McLaren 650S Sprint: Driven
So just what is the 650S Sprint? Dale gets a taste and a promise of something more
McLaren won't give us the official power figure for the Sprint, but even if it's standard (it's not) then it's a 650hp, mid-engined, rear-wheel drive track optimised weapon built around a carbon tub with a V8 in the middle. It has two turbos, a paddle shift gearbox, enough aero to make a Spitfire blush and sticky, slick, Pirellis a mile wide. And it is, by far, the maddest racing car I've ever been allowed to drive fast.
Getting familiar with it then!
Sure, you can do track days in a Sprint, if you'd like to. But that's a little like buying a 73cm laminated carbon-steel Katana to open your post with.
This car sits above the incredible 650S road car and only a little below the factory GT3 machine. The concept is to cherry pick the best parts of both worlds to create the ultimate turn-key racing car.
Built to race at the highest level of the sport, homologated GT3 racers run air restrictors to keep their output at 500hp or even lower. They're lighter and they run with significant amounts of aerodynamic downforce.
Whereas the Sprint has over 100hp more, a little more weight and not as much aerodynamic grip. Hopefully now you can understand my concern.
Practice with the road car came in handy
"I know what you're worried about, but you shouldn't over-think this," assures my designated expert for the afternoon. "It's pretty easy to drive. You have to do something really stupid or extreme to make this car slide. It's set up for plenty of grip and a little bit of understeer. You'll love it, trust me."
That's Rob Bell, multiple Le Mans Series Champion, factory McLaren driver since 2011, and current leader of the new GT Asia championship. He's probably got more time behind the wheel of the 12C and 650S than I have in my own bed. Something tells me I should listen to Rob.
Having only driven Donington twice before, both times on the shorter National circuit, I am desperate to absorb as much knowledge as possible about the full length track. Luckily for me, McLaren throws Charlie Hollings in with me for a couple of sessions in the bright orange 650S press car. Nervous about the race car, I'm downright intimidated about pushing hard in a 650hp street car. But listening to Charlie's advice, the lap times tumble and the Pirelli street tyres on the press car are soon melting into, and out of, every apex.
When we finally emerge from the the 650S, I'm walking a lot more confidently. "He's totally ready for the race car," exclaims Charlie. Big smiles. Oh yes!
Expert McLaren advice invaluable
"Oh no!" I can't help it. The words escape my gritted teeth as Rob throws the Sprint into the Old Hairpin somewhere near the middle of fourth gear. This can't possibly stick!
He's holding too much speed, the street car can't even hold the top of third through here. But with a little flick and the briefest of throttle lifts, we're bouncing hard over the exit kerbs and away. I'm not even sure what happened. My brain can hardly keep up.
I shake my head. Rob laughs.
To quote late, great, Rik Mayall: What an utter, utter, b****rd.
I turned down the immediate offer of driving the race car in favour of a calibration run with Rob at the wheel. I wanted to understand what the car can do. And he's not giving me an easy time. It's a car capable of 2G, meaning every braking zone and every apex I'm pushed into the carbon fibre bucket seat by two times the force of gravity.
Sprint's engine identical to the road car
But finally, here it comes, the climax of the day. The main event. I crawl through the roll cage and take position in the beautiful, lacquered-carbon cockpit. The wheel is an objet d'art. I flick the transmission and chassis controllers over to the new 'Race' position.
"Now it's a pure car," exudes Rob, still wearing a massive grin from the half-dozen laps he spent showing me how it's done. "Just hit the button and get out there while the tyres are still warm!"
First impressions. The soundtrack of the V8 is totally different in the stripped out Sprint. There's no fancy piping of intake noise into the cabin, just eight cylinders getting force-fed a whole gamut of fuel and air. The boost builds audibly, and dissipates with a soft whoosh. And the last 2,000rpm before the 8,000rpm shift lamp illuminates is an utter riot.
Gone is the lighter and adjustable-ratio sequential gearbox from the GT3, along with its short service intervals and expensive maintenance fees. Instead the seven-speed dual-clutch Graziano transmission from the road car remains. It's remapped for even sharper shifts at the limit, and it feels perfect.
Slicks are new and the SSG is modified
Lap after lap, the Sprint encourages. The feedback at the wheel might be a little indistinct at first, but if you listen carefully, there's everything you need under your fingertips.
Pushing hard through the flat-out sweeps of Craner Curves, the Sprint's downforce really counts and the Pirelli slicks are howling in protest. After only a couple of laps in, I'm holding fourth through the Old Hairpin myself, with a full understanding of why Rob had that massive grin all over his face.
Shallow learning curve
I'd love to say that it's all too easy. But just because the Sprint doesn't try to kill you on every corner exit, don't assume it's tame.
And after my first 10-lap stint, I'm still over a second off Rob's laptime. So it can't be easy either. In the next 15-lap stint I improve again, but not enough to worry about getting a factory contract.
You want carbon? You got carbon
The ultimate test!
Ideally I would test this car back to back with other factory turn-key race cars, like the Ferrari 458 Challenge, Porsche 911 Cup or Aston Martin Vantage N24. And maybe one day, when the planets align or all those numbers and the bonus ball come up, I will.
But instead I'll have to settle for the next best thing - racing AGAINST all of them at Donington Park at the weekend in the British GT Cup. Yes, PH is taking the 650S Sprint racing.
The palms are sweaty again!
Onboard of Dale's second session here.
How did Dale do in the race? Read his second instalment here!
MCLAREN 650S SPRINT
Engine: 3,799cc V8, twin-turbo
Transmission: 7-speed dual-clutch auto (SSG), rear-wheel drive
Power (hp): 650@7,500rpm
Torque (lb ft): 500@6,000rpm
0-62mph: under 3 seconds (claimed)
Top speed: 207mph (claimed)
Weight: circa 1,300kg (claimed)
MPG: n/a
CO2: n/a
Price: from £198,860
Nice write up Dale
Being the 19th December its also nice to read something that doesn't mention Alibaba - doh - gone and blown that
The Mclaren seem to get a mixed commentary from people but experience them on track and they are one of the best from the 12c, sprint, gt, 650s, sprint and gt to the P1
however i recently found that starting the day with a drive in a Mclaren by the Lemans Japan driver at FULL PELT ruins your driving ability for the rest of the day - you basically just feel you can't drive properly
Good week-end
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