So they're in different halls and not literally face to face. But the showdown between the McLaren P1 and
LaFerrari
has now left the screen and page and hit the showfloor. And who's winning?
Well, we looked at the very different approaches to the PR hype before the show started. And if over at Ferrari it's very much business as usual and, extraordinary car or not, another step along a very well trodden path there's a giddy sense of adventure and excitement at McLaren. Ron Dennis and Gordon Murray might be around on the stand but this is a very different company from the one that built the F1 and in that sense you get the feeling the P1 is a bigger emotional step for McLaren than LaFerrari is for the boys from Maranello.
Restrained, in comparison to LaFerrari at least
And if LaFerrari goes all-out for the heartstrings in direct comparison the P1 is - relatively - a more restrained affair. It's neater, more understated in its lines and is fluid and sculptural where the Ferrari is angry and angular. There are some lovely details too, the carbon weave visible inside the wheelarches and the beautifully finished but overtly mechanical wing lifting mechanism that erupts from the rear bodywork both neat visual reminders of the engineering that's gone into it.
You can read more about that here with the full press pack on the tech that's gone into the car. There's a lot to take in, suffice to say. But setting that aside it's good to see the finished car in the open. And if Ferrari and McLaren have taken ostensibly similar ingredients and targets that they've reached their goals in distinctively different ways is hugely exciting for everyone. Truly, this is THE great supercar rivalry of the modern age and it starts in earnest here at Geneva. This one's going to run and run and it's way too early to declare a winner yet. Happy days!
