbon fibre. McLaren has this knowledge in abundance.
A new aerodynamics package produced entirely from carbon fibre has been
developed by McLaren Racing in compliance with GT3 regulations,
incorporating a new front splitter, door blade, rear wing, diffuser and
louvres in the front fenders.
In partnership with McLaren Applied Technologies, McLaren GT plans to
offer its clients the opportunity to develop their 12C GT3 using bespoke
programmes in the McLaren Simulator. Chris Goodwin said: "The simulator
is a huge competitive advantage to McLaren Racing in developing its
Formula 1 cars and to McLaren Automotive in developing its future range
of sports cars.
"We recognise that the teams racing the 12C GT3 next year will be ahead
of their competitors if they are able to use a bespoke McLaren
simulation programme throughout the race season. We plan to announce
full details of the simulation programme available to 12C GT3 owners and
other potential clients later this year."
The McLaren MP4-12C: The essence of a race car
Racing experience and development tools have played a key part in
readying the 12C GT3 for its 2011 race programme. But, before the racing
car takes to the competitive grid, McLaren, in the form of McLaren
Automotive set out to develop a high-performance sports car that set new
standards for speed, handling, efficiency, braking and driveability:
formed from an obsession for aerodynamic purity and lightweight
engineering. Assets and goals that make the McLaren MP4-12C a perfect
road car from which to develop a race-winning GT car.
Once plans were agreed to take the 12C racing, key members of McLaren
Automotive's design and engineering teams were eager to support this
natural step at McLaren.
Mark Vinnels, McLaren Automotive Programme Director, said: "It was an
obvious decision to take the 12C racing. From the early stages in the
car's development we were integrating key members of McLaren Racing into
the road car development team and this blend of experience and skill,
combined with a 'can-do' attitude and desire to push what is technically
possible, has led to both a great road car and a unique racing car. At
the McLaren Technology Centre headquarters we walk past the McLaren F1
GTR that won Le Mans in '95 every day. Racing has changed since then,
and we have no plans to develop a McLaren to win Le Mans outright again,
but car number 59 is truly inspirational for us all."
Frank Stephenson, McLaren Automotive Design Director, said:
"Conceptually, the 12C road car and future McLaren road cars are 'easy'
cars to design. We strive for form that is driven by aerodynamic
efficiency, and this rules out arguments over styling or unnecessary
bodywork details that can easily become dated as fashions change. Our
design team is passionate about designing cars that tell you what's
going on under the skin and remain relevant: we are an engineering
company at heart and we shouldn't hide that fact. That's why supporting
the development of the GT3 car was a great project to work on: the car
needs more air to breathe and needs even greater downforce to hug the
track. Yet it also has to quicken pulses as it goes about its business.
The GT3 car really gets the heart racing!"
Under the McLaren Orange skin, the 12C GT3 shares the same 75kg carbon
'MonoCell' chassis as the 12C road car. Since the modern McLaren was
formed in 1981, the company has used only carbon fibre for the chassis
construction of all its road and race cars: it was a natural choice for
the heart of the MP4-12C. Lightweight construction and manufacturing
innovation through Resin Transfer Moulding was a priority for the
engineers and designers responsible for the 12C's chassis. The result is
a road car that, at 1301kg, is the lightest in the 'core' sector of the
high-performance sports car market.
Andrew Kirkaldy said: "I believe the MP4-12C is an engineering
masterpiece and that starts with its carbon chassis. A rigid chassis is
hugely important to a racing driver. The McLaren MonoCell is unequalled
as a safety cell, and our engineers can be sure that any changes made to
the chassis set-up will have the desired effect because of its
structural rigidity and predictability.
"The 12C is the first road car I have driven on a track and been truly
overwhelmed by its dynamic performance. We have had to engineer certain
aspects of our GT3 car to race specification, but I can't think of a
better place to start than the new 12C."
CRS Racing to deliver on expectations of a new McLaren race car
The prevailing design concept of the new McLaren MP4-12C road car is
'designed around the driver', and this is just one example of McLaren's
uncompromising commitment to offering a new driving experience in road
and race cars. CRS Racing Team Principal Andrew Kirkaldy brings a decade
of GT-level racing experience to McLaren GT and, as the team's project
manager, Kirkaldy was able to specify the cockpit and other attributes
of the 12C GT3 to ensure restrictions normally associated with GT3 race
cars are removed from the McLaren.
Andrew Kirkaldy said: "CRS Racing is delighted to be working with
McLaren. The expectations are high and rightly so. Together we share the
passion for design, engineering innovation and racing success that will
ensure the 12C GT3 is the most competitive in the series from 2012.
"When Martin Whitmarsh first approached CRS Racing I was delighted that
his main objective for McLaren GT was to make the needs of customers and
drivers an absolute priority. That message transcends everything we are
now undertaking. The development programme will be rigorous to ensure
reliability, the technical specification of the 12C GT3 will surpass
rival cars due to the links we have with Formula 1 technology suppliers,
build quality will reflect the high standards introduced in the 12C
road car, and the maximum performance will be accessible to drivers of
varied experience levels.
"Before McLaren GT, CRS was a customer of race car manufacturers. On
occasion, it became accepted that GT cars are unreliable straight out of
the box because manufacturers deliver cars before the technology is
proven for racing. At McLaren GT we know expectations are higher. We
want our customers to experience outstanding performance with metronomic
reliability.
"Our combined experience means we can identify problems encountered
previously by race teams or drivers and address them. In the cockpit of
the 12C GT3 for example, we have ensured that the pedal position is
exactly in line with the seating and steering wheel positions. The
driving position in many GT3 cars is compromised by comparison."
Specification and performance reflect McLaren expectations
Just as with the 12C road car, McLaren is working closely with
specialist suppliers to deliver an innovative and lightweight car. The
3.8-litre McLaren V8 twin turbo 'M838T' engine supplied in the road car
also features in the 12C GT3, but de-tuned to 500 PS (from 600 PS) in
order to provide optimum power for this performance-balanced race car.
The new McLaren MP4-12C GT3 will feature a unique engine calibration,
bespoke racing transmission developed in partnership with Ricardo (who
also developed the engine with McLaren) and a suspension arrangement
tuned specifically for racing.
Mark Williams said: "With the tyre grip balance moving forward on the
GT3 racing tyres it was necessary to move the centre of gravity further
forward and the only way to do this was to reduce weight at the rear. A
six-speed sequential shift gearbox by Ricardo was selected because a
race-specific transmission is 80kg lighter than the Seamless Shift,
seven-speed gearbox used in the road car. All the internal components
have been proven in other racing series. We then challenged Ricardo to
reduce weight further, meaning the unit has a bespoke casing design.
That is just one example of how we are continually looking to reduce
weight and increase efficiency."
McLaren GT has selected the TAG-400 Engine Control Unit for the new 12C
GT3. The TAG-400 is a compact, self-contained engine management system
and data logger for race engines designed and built by McLaren
Electronic Systems. The procurement of components from suppliers used to
working with partners in Formula 1 is another example of McLaren GT
delivering on its objective to build a GT3 car of unrivalled quality and
reliability.
Williams said: "McLaren GT is a smaller organisation than McLaren
Racing, but we are applying Formula 1 methodology in every possible
area.
"We have worked with Akebono in Formula 1 for many years, and I am
delighted to be able to call on such a committed and reliable partner
for McLaren GT. Akebono will supply brake callipers and has also
designed a bespoke brake pad for the 12C GT3. Our own experts from
McLaren Racing have worked closely with Michelin to develop the correct
tyre model for the 12C GT3 simulation programme. And strong supplier
relationships are important to the suppliers themselves. I am sure that
Mobil 1 and Ricardo will learn a lot working together on advanced
lubricants for the 12C GT3's new transmission."
McLaren MP4-12C GT3: the customer commitment
With a rigorous development programme complete at the end of the 2011
GT3 season, McLaren GT will put in place a robust support programme to
ensure all customers of the McLaren MP4-12C GT3 are able to stay
competitive throughout the 2012 season.
Martin Whitmarsh said: "We speak regularly with prospective customers
for the 12C GT3 now and these relationships will only strengthen when
teams take delivery of the 20 cars we plan to build for next season.
"This is the first step into GT3 racing for McLaren and we understand
that our focus on quality must be consistent through design,
development, technology, finish and customer service. I am proud of the
relationships McLaren Racing has with sponsors and partners now and I
look forward to extending this to customers of the new MP4-12C GT3."
Initial demand for the first 20 McLaren MP4-12C GT3s is high, with
interest suggesting that McLaren and CRS Racing could sell the run five
times over. However, neither company has any desire to stretch the
market and lead to a risk of either oversupply or restrictions on
customer service. Retained value in each GT3 car is also of high
priority to McLaren and CRS, and the first customers when they take
delivery.
Looking further ahead, around 20 more GT3s plan to be built through 2013
and '14, but both McLaren and CRS remain open-minded and optimistic
about developing racing cars for other series' and markets.
Andrew Kirkaldy summed up the customer-oriented attitudes at both
companies: "We will treat our customers with respect. Having spent time
now at McLaren's amazing headquarters, and seen at close hand their
aspiration to launch a new type of sports car company, it is clear that
they are, as ever, keen to do things better. Whether this is through
race support, parts supply, or even the simple fact that the car's list
price is its price - there are no hidden extras - we want to make doing
business with us a pleasure. If we can celebrate race wins together in
spring 2012 then even better!"
