Monday 17th July 2023

McLaren Solus GT wins Festival of Speed shootout

McLaren is officially quickest up the hill in 2023 with its V10-powered track special

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Impossible to deny that some of the anticipatory sheen had been removed from this year’s Timed Shootout by McMurtry’s decision not to have a crack at the spectacular 39.08 record Max Chilton set in the heat haze of 2022. Perhaps the firm (rightly) figured it had not much to gain from a second official showing, and time was better spent talking about the presence of the recently revealed customer version, the Spéirling Pure, in the paddock. 

Happily, there was another track-only, single-seat monster to take its place. The McLaren Solus GT might not have generated the same incredulous gasps from the crowd as the fan car - but then again, it brought along a far more impressive soundtrack of its own: the ‘90s F1 redolent noise of a 5.2-litre V10 being revved beyond 10,000rpm in the process of outputting 840hp. 

On the basis of it weighing less 1,000kg - alongside the capacity to produce over 1,200kg of downforce -  everyone knew beforehand the Solus was capable of a fairly spectacular time, and even without extended practice thanks to a weather-shortened event, so it proved. With Marvin Kirchhöfer driving, the car broke the tape at 45.34 seconds - well behind Chilton’s benchmark, of course, but inside the second place 45.50 time set by Porsche’s all-electric 1,073hp 718 Cayman GT4 ePerformance last year. 

Doubtless McLaren will be slightly miffed its one-of-25 track special didn’t pip the 45.01-second winning time Rob Bell and the 720S GT3X set in 2021 - although it’s fair to say that unrestricted model was a monster in its own right. Certainly, no one here will begrudge a naturally aspirated, rear-drive car its five minutes of Goodwood-based fame - even if special mention again goes to Travis Pastrana and his Subaru GL Family Huckster. Second in 46.37 this year, but first place (again) for style. 

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• McLaren reveals V10-powered Solus GT
• McMurtry Spéirling takes FOS Hillclimb record

[Bencolem]

To borrow from Chris Harris is, this just shows how out of kilter the McMurtry Speirling is; 5 seconds faster is incredible. Not sure why McMurtry elected to just do burnouts this year, kind of defeats its high downforce usp?

[Twinair]

Great stuff. Was there today and saw all the action.

Not quite the fastest - but arguably the most unhinged, the Huckster… lol - seemingly going through the bails sideways - even on the straights.

Top stuff - met loads of interesting motorsport folk & a fair few real stars… big tick!

[ChocolateFrog]

Just highlights how utterly redonkulous the McMurty's time is.

[Twinair]

Bencolem said:

To borrow from Chris Harris is, this just shows how out of kilter the McMurtry Speirling is; 5 seconds faster is incredible. Not sure why McMurtry elected to just do burnouts this year, kind of defeats its high downforce usp?

It did a ‘run’ - but they turned the clock ‘off’ - just before the end.

To everyone there, it looked like it was EVEN faster than last year, it’s kind of nuts tbh! I wasn’t around for the ‘ground effect’ F1 car, but this thing looks like it would literally climb a wall. Mad..!

Apparently - as the car is now ready for deliveries - they didn’t want to ‘detract’ from the customers experience..??!!

[04helipilot]

Did McClaren pay McMurtry to take a dive this year ?

[livinginasia]

The McLaren looked and sounded amazing at FOS, what a car!

Yes, the ground effect fans of the McMurtry means it’s in a different league, but this beat all the usual electric cars like the Rimac

Fabulous machine !

[Terminator X]

Bencolem said:

To borrow from Chris Harris is, this just shows how out of kilter the McMurtry Speirling is; 5 seconds faster is incredible. Not sure why McMurtry elected to just do burnouts this year, kind of defeats its high downforce usp?

The static one looked great.



I still can't really get excited by any soundless car though. My opinion yeah get over it.

TX.

[Sway]

Solus next to McMurtry in my Euromillions trackday car garage please.

They both look, sound (yes, even the McM) and perform so ridiculously fking awesome.

Did the Bolide have a proper run?

[honda_exige]

I have a suspicion that once something goes sub 40sec it can't do timed runs any more just because it gets too hairy. That's the F1 cars and the Speirling now that applies to.

[rotarygoth]

The souls was insane, was in the BMW stand when it ran and it cornered like it was literally glued to the track. The Huckster was equally insane, but looked more fun!

[Isebac]

honda_exige said:

I have a suspicion that once something goes sub 40sec it can't do timed runs any more just because it gets too hairy. That's the F1 cars and the Speirling now that applies to.

What they ban is very arbitrary. When the ID.R did 42.x s, they still let it run next year and it posted an even faster time. But when someone ran a dedicated hillclimb car - the Gould GR51 and did 42.9s, they then banned all hillclimb cars. And, this had happened before the ID.R run, so you could argue that the ID.R shouldn't have been able to run at all in the first place - since it's been designed for Pikes Peak and it's therefore a hillclimb special. I have never seen any modern LMP cars run up the hill either - not sure if those are banned or not.

I don't think the Spierling is banned, apparently it was their decision to not go for a timed run this year. They might still return next year with the new version.

Edited by Isebac on Monday 17th July 00:29

[Jon_S_Rally]

The Solus sounds mega, and shows that ICE cars can still cut it. The McMurtry was obviously significantly faster, but is a bit of an oddball in a way. Not really in the same mould as any other car with its tiny footprint etc.

[ColdoRS]

Jon_S_Rally said:

The Solus sounds mega, and shows that ICE cars can still cut it. The McMurtry was obviously significantly faster, but is a bit of an oddball in a way. Not really in the same mould as any other car with its tiny footprint etc.

I sort of disagree that ICE cars can still cut it (with regards to timed sprints, at least).

5s over a 45s sprint is significantly slower. If that’s the best that one of the most significant motorsport teams and supercar manufacturers can offer - it’s pretty poor by comparison, no? Bearing in mind they’ve had years and billions and the best minds to engineer it too.

[honda_exige]

ColdoRS said:

Jon_S_Rally said:

The Solus sounds mega, and shows that ICE cars can still cut it. The McMurtry was obviously significantly faster, but is a bit of an oddball in a way. Not really in the same mould as any other car with its tiny footprint etc.

I sort of disagree that ICE cars can still cut it (with regards to timed sprints, at least).

5s over a 45s sprint is significantly slower. If that’s the best that one of the most significant motorsport teams and supercar manufacturers can offer - it’s pretty poor by comparison, no? Bearing in mind they’ve had years and billions and the best minds to engineer it too.

ICE or EV isn't really the factor here - the big feck off fan is.

F1 cars were going as fast as the Speirling 24 yrs ago without a fan.

[Don1]

Terminator X said:

The static one looked great.



I still can't really get excited by any soundless car though. My opinion yeah get over it.

TX.

Totally agree.

[Big Nanas]

Oh his interview, Mac Chilton said they weren't invited to set an official time on the hill this year, so it's not up McMurtry.
He also said that he was going to turn off the traction control on the later run for some 'showboating', as the car is capable of doing extensive burnouts.

[Twinair]

Terminator X said:

Bencolem said:

To borrow from Chris Harris is, this just shows how out of kilter the McMurtry Speirling is; 5 seconds faster is incredible. Not sure why McMurtry elected to just do burnouts this year, kind of defeats its high downforce usp?

The static one looked great.



I still can't really get excited by any soundless car though. My opinion yeah get over it.

TX.

On the basis of seeing them run back to back, I would have to agree. Without starting up a whole thread on the green thing - they are pretty soulless to watch.

The Rimac and the McMurtry were obviously- visually quick. But I would have to agree - no visceral quality at all.

Groan of the day (genuine distress from the crowd) was when the M1 binned it right in front of us. Pretty big off, that won’t buff out.

Same corner off for an F1 macca & legacy F1 car. Was sad to see them hit the bails.

[TO73074E]

Isebac said:

I have never seen any modern LMP cars run up the hill either - not sure if those are banned or not.

The Glickenhaus SCG007 Hypercar that competes in WEC went up the hill but not on a timed run.

[fantheman80]

Car of the run if not weekend was again the Huckster. A bit like that ungainly kid at school you didn't want in your football team cos looks like gonna be a bit st, but then starts smashing in overhead kicks

[130R]

I think for the shootout they should have put the cars in the estimated slowest to fastest order since there were no Saturday times. It was a bit of an anticlimax compared to previous years.

I agree with the comments about the Huckster being a highlight though. Travis Pastrana is a hell of a driver.