McLaren MP4-12C GT3 - going racing in 2012
McLaren has revealed they are going racing with their new road car – the McLaren MP4-12c – and are planning a GT3 version for 2012.
We have been expecting McLaren to confirm that they are going racing with the McLaren MP4-12C. It would be unthinkable for McLaren not to take their new baby to the track but we’d had no confirmation. We had seen the McLaren MP4-12C GT3 out testing last month so we knew an announcement was likely to be imminent, and so it is.
McLaren has confirmed that it will be building – and selling to private teams – a limited number of GT3 racers for the 2012 season in Europe, just as they did with the McLaren F1 fifteen years ago.
McLaren are no doubt hoping that the MP4-12C can be half as successful as the F1 was fifteen years ago, and are entrusting CRS Racing to develop the GT3 version of the MP4-12C for the track
The plan is to produce a limited run of GT3 cars for the 2012 FIA GT3 Series. To that end McLaren and CRS will enter a handful of GT races in Europe in 2011 to help develop the car
Martin Whitmarsh, Vodafone McLaren Mercedes Team Principal said:
“Racing is in our blood – it was natural to develop a GT3 car alongside the 12C road car. We have a legendary history in global motorsport, including GT racing, and we aim to maintain that reputation with this GT3 programme, and any future sports car projects that may evolve.
“The 12C’s architecture and design was always aimed at high-performance and ease of maintenance – two key criteria for potential customers. Combine that with the vast amount of racing experience in our automotive team, and CRS Racing’s specialist development experience, and the 12C GT3 should be an exciting proposition for the top teams planning to race in GT3 from 2012.”
The McLaren MP4-12C world domination plan continues.
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