VIN: the Giroix Racing Team McLaren F1 GTR chassis 07R
History of chassis 07R
One of nine F1 GTRs built to 1995-spec., chassis 07R was sold to wealthy French enthusiast, Paul Picard.
The car was run for Picard by Fabien Giroux, who formed a new sports car team to contest the BPR GT Championship and Le Mans 24 Hours.
Giroix had previously raced saloon cars at the highest level including two seasons for the works BMW Schnitzer team in the 1989 and 1990 DTM. He would be co-driven by Olivier Grouillard who brought backing from Elf and Parisian children’s clothing brand, Jacadi. There would also be occasional sponsorship from Franck Muller watches.
Painted French racing blue with a contrasting grey nose and side stripe, the Jacadi GRT operation was a true privateer effort without the big budget of some other teams.
Fabien Giroux drove every race. When Grouillard acrimoniously defected to Moody Fayed’s Harrods-backed outfit run by Dave Price Racing in September 1995, he was replaced by Jean-Denis Deletraz who had co-driven at Le Mans.
Season highlights included fifth at Le Mans and second at the Nurburgring. There was also a third place finish at the last race of the season in Zhuhai.
The GRT outfit took delivery of a new GTR for 1996 (011R) and 07R was sold to Larbre Competition in anticipation of a 1996 Le Mans entry. However, this outing never happened and the car was not raced again.
07R has since been converted to road use, re-painted Historic Orange and UK registered 4 EB.
Notable History
Sold to Paul Picard, France and run by the Giroix Racing Team (GRT)
Blue and grey livery
09/04/1995 BPR Jarama 4 Hours (F. Giroix / O. Grouillard) 5th oa, 5th GT1 class (#7)
23/04/1995 BPR Nurburgring 4 Hours (F. Giroix / O. Grouillard) 2nd oa, 2nd GT1 class (#7)
30/04/1995 IND Le Mans Prequalifying (O. Grouillard) 12th oa, 7th GT1 class (#50)
08/05/1995 BPR Donington 4 Hours (F. Giroix / O. Grouillard) DNF (#7)
17/06/1995 IND Le Mans 24 Hours (F. Giroix / O. Grouillard / J.D. Deletraz) 5th oa, 4th GT1 class (#50)
27/08/1995 BPR Suzuka 1000km (F. Giroix / J.D. Deletraz/ T. Yoshikawa) DNF (#7)
12/11/1995 BPR Zhuhai 3 Hours (F. Giroix / J.D. Deletraz) 3rd oa, 3rd GT1 class (#7)
Sold to Larbre Competition, Circuit du Val de Vienne, France
Text copyright: Supercar Nostalgia
Photo copyright: LAT (Motorsport Images) for McLaren - https://www.mclaren.com
