McLAREN’S RICH HERITAGE ON DISPLAY AT TECHNOLOGY CENTRE

[zx4000]

A selection cars of racing cars illustrating McLaren’s rich motorsport heritage are now on permanent display at the McLaren Technology Centre in Woking.

Cars stretching across many motorsport disciplines including Formula One, CanAm, Indy Car and Le Mans line up alongside each other in the boulevard, which overlooks the formal lake that surrounds the building.

The earliest car on display belongs to the team founder Bruce McLaren. The red Austin 7 is the car in which the New Zealander made his racing debut, securing his first win at the age of 15.

The CanAm years is represented by the Chevrolet V8 powered M8D in which New Zealander Denny Hulme won the Drivers’ Championship and helped secure the Constructors’ World Championship for McLaren. McLaren won the CanAm Championship a total of five times.

The Formula One display includes a fantastic selection of cars past and present, from Kimi Raikkonen’s MP4-17D, the car in which he finished runner up in the Drivers’ World Championship in 2003, to the TAG Turbo engined MP4-2C in which Alain Prost became World Drivers’ Champion in 1986.

Also on show is Emerson Fittipaldi’s race winning M23, the car in which he secured the 1974 Drivers’ World Championship, the first of McLaren’s 11 Formula One Drivers’ World Championships to date and Mika Hakkinen’s MP4-14 and MP4-13, the car which secured the Finn his two World Drivers’ Championship for Team McLaren Mercedes.

Ayrton Senna’s successful seasons with the team is represented by the MP4-8. Is there anyone who doesn’t cite the 1993 Donington race as one of the most amazing drives by the Brazilian pilot?

The Le Mans event is represented by the F1 GTR which was the winner of the GT1 category in the 1997 race and finished second overall. In addition, FL LM, the prototype for the special edition car built to celebrate the team’s victory in the 1995 event is also on display. This car set a record in 1999 for travelling from 0-100-0mph in an incredible 11.5 seconds.

Finally, XP5, the McLaren F1 which holds the world record for the fastest production road car completes the display.

[CRXloon]

Any details available, i.e. opening times, location etc?

[jcsaleen]

Amazing.