New car - The McLaren Senna

New car - The McLaren Senna

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Discussion

Maldini35

Original Poster:

2,913 posts

189 months

Thursday 2nd August 2018
quotequote all
Mr West gave his Senna a run around Silverstone yesterday.
It went past me on the Hanger Straight so fast I had to check my handbrake wasn’t on.
The whoosh as he went past and the heat haze coming off the back of the car were other worldly.

Chris Harris was there also, doing a piece for Top Gear to test whether the Senna is as fast as a bona-fide GT3 race car (650GT3).
It wasn’t.
Although the Senna was quicker on the straights the road tyres couldn’t match the GT3’s slicks for breaking or cornering.
It would be very interesting to strap some slicks on the Senna and have another go - even if it would no longer be technically road legal.

Despite not matching the 650 race car, it still seems naughty that whilst the racers are being loaded onto their trailers at the end of the day, the Senna driver can just push a button to de-activate race mode and drive home.



Edited by Maldini35 on Thursday 2nd August 09:30

Bunty Killa

517 posts

200 months

Thursday 2nd August 2018
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People that were there are saying the lap time was around 2.07 which is 4 seconds slower than the P1GTR. Nothing confirmed yet!


Maldini35 said:
Mr West gave his Senna a run around Silverstone yesterday.
It went past me on the Hanger Straight so fast I had to check my handbrake wasn’t on.
The whoosh as he went past and the heat haze coming off the back of the car were other worldly.

Chris Harris was there also, doing a piece for Top Gear to test whether the Senna is as fast as a bona-fide GT3 race car (650GT3).
It wasn’t.
Although the Senna was quicker on the straights the road tyres couldn’t match the GT3’s slicks for breaking or cornering.
It would be very interesting to strap some slicks on the Senna and have another go - even if it would no longer be technically road legal.

Despite not matching the 650 race car, it still seems naughty that whilst the racers are being loaded onto their trailers at the end of the day, the Senna driver can just push a button to de-activate race mode and drive home.



Edited by Maldini35 on Thursday 2nd August 09:30

isaldiri

18,604 posts

169 months

Thursday 2nd August 2018
quotequote all
Anyone making (or believing) the claim that the McSenna was faster than a gt3 race car really needed to have their head checked. It was never going to happen as long as the car was on road legal tyres.

Maldini35

Original Poster:

2,913 posts

189 months

Thursday 2nd August 2018
quotequote all
isaldiri said:
Anyone making (or believing) the claim that the McSenna was faster than a gt3 race car really needed to have their head checked. It was never going to happen as long as the car was on road legal tyres.
Agreed.
You only have to look at the lap time delta of an F1 car on wets vs slicks in the dry.
Was the original claim made based on the Senna shod with road tyres?
I’ve genuinely no idea.
Bit silly if it was.
Would be interesting to see what the Senna could do on slicks given it’s straight line speed advantage over the GT3.
I know it wouldn’t technically be road legal but swapping wheels isn’t a big deal on a trackday. Trying to make a GT3 race car road legal on the other hand is a bit more involved.

Pouring over the 650 GT3 in the garage was a delight.
A proper, professional race car really is something else.

The Surveyor

7,576 posts

238 months

Thursday 2nd August 2018
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Maldini35 said:
isaldiri said:
Anyone making (or believing) the claim that the McSenna was faster than a gt3 race car really needed to have their head checked. It was never going to happen as long as the car was on road legal tyres.
Agreed.
You only have to look at the lap time delta of an F1 car on wets vs slicks in the dry.
Was the original claim made based on the Senna shod with road tyres?
I’ve genuinely no idea.
Bit silly if it was.
Would be interesting to see what the Senna could do on slicks given it’s straight line speed advantage over the GT3.
I know it wouldn’t technically be road legal but swapping wheels isn’t a big deal on a trackday. Trying to make a GT3 race car road legal on the other hand is a bit more involved.

Pouring over the 650 GT3 in the garage was a delight.
A proper, professional race car really is something else.
Standard Senna on road tyres v GT3 race car, not a chance.

If it was one of the Senna GTR's then that may have some credibility IMOH

isaldiri

18,604 posts

169 months

Thursday 2nd August 2018
quotequote all
Maldini35 said:
Agreed.
You only have to look at the lap time delta of an F1 car on wets vs slicks in the dry.
Was the original claim made based on the Senna shod with road tyres?
I’ve genuinely no idea.
Bit silly if it was.
Would be interesting to see what the Senna could do on slicks given it’s straight line speed advantage over the GT3.
I know it wouldn’t technically be road legal but swapping wheels isn’t a big deal on a trackday. Trying to make a GT3 race car road legal on the other hand is a bit more involved.

Pouring over the 650 GT3 in the garage was a delight.
A proper, professional race car really is something else.
Yes the gt3 race car is quite a thing isn't it? Had a very good poke around when some years back at the Mclaren GT trackdays when a friend got one which he later took racing.

one eyed cat

52 posts

170 months

Thursday 2nd August 2018
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I saw one of these on an air cargo pallet in a wharehouse on an airfield in the Middle East, it took a little googling to work out what it was. It looked amazing!

WCZ

10,536 posts

195 months

Thursday 2nd August 2018
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I don't see why a Senna GTR on slicks couldn't beat a gt3 car, especially around Silverstone