McLaren P1 GTR will debut in Geneva in limited production form

The track-dedicated McLaren P1 GTR will debut at the 85^th International Geneva Motor Show in limited production form with only minor modifications to the Design Concept presented just six months ago.

The most noticeable change is the livery that the Geneva show car will be sporting. Paying homage to the McLaren F1 GTR, chassis #06R, it will be available to the fortunate few who will be joining the McLaren P1 GTR Driver Programme that kicks off at the Circuit de Catalunya in Spain later this year.

The front track is 80mm wider than the road-going McLaren P1 and with its aggressively profiled front splitter, the also car sits 50mm lower to the ground on centre-locking 19-inch motorsport alloy wheels shod with Pirelli slick tyres.

The chemically toughened glass panels in the roof have been replaced with carbon fibre panels to give the cabin a more enclosed, cocooned environment, as has the engine bay cover. The weight saving measures on the McLaren P1 GTR combine to strip out 50kg over the road-going model.

The rear of the track-only model is dominated by the presence of a fixed-height wing which sits more than 400mm above the sculpted rear bodywork - an increase of over 100mm of the adjustable wing on the road car. Working in conjunction with the front-mounted aerodynamic flaps ahead of the front wheels, the rear wing helps to increase downforce levels by more than 10 percent - meaning up to 660kg at 241km/h.

Mounted on lightweight carbon fibre pylon supports, the wing retains the DRS (Drag Reduction System) of the road car, which trims the pitch from 32 degrees to 0 degrees at the push of the button on the steering wheel.

Another bold and differentiating feature at the rear are the large twin exhaust pipes, formed from an Inconel and titanium alloy. This system saves in excess of 6.5kg over the already light road-going system.

Significant updates and modifications to the IPAS powertrain have been made beneath the 'shrinkwrapped' carbon fibre bodywork. At its heart, the McLaren P1 GTR seamlessly integrates the 3.8-litre twin-turbo V8 petrol engine with an enhanced lightweight electric motor. Combined, these powerplants generate 986bhp; 789bhp is produced by the petrol engine, coupled to 197bhp available immediately from the electric motor.  

The powertrain has been thoroughly revised for optimum performance on track, with key components replaced with motorsport-developed parts, more suited to the sustained high-speed running the cars will be subjected to. In addition to this, features within the powertrain of the McLaren P1 designed specifically for public highway use have been removed to reduce weight.