An encounter with Chris Harris and a McLaren P1 in Snowdonia
Discussion
There we were driving through Snowdonia at the start of a week-long break when, in the fading light, we come across none other than Chris Harris and Neil Carey shooting a review of the McLaren P1 for the Chris Harris on Cars YouTube channel. So we stop, I get out and go up to Chris just to say I’m big fan of his work etc… and he then kindly offers to take me out for a passenger ride once they finish shooting! Wow, I couldn’t believe my luck! So off Chris and Neil go to shoot some more video footage and we get back in our car, to wait patiently in anticipation…
After about 15 minutes, Chris comes back, signals me to get in and we set off. As we’re driving along, Chris explains some of the tech behind the P1 and how the electric motor “torque fills” to augment the heavily turbocharged 3.8 litre V8: he then provides a vivid demonstration. Wow!! From around 2000rpm Chris lights up the P1 and it launches forward with such extraordinary ferocity that it leaves me utterly, utterly stunned and we then go on to cover ground at a pace I barely believe possible in a 900+BHP RWD car on cold, greasy tarmac on a bumpy Welsh B-road in December. Chris is clearly a very talented chap behind the wheel and what an amazing car the P1 is: absolutely mind-scramblingly rapid acceleration, brilliant stability under heavy braking and directional changes, and a suppleness and compliance that allows its power to be deployed in a way I honestly did not think possible given its configuration and the conditions, alongside providing reasonable driver/passenger comfort. It really is a whole new thing!
So thank you very much Chris for offering me a passenger ride in the incredible McLaren P1 (my wife later said to me that that’s not just made my week, it’s made my year!)
Look forward to seeing the video and best of luck with the YouTube channel.
Cheers, Simon.
After about 15 minutes, Chris comes back, signals me to get in and we set off. As we’re driving along, Chris explains some of the tech behind the P1 and how the electric motor “torque fills” to augment the heavily turbocharged 3.8 litre V8: he then provides a vivid demonstration. Wow!! From around 2000rpm Chris lights up the P1 and it launches forward with such extraordinary ferocity that it leaves me utterly, utterly stunned and we then go on to cover ground at a pace I barely believe possible in a 900+BHP RWD car on cold, greasy tarmac on a bumpy Welsh B-road in December. Chris is clearly a very talented chap behind the wheel and what an amazing car the P1 is: absolutely mind-scramblingly rapid acceleration, brilliant stability under heavy braking and directional changes, and a suppleness and compliance that allows its power to be deployed in a way I honestly did not think possible given its configuration and the conditions, alongside providing reasonable driver/passenger comfort. It really is a whole new thing!
So thank you very much Chris for offering me a passenger ride in the incredible McLaren P1 (my wife later said to me that that’s not just made my week, it’s made my year!)
Look forward to seeing the video and best of luck with the YouTube channel.
Cheers, Simon.
Hello all,
OP here. Thanks for all the comments. I've seen the video and it certainly brought a smile to my face, reliving what was quite an extraordinary experience. I certainly was very lucky to have been in the right place at the right time. Thanks again to Chris for the opportunity - you made a fellow petrolhead very happy!
To answer an earlier question in the thread, I really can't say how many leptons we were travelling at as I honestly didn't look, but it felt pretty fast to me! We had earlier driven the same stretch of road in the M5 and the P1 really did feel completely and utterly other-worldly fast in comparison! Looking at how the background scenery blurs in the video might give you some idea!
OP here. Thanks for all the comments. I've seen the video and it certainly brought a smile to my face, reliving what was quite an extraordinary experience. I certainly was very lucky to have been in the right place at the right time. Thanks again to Chris for the opportunity - you made a fellow petrolhead very happy!
To answer an earlier question in the thread, I really can't say how many leptons we were travelling at as I honestly didn't look, but it felt pretty fast to me! We had earlier driven the same stretch of road in the M5 and the P1 really did feel completely and utterly other-worldly fast in comparison! Looking at how the background scenery blurs in the video might give you some idea!
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