Guide: Maximum Attack - a Historical & Technical Appraisal of the McLaren F1 GTR 97
BACKGROUND
Despite having been arguably the most consistent supporter of Prototype and GT racing during the second half of the 20th century, no other manufacture simultaneously had such a destructive impact on the sport owing to the creation of myriad rule-bending models conceived to dominate rivals.
Among the most notorious of these was the 911 GT1, a purebred racing car designed from the ground up to monopolise a production-based GT scene which had recently undergone a major revival after years in the doldrums.
When the 911 GT1 made its debut during the spring of 1996, GT racing was contested by privateer teams running lightly modified versions of genuine road-going production cars. However, Porsche decided to try and obliterate the opposition by developing a scratch built Prototype which was reverse engineered into a road car. Upon completion, the German firm decided to go racing with a fully fledged works team.
As Porsche's Customer Motorsport Director, Jurgen Barth, was on the committee of the BPR series which had spearheaded the resurgence of GT racing, the 911 GT1 was scandalously permitted to compete during the second half of 1996. What seemed an outrageous development was then compounded when Mercedes decided they too would build a GT1 class contender along similar lines.
The reason for Porsche and Mercedes’ decision? Thus far the BPR series had been dominated by McLaren’s F1 GTR which domestic rival BMW made a big noise about supplying the engines for.
As if the impending influx of thinly veiled factory Prototypes did not cast enough of a shadow over the sport, for 1997 the BPR series was to be taken over by the FIA who began to meddle with homologation requirements; now, so long as one road going car had been completed, manufacturers had to complete the remainder of a 25 unit run within twelve months of the season ending. Fortunately, this did not apply to already homologated GT1 cars like the McLaren.
Despite the landscape having radically changed, neither McLaren or BMW wanted to throw in the towel and although the F1 would be at an inherent disadvantage owing to its road car roots, the two firms decided to develop the most extreme GTR yet within a few weeks of the Porsche 911 GT1’s debut at Le Mans Pre-qualifying in April 1996.
Accordingly, in May 1996 it was announced that McLaren would develop a heavily uprated F1 GTR in conjunction with BMW who were to finance the operation and subsidise the existing retail price of £680,000.
At this stage it was thought the F1 GTR 97 would feature radical new downforce-inducing front and rear body sections, much revised suspension geometry and a sequential transmission instead of the road-based synchromesh manual gearbox. A major weight reduction programme was also in the pipeline while, in order to nullify the advantage afforded to forced induction engines, a twin turbo V8 was expected to replace the existing normally aspirated V12.
Ultimately, the idea for a twin turbo V8 was quickly abandoned and the suspension was only lightly tweaked but practically every other development was pursued with rigorous detail. Specifically for Le Mans, McLaren also developed an ABS system, the cost of which was as big as every other aspect of its 1997 programme combined.
To take the challenge to the factory Porsche and Mercedes teams, in late October of 1996 BMW Motorsport announced its Schnitzer satellite outfit would run a brace of cars in both the FIA GT Championship and at the Le Mans 24 Hours (which since 1993 had been a standalone event). McLaren was to provide extensive support for the operation. Schnitzer would be backed up by Ray Bellm’s GTC Motorsport team although at this stage it was not clear what level of support GTC would receive.
Because the F1 had already been homologated into the GT1 class, McLaren would not have to build 25 road-going examples of its revamped challenger, just one, and the new F1 GT road car was seen testing for first time during the second week of November.
The F1 GTR 97 then broke cover during the third week of November when McLaren unveiled a stunning black machine emblazoned with pink and yellow stripes. This car (chassis 19R) subsequently ran for first time on November 18th when David Brabham conducted a 20 lap shakedown at Brands Hatch prior to departing for a proper test at Jerez later that week.
After three-and-a-half days of testing at Jerez (at which point 19R was still running a ‘96-spec. motor) McLaren predicted the new car would be three seconds per lap faster than its predecessor.
Following an intenstive test and development programme, the F1 GTR 97 made its competition debut when Parabolica Motorsport contested the opening round of the 1997 British GT Championship at Silverstone during the first week of April.
CHASSIS
Each 1997 GTR was based around McLaren’s F1 carbon composite monocoque.
Double wishbone suspension ran with solid aluminium bushes, co-axial springs, light alloy Bilstein dampers and an anti-roll bar at either end. As before, the entire set-up was fully adjustable, but for this latest iteration McLaren widened the track by 59mm up front and 96mm out back. In accordance with the new regulations, ride height was increased to 70mm.
Whereas Carbon Industrie discs had been available in 1996, for 1997 McLaren made the switch to Brembo items with uprated eight instead of four-piston calipers. These latest carbon ceramic discs retained a 380mm diameter at the front and 355mm diameter at the rear.
Also new were 15-spoke wheels to replace the original five-spoke items used in 1995 and ‘96. They once again measured 18 x 10.85-inches at the front and 18 x 13-inches at the rear.
A 100-litre FIA fuel cell as per the 1996 car was carried over.
ENGINE / TRANSMISSION
Because of the advantages afforded to turbocharged engines by the BPR / FIA GT regulations, McLaren and BMW had been jointly developing a twin turbo V8 for 1997. However, this new power unit was ultimately abandoned in October 1996 after a satisfactory solution to match the performance of normally-aspirated and forced induction engines was agreed upon. This new-for-1997 air restrictor rule saw the power advantage afforded to turbo cars in prior years radically reined back.
Also brought in for the 1997 season was a six-litre engine limit which meant the existing 6064cc motor would have to be re-configured to a smaller capacity. This was achieved thanks to a stroke reduction of 1.06mm (from 87mm to 85.94mm) which meant the BMW Motorsport 60° V12 became even more responsive. The cylinder bores retained an 86mm diameter for an overall displacement of 5990cc (a reduction of 74cc).
TAG management software was re-mapped to suit the revised engine’s characteristics and a new exhaust system was installed. As a consequence, these latest motors (still designated Type S70/3) were able to produced an identical 600bhp to the 1996 version, but now at 200rpm less (7300rpm as opposed to 7500rpm). The torque rating was, however, slightly inferior with 524lb-ft at 5600rpm compared to 527lb-ft at 4500rpm previously.
The engine’s other characteristics were unchanged: dry-sump lubrication, dual overhead camshafts for each bank of cylinders, four valve heads, variable valve timing and an 11.0:1 compression ratio.
Where the 1997 GTR gained a good portion of its substantially improved performance was in the gearbox department; instead of a six-speed manual unit, the new car came with a six-speed sequential ‘box supplied by X-trac.
Transmission was through an AP Racing triple-plate carbon clutch with an aluminium flywheel and a Torsen limited-slip differential.
BODYWORK
Although the mechanical changes adopted for 1997’s F1 GTR were not insignificant, the most radical alterations concerned its bodywork.
Without building an entirely new car, McLaren could do nothing to reduce the size of the F1’s expansive windscreen which put it at a massive disadvantage to Porsche and Mercedes, but the potential was there to significantly increase downforce.
With this in mind, the fore and aft body sections were dramatically extended which added well over half-a-metre to the new car’s length.
Up front, the 1997 GTR’s nose was completely re-profiled. From the headlights it sloped down to a slimmer, more air-piercing leading edge at the base of which was a giant chin spoiler that wrapped all the way around to the front wheel well. Shorter, wider intakes were also added.
To incorporate the wide track axles, all four fenders were subtly flared while the flanks and skirts were necessarily reworked to optimise airflow.
In addition to the aforementioned increased ground clearance on the 1997 car, the 110m added to the height of this latest GTR was accounted for by a dramatic roof-mounted engine intake snorkel.
Changes at the re-modelled back end were arguably even more striking where McLaren stretched the tail out to a full metre beyond the rear axle which was the maximum permitted by the rules. Fully integrated to this was a massive upswept spoiler above which was a new twin pylon-mounted wing while the tail’s sidewalls were dramatically sculpted inwards.
INTERIOR
Several new features could be found in the cockpit of these 1997 GTRs, the most noticeable of which was the new sequential gearshift mechanism mounted in the same position as before but now with a much taller lever, a dimpled gear knob and exposed shift linkage.
Other revisions for this latest iteration of the GTR included a non-glare grey composite dash (instead of alcantara), purely alcantara as opposed to leather / alcantara upholstery on the driver’s seat, an updated switchgear layout and superior cool air blowers.
As you would expect, the cockpit was stripped of all superfluous luxuries and the analogue instrumentation from the original F1 road car was replaced with a digital Stack read out.
Most of the switchgear was housed on the aforementioned carbonfibre panel off to the driver’s right-hand side in what was originally the passenger seat footwell. More electrical equipment along with a plumbed-in fire system was located where the right-hand passenger seat usually resided.
Just one single-piece composite bucket seat was installed along with a six-point harness. Other safety gear included a fully integrated roll cage.
Lightweight single piece Lexan windows were fixed in position.
WEIGHT / PERFORMANCE
Although McLaren had managed to remove 38kg in the transition from 1995 to 1996 GTR trim, a further 97kg was cut for these 1997 variants despite the substantially longer and wider bodywork. They tipped the scales at 915kg compared to 1012kg for the 1996 version and 1050kg for the 1995 version.
Top speed was 197mph and 0-62mph took comfortably under three seconds.
PRODUCTION
As had been the case in 1995 and ‘96, it was expected eight customer examples of this latest GTR would be built in addition to the prototype. Of these, four were destined for Fina-backed Schnitzer / BMW Motorsport, two were allocated to the Gulf / Davidoff-backed GTC operation and one to privateer Thomas Bscher (which GTC would also run at the behest of BMW).
The final example was originally reserved for Kuzumichi Goh’s team which had joined up with McLaren to win the 1996 Japanese GT Championship. However, that car went to Parabolica Motorsport and Goh ended up renting the prototype for its solitary outing at the Suzuka 1000km.
A ninth customer car (and tenth unit assembled) was then built up mid-season for GTC who suffered a series of mishaps with its original brace of entries.
COMPETITION HISTORY
The F1 GTR 97 made its competitive debut thanks to a one-off British GT Championship appearance by the Parabolica Motorsport car in which Gary Ayles and Chris Goodwin drove away from the field to take an easy victory.
Thereafter, teams focused on the eleven round FIA GT Championship and the stand-alone Le Mans 24 Hours.
1997 FIA GT CHAMPIONSHIP
Although it was Porsche that had been first out of the blocks with a purebred GT1 racing car, the German firm went on to have a terrible season in the 1997 FIA GT Championship and failed to score a single win.
Instead, honours were split exclusively between McLaren and Mercedes-Benz.
The BMW Motorsport operation won the first three races of 1997 thanks to JJ Lehto / Steve Soper (round one at Hockenheim and round three at Helsinki) and Peter Kox / Roberto Ravaglia (Silverstone).
From round four though, the AMG Mercedes squad began to realise the potential of their CLK GTR and won six of the remaining eight races that year to McLaren’s two. As Bernd Schneider was behind the wheel for each of Mercedes’ victories he emerged as the 1997 Drivers’ Champion on 72 points compared to Steve Soper’s 59.
In the Manufacturer standings, Mercedes finished the year with 110 points, BMW Motorsport were second with 85 and the GTC Motorsport squad were third on 37 (two points ahead of the factory Porsche crew).
McLaren did not contest the 1998 season in which Mercedes blew Porsche away. GT1 entries for 1999 were so low that the FIA scrapped the category and that year’s championship was organised to GT2 regulations.
1997 LE MANS 24 HOURS
Mercedes elected not to contest the 1997 Le Mans 24 Hours which left McLaren and Porsche to challenge the LMP class cars as the premier GT1 contenders.
Unfortunately, mechanical problems cost the F1 GTRs any chance of outright victory. Nevertheless, the GTC Motorsport entry of Jean-Marc Gounon, Pierre-Henri Raphanel and Anders Olofsson came home in second place, one lap behind the same LMP class TWR Porsche WSC-95 run by Joest Racing which had won in 1996.
Third overall and second in the GT1 class went to the BMW Motorsport F1 GTR of Peter Kox, Roberto Ravaglia and Eric Helary. The final podium spot in GT1 went to Schubel Engineering’s privateer Porsche 911 GT1 which finished fifth overall in the hands of Pedro Lamy, Armin Hahne and Patrice Goueslard.
OTHER 1997 RACES
In September 1997, the Le Mans governing body organised a non-championship 4 Hour race at la Sarthe which was won by John Nielsen and Thomas Bscher driving Bscher’s privately owned GTR prepared by GTC Motorsport.
The same car and driver pairing also won the end-of-season Challenge Endurance Italia Vallelunga 6 Hour race in November.
POST 1997 COMPETITION HISTORY
After 1997, official involvement with the F1 GTR 97 came to an end and it was left to privateers to race the Long Tail McLaren. Thomas Bscher continued to run his GTC-prepared car and picked up a number of good results. Alongside co-driver Geoff Lees, Bscher was a frequent top six finisher in the FIA GT Championship and won the opening round of the inaugural GTR Euroseries: the Jarama 4 Hours.
The EMKA Racing outfit of Pink Floyd manager Steve O’Rourke purchased an ex-GTC machine for the 1998 British GT Championship and Le Mans 24 Hours. O’Rourke and Tim Sugden finished fourth overall at Le Mans (fourth in GT1) and scored myriad British GT podium finishes to include a win at Oulton Park.
F1 GTR 97s continued to race in privateer hands until 2005.
Text copyright: Supercar Nostalgia
Photo copyright: McLaren - https://www.mclaren.com
