You might remember we brought you news of the McLaren Artura GT4 just last month. The firm’s latest race car is due to replace the 570S GT4 in international motorsport next year, and will form the backbone of the long-running Pure McLaren GT Series. Job done, we thought. Well, not quite: today the manufacturer has revealed a new one-make championship - the Pro-Am McLaren Trophy - and a new car to compete in it, the aptly named Artura Trophy.
First, the car. As you can see, the Trophy is very much based on the combustion-only Artura GT4. The chief difference is that the new model has been freed from Balance of Power regulations, which means that it can run with less weight, more power and higher downforce. McLaren reckons that the combination should not only increase driver engagement, but also reduce lap times to a ‘level closer to GT3 machinery’.
Certainly it reckons the Trophy is ‘sensationally fast in a straight line’, something that’s easy to believe with the all-new twin turbocharged V6 turned up to 585hp. McLaren says it features an ‘enhanced’ exhaust system, too, so it should sound the part. It definitely looks it, with a new aerodynamic package delivering that spectacular high-downforce rear wing.
Handily, the firm says all the changes are reversible if you ever fancy returning the Trophy to GT4 standard for entering a much wider choice of competition. But really the car is for competing in the championship it shares its name with. The Pro-Am McLaren Trophy will support the Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe from next year, and is intended to ‘challenge and develop Pro-Am driver pairings within a sociable environment’.
Existing 570S Trophy cars are also eligible for the series - which ought to be interesting - and while there is a McLaren Concierge service aimed at providing a ‘seamless experience including hotel bookings and transfers’, the cars themselves will be prepared by independent race teams. The inaugural season will feature five races at Grand Prix circuits, including Paul Ricard, Spa-Francorchamps and Hockenheim. Arguably the perfect backdrop for amateur GT drivers and the aspiring pros paired with them.
“I’m really looking forward to seeing the new Artura Trophy car in action,” commented Ian Morgan, Director of Motorsport for McLaren. “From my experience in both motorsport and at McLaren I genuinely believe that this is a great race car and a massive step on from anything we’ve ever produced before for this type of championship. There’s nothing that exists currently to offer the same prospect to aspiring or professional and amateur GT drivers and already we’ve had huge interest in both the new car and the championship.”
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