The McLaren F1 virgin club

[Newton22]

No, it's not what you think!

Allow me to reintroduce myself for a moment. I have been more or less an F1 fanatic since 1997. I was 8 years old at the time when my father gifted me a copy of Need For Speed 2 for my birthday. It didn't take long for me to fall in love with the F1, as it was possibly the most beautiful car I had ever laid eyes on. For my 9th birthday (could have been my 10th, my memory is foggy), I acquired a 1:18 scale of UT Model's iteration of the road car and have it in my possession to this day. It cost my parents a mere $30 at the time, and if I had known they would considerably go up in value over a decade later, I would have tried to go back and bought several more (I distinctly remember they had a 1:18 LM as well). I still yearn to add several models to my lone F1, but I have a difficult time justifying paying several hundred dollars for a bookshelf piece as a struggling college student (struggling because I end up spending all of my paychecks on maintaining my high-mileage BMW ).

Anyways, I used to post a bit in this section and I haven't been back here in many years. Last month, I spotted three F1s gracing the cover of EVO magazine on the Barnes & Noble bookshelf. I stared at it for a second, and it reminded me how much I loved the way the car looked. I swiftly grabbed the magazine (don't worry, I paid for it), went home and had myself a little 1-on-1 session with feature articles. My god I had really forgotten about how much I loved the F1 over the past several years.

Tonight, I decided to log on and do some catching up. After several hours of reading posts by Peloton and the gang, I think I'm just about back to my old F1-loving self.

Herein lies the problem: I have still never seen an F1 in person before. I have photographed dozens of Lamborghinis and caressed many Ferraris, yet the closest I have ever gotten to a mighty Mac was when I lived in California and my friend told me about his encounter with the XP4 on the street. Man, I was jealous.

I'll be heading back to California in several days, just after Pebble Beach's Concours this weekend. Somebody please tell me #062 won't be on public display? I would be disappointed at another missed opportunity.

Am I alone in this virgin club? One day I hope to see one, but it'll probably be one sitting in a museum.

[hurstg01]

I broke my duck whilst drooling at #065 in Park Lane when it was there back in the day, and have seen a few since then ; I've sat in a few but only seen one driving on the road

[dbsf1]

Took me until early 2009 to see my first one. It was #018, so I'm still a virgin as far as the 'virgin' F1 goes. But hearing the LM engine that it's got in it was pretty fantastic!

[Sami Aaltonen]

Newton22:

Welcome to the Forum!!!!
Your text was absolutely fun to read!!

I have quite a same history than you.
I felt around 2 years ago exactly same. Loved F1's, LM's and GTR's back then in the 90's, saw the GT race in 1997 at Helsinki and missed the spark some reason on the background over 10 years.

One day; I saw a clip from Youtube #18R Frankfurt and that was it. Again heard that magical V12 sound what I had heard in the streets of Helsinki 1997. Nothing else needed. The old fire fired up again.
There is some cars you always love, it allways gets the same feeling, never get tired of it.

Hope you enjoy this Forum, the writers here are absolutely amazing people!

[F1GTRUeno]

I still haven't seen one.

Just what I get for living in the north of England when all the English ones are down south...

[hurstg01]

One used to reside in Scotland, then down south, and now.......

I hear that some of the US cars that come back to Woking for servicing travel back through Prestwick Airport, if thats any help...........

[F1GTRUeno]

Still too far away in the opposite direction unfortunately, probably further than going to Woking itself...

Someone needs to buy one and run it at Oulton Park trackdays or something, I'd happily travel there to see one.

Shame Mr. Bridger doesn't have 16R anymore either 'cause he was spotted at Donnington and that'd be worth a trip.

[bucciali]

Originally Posted by Newton22

Last month, I spotted three F1s gracing the cover of EVO magazine on the Barnes & Noble bookshelf. Tonight, I decided to log on and do some catching up. After several hours of reading posts by Peloton and the gang, I think I'm just about back to my old F1-loving self.

Welcome (back), Newton!
I sort of had the same experience, with buying the EVO 'GOD' issue, and putting back the flame in the old love by that and by reading up on the forum. I've been checking in every now and then during the last couple of years, but I had forgotten the F1 a bit, I must confess.

Sorry, but I can't join your club. I've seen 3 F1's so far. It started with (probably) XP5 at the Amsterdam AutoRai (Auto Show), back somewhere in '93-'94. Liked it, but not too impressed. 5-6 years later, I saw one of the Fina GTR's at Techno Classica in Essen, Germany. Again, liked it, but not too impressed. Actually, the Fina GTR's are the GTR's that appeal to me the least.
Then I found this forum back in 2003 and I got hooked. Really hooked.
In 2006, at the Copenhagen Motor Show, I saw #11R, and I was just drewling all over. It haunts me still today, that I didn't bring my camera (didn't know #11R was there; realised half way down there that I'd forgotten my camera (I know, I know) and decided to continue, rather than to go back).

I would say that you most likely are in the best country for an F1 encounter. Doesn't help though that the US is so big!
I'd say: book your calendar for Pebble Beach NEXT year, I'm sure that there will be one or more present. For auction, on display, or just visiting.

[arjan916]

Originally Posted by bucciali

...It started with (probably) XP5 at the Amsterdam AutoRai (Auto Show), back somewhere in '93-'94. Liked it, but not too impressed. 5-6 years later, I saw one of the Fina GTR's at Techno Classica in Essen, Germany. Again, liked it, but not impressed. Actually, the Fina GTR's are the GTR's that appeal to me the least.

Me too, I saw the first one in Amsterdam, and at the same period (95-98) in Essen some others.
Some of my (scanned) analog images from that time.

Motorshow Essen 1996


Motorshow Essen 1997_01


Motorshow Essen 1997_02


Motorshow Essen 1998

[bucciali]

Originally Posted by arjan916

Motorshow Essen 1997_01

That (must be) the one I saw in Amsterdam. I remember it was on a Kenwood stand, and I think I even took a poster home (now where did that end up? )
Is this XP5?

Motorshow Essen 1998

Pretty sure that's the one I saw in Essen too. Have to check my photo archive (read basement).

[carbuilder2002]

Hiya F1GTRUeno sounds like youre near to me location wise, you anywhere near Durham, I have seen 10R a few times, 16R once, 18R (I think)and 27R also. Never yet seen a standard road car though.

[F1GTRUeno]

I'm in the middle of Liverpool and Manchester, so still a while away from Sunderland :P

[arjan916]

Originally Posted by bucciali

That (must be) the one I saw in Amsterdam. I remember it was on a Kenwood stand, and I think I even took a poster home (now where did that end up? )
Is this XP5?

I'm still not sure about the exact locatian, but it could be Amsterdam yes.

Originally Posted by bucciali

Pretty sure that's the one I saw in Essen too. Have to check my photo archive (read basement).

Would be nice to see some more pics.

Essen was a good place at that time, that's where I saw the GT for the first time, but I don't remeber if it was at the Motor Show or at the Classic event, but sure I've seen a GT in Essen, once.
I'll do a search in my (analog) archive.

[basman007]

I'm part of this club

Closest I ever got was when 13mac (cant recall the chassis at the moment) drove through the netherlands...

[astonmartindbs001]

13 MAC is F1 Road Car #020, but that was it's old registration. It's new current registration is F1 TOO, which doesn't sound quite as cool IMO.

I am an F1 virgin, but not an Enzo Ferrari or MC12 virgin.