reincarnation: the rebirth of a soul in a new body
When one speaks of reincarnation, it usually is in relation to spirituality or religious beliefs. Furthermore, it usually is in regards to a person or living thing. However, I think all car aficionados would agree that cars have a “soul”. Arguably, some maybe a bit more than others, but a “soul” none-the-less.
What you see here is the reincarnation of McLaren P1 GTR chassis 011. It spent the first two years of its life being piloted by its owner in McLaren’s exclusive P1 GTR Driving Program, at various F1 tracks around the world. The car was retired and stored after the program concluded, until its owner decided it was time to give it a new life and purpose. It’s soul was then re-birthed into its new body, thanks to the help of Lanzante, and now lives as McLaren P1 GTR-18 chassis 01.
If the name Lanzante sounds familiar, its because they are responsible for a number of historic achievements and special projects over the course of their history. The most notable being the team that brought McLaren their famous overall win at LeMans in 1995, with the McLaren F1 GTR. They later would go on to road-homologate several F1 GTRs, essentially making them street-legal. Thus allowing their current owners to enjoy them in an every-day setting, giving them more opportunities to get behind the wheel of their investment, since it was no longer restricted to track-only use. This same thinking and expertise was applied to the P1 GTR-18, as it too would be converted for road-legal use. The name P1 GTR-18 stems from the naming system used previously on the F1 GTRs, with P1 GTR-18 following the designation given to the famous F1 GTR-97, dubbed “longtail” for the new elongated bodywork it sported for the 1997 season. The name P1 GTR-18 seemed only fitting, given that the project was started in 2018 and it too sports extensive new and elongated bodywork, not to mention a host of additional downforce and features reminiscent of the great F1 GTR-97.
What started as an initial meeting with Lanzante at their workshop in Petersfield, England to learn more about the P1 GTR-18 program, quickly turned into putting the project in motion for the client. With Lanzante carrying out all of the design, development and fabrication, and O’GARA managing the project for the client. One of the more exciting parts of the process was deciding what livery the car would be adorned with, ultimately deciding on the famous “Gulf Team Davidoff” livery.
A number of renderings were then produced, showing how the iconic livery could be applied to the P1 GTR-18’s newly formed shape. The details of the livery’s application were painstakingly obsessed over, with original paint codes and samples being pulled from the original F1 GTR-97 it was paying homage to, including developing a special tint for the exposed carbon fiber. The car was finished just in time for the grand opening of Lanzante’s new showroom, where it was the feature car on display, along with the legendary F1 GTR-97 chassis 028R that it emulates.
Shortly after the celebration, the car and its custom flight cases, filled with new bespoke accessories and original take-off parts, were carefully and expertly packed and shipped to its final destination and home in the States, with the official delivery taking place at one of the most exclusive private race tracks in North America, The Thermal Club. Upon its arrival, the client was taken through the entire car and its operation, as well as some of its new custom items and features, like bespoke two-way headsets for the driver and passenger to communicate, done in the same livery as the car. As well as a pair of keys finished in the same custom tint used for the exposed carbon on the car. All of these items coming with bespoke dust bags and cases. The car was then put through its paces, both on the track and on public roads, a territory all too new to this track-weapon turned street-fighter, but feeling equally at home on both.
Needless to say, the client was thrilled with the end result of commissioning the rebirth of the soul of their P1 GTR chassis 011, to its new body, the P1 GTR-18 chassis 01.
Only six McLaren P1 GTR-18s will ever be produced. Each one paying homage and respect to one of the six liveries originally found on the McLaren F1 GTR-97, essentially making each car produced, a “1 of 1”.
If you would like more information on this exclusive program, email parris@ogaramotorsport.com
Written by Parris Mullins
What a phenomenal site. Incredible pictures and great article.