Tuesday 30th June 2015

Button drives Senna's McLaren: Time for Coffee?

One of the most beautiful Formula 1 cars of the modern era on the hill at Goodwood

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Before you get completely Goodwooded out, here's a video from the Festival of Speed that really is worth spending a minute or so on.

Most Formula 1 cars tackle the hill at either a gentle 'display' pace, or stopping every ten yards to perform yet another burnout. Not so Jenson Button, who had the opportunity to forget McLaren's miserable season so far by driving this magnificent MP4/6 from 1991. The car was driven by Ayrton Senna who took seven victories and his final Drivers' Championship in it.

And while it's clear that Button isn't trying to break the course record, he's also not hanging around - taking the chance to have a proper go in a properly special car, in the way we probably all wish we would given half a chance. The MP4/6 was the last car to win a Formula 1 Championship with a V12 engine, and also the last one to do so fitted with an 'H' pattern manual gear selector. We doubt Jenson was revving it out to the full 14,000, but it still sounded superb as it blasted up the hill. (And does here, behind the commentary.)

Full credit to McLaren for the repaint, too - a close facsimile of the 'fag packet' livery it wore in period, without actually advertising cigarettes.

Watch it here.

 

[rtz62]

I've watched coverage of the weekend on Motors TV, and realised why I really must visit next year.
If I were Button I'd have been unable to drive through the tears of joy and sadness I would be crying from just sitting in the seat of the greatest Grand Prix driver of modern times.
As for the approximation of the livery, why wouldn't they repainting it in full Marlboro colours? It's hardly advertising tobacco products in a competition environment, and we all remember the team/car back then as the 'Marlboro McLaren', just as men of a certain age will go all misty eyed at the mention of the 'JPS Lotus'...
Marvellous, and bravo to McLaren for letting us see and experience this most magical machine.

[rtz62]

I've watched coverage of the weekend on Motors TV, and realised why I really must visit next year.
If I were Button I'd have been unable to drive through the tears of joy and sadness I would be crying from just sitting in the seat of the greatest Grand Prix driver of modern times.
As for the approximation of the livery, why wouldn't they repainting it in full Marlboro colours? It's hardly advertising tobacco products in a competition environment, and we all remember the team/car back then as the 'Marlboro McLaren', just as men of a certain age will go all misty eyed at the mention of the 'JPS Lotus'...
Marvellous, and bravo to McLaren for letting us see and experience this most magical machine.