New McLaren F1 to debut at Monaco 2012?

Render of the 2013 McLaren F1

It’s reported that the new McLaren F1 – know as the McLaren P12 – will debut as a concept at the Monaco Grand Prix weekend in May 2012.

We first revealed that a new McLaren F1 was being developed in Woking almost three years ago, but at that time it looked like the new F1 – codenamed P12 by McLaren and perhaps destined to get the McLaren 799 moniker – would arrive after both the McLaren MP4-12C and a smaller, higher-volume McLaren aimed at cars like the 911 and R8.

By 2011 reports were saying that McLaren had brought forward the new F1 to 2013 and that it would get a 5.0 V8 with something around 800bhp, a carbon fibre tub (just like the 12C) and lots of electronic handling aids like brake steer and brake force distribution, ceramic brakes and a very low weight.

Now we hear from GT Spirit that McLaren are planning to give the world its first look at the new F1 at the Jewel in the Crown of Formula One events – the Monaco Grand Prix – at the end of May, just three months away.

Even with a possible debut for the new F1 just three months away, speculation about what it will offer is still rife. It’s clear it will be light and powerful, but other power options in the mix seem to be a development of the 3.8 litre V8 in the 12C with KERS to produce the 800bhp quoted before.

Price is also something there seems to be no agreement on. We had heard that the new F1 would be ‘affordable’ (certainly by hypercar standards) at around £500k, but more recent reports put it nearer £1 million; but it’s all guesswork until McLaren actually show us the F1

But whatever Frank Stephenson has created in the new F1, it’s going to struggle to match up to its iconic predecessor.