McLaren F1 Certified Programme from MSO launched with 'New' F1 GTR '25R'

‘New’ McLaren F1 GTR ’25R’ launches McLaren’s F1 Certification Programme

McLaren Special Operations has launched a new McLaren F1 Certified programme, launched with an as new restoration of McLaren F1 GTR 25R.

A few years ago, Ron Dennis, then McLaren’s irascible boss, mused that he should dig out all the original tooling and parts from the production run of the McLaren F1 and start building them again to cash-in on the enormous values F1s had reached.

It was slightly tongue in cheek comment, but McLaren are now doing almost what Ron envisaged, although they’re not, for now, actually building brand new F1s.

Instead, they’re digging out the tooling, opening up boxes of parts built two decades ago, and using them to rebuild F1s from period in as new condition as part of a new F1 Certification Service launched by McLaren Special Operations.

McLaren F1 GTR 25R Interior

Considering there have only ever been 64 original road-legal McLaren F1s built (as well as 28 GTRs, five LMs, two GTs and numerous prototypes for a total production of 106 cars), MSO’s service is of use to just a tiny portion of ridiculously wealthy individuals.

But it is a way to ensure that all McLaren F1s will probably end up undergoing MSO’s Certification process to ensure they are original and as close to perfect as possible, and bring in more work for MSO in the process.

Announced at Hampton Court, MSO announced their new F1 certification programme with the reveal of the last F1 GTR to battle on the track in anger in period – GTR 25R – lovingly restored back to as new condition and looking magnificent.

Mike Flewitt, McLaren CEO, said:

McLaren cherishes its rich heritage of iconic and world-beating cars such as the F1.
’25R’ presented us with a unique opportunity to demonstrate this by restoring it to precisely how it was when it raced at Le Mans in 1997, thus ensuring its future. Maintaining the integrity of these historically significant cars is paramount and F1 Certified will play a big role in allowing us to do that for the peace of mind of owners today as well as preserving a wonderful heritage for future generations of car lovers.

Next step a ‘Continuation’ run of McLaren F1s?