27 Aug 2020

  • McLaren’s most track-focused, road-legal car to date has set the fastest ever production-car lap record for four major US automotive publications
  • Records broken at NCM Motorsports Park for both Automobile’s ‘Pro Racer’s Take’ and Road & Track’s ‘Performance Car of the Year’, Virginia International Raceway for Car and Driver’s ‘Lightning Lap’, and Laguna Seca with Motor Trend’s ‘Best Driver’s Car 2019’
  • Bears the name of legendary Formula 1 driver, Ayrton Senna, befitting its status as the ultimate McLaren road-legal track car

The McLaren Senna has completed a historic ‘clean sweep’ by breaking four production-car lap records in the hands of major US automotive publications. The Senna was designed, engineered and developed with a single-minded purpose: to be the ultimate McLaren track-concentrated car for the road. Initially, the Woking design team set out to produce a vehicle capable of setting the best lap time of any road-legal McLaren so far and its US performances are a testament to that focus.

The Senna successfully set the fastest ever production-car lap record for Automobile’s ‘Pro Racer’s Take’ with Andy Pilgrim, completing the full Grand Course at NCM Motorsports Park, Kentucky in just 2:02.86.

It continued its success at NCM during Road & Track’s ‘Performance Car of the Year 2019’ delivering the fastest PCOTY lap-time ever. The Senna completed the 2-mile NCM West Circuit in 1:23.34 and was described as ‘mind-warping’ by those who drove it. On turn 4, the fastest point on track, it recorded an impressive lateral g-force of 1.64g’s.

The McLaren Senna also made history at Car and Driver’s ‘Lightning Lap 2019’, becoming the fastest car they have ever lapped in the 13 years, and 263 cars, of the competition’s history.  The Senna completed a lap of the 4.1-mile Grand Course at Virginia International Raceway in only 2:34.9, making it also an unofficial VIR record holder. The Senna proved its track prowess by reaching a top speed of 172.9mph on the front straight, 1.23g’s of lateral acceleration in Turn 1, and posting an average speed of 134.5 mph.

Finally, Motor Trend included the Senna in its selection for ‘Best Driver’s Car 2019’ where it became the first production-car to lap Weather Tech Raceway Laguna Seca in under 1:28, finishing in 1:27.62. Not only was the Senna triumphant on the circuit, it also competed in ‘World’s Greatest Drag Race 9’ finishing 1.12 seconds faster than its competitors over the quarter mile at 10.08 secs, and 2.03 seconds faster, at 15.65 secs, in the half mile distance – reaching a top speed of over 171mph. 

True to the legendary abilities of one of McLaren’s greatest racers, Ayrton Senna, every element of the McLaren Senna has an uncompromising performance ethos and a raw focus that delivers the purest connection between driver and car.  The McLaren Senna deliberately compromises McLaren’s trademark breadth of supercar daily usability to deliver the most intense circuit experience of any road McLaren – proven in its track success.

Production of the McLaren Senna was completed in 2019, with all vehicles being hand-assembled at the McLaren Production Centre in Woking, Surrey, England.

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Ends

Notes to editors:

A selection of high resolution images accompanying this release is available to download from the McLaren Automotive media site – cars.mclaren.press

About McLaren Automotive:

McLaren Automotive is a creator of luxury, high-performance supercars.

Every vehicle is hand-assembled at the McLaren Production Centre (MPC) in Woking, Surrey, England.

Launched in 2010, the company is now the largest part of the McLaren Group.

The company’s product portfolio of GT, Supercar, Motorsport and Ultimate models are retailed through over 85 retailers in more than 32 markets around the world.

McLaren is a pioneer that continuously pushes the boundaries. In 1981, it introduced lightweight and strong carbon fibre chassis into Formula 1 with the McLaren MP4/1.

Then in 1993  it designed and built the McLaren F1 road car – the company has not built a car without a carbon fibre chassis since. As part of the Ultimate Series, McLaren was the first to deliver a hybrid hypercar, the McLaren P1™.

Announced at Goodwood Festival of Speed in 2018, the company’s Track25 business plan will see it invest £1.2billion in research and development to deliver 18 new cars or derivatives by the end of 2025.

In 2018, the company launched its new £50m McLaren Composites Technology Centre in the Sheffield region in the North of England that will see it produce the next generation of lightweight carbon fibre ‘tubs’ that are at the heart of all McLaren cars.

2019 saw McLaren launch the 600LT Spider as well as the new GT, the track-only Senna GTR and unveiled the 620R and the McLaren Elva. In 2020, McLaren launched the 765LT.

To support the development, engineering and manufacture of its range of innovative sportscars and supercars, McLaren Automotive partners with world leading companies to provide specialist expertise, technology and solutions. These include AkzoNobel, Ashurst, Dell Technologies, Pirelli,  Richard Mille, and Tumi.

McLaren Group:
The McLaren Group is a global leader in luxury automotive and technology and comprises three businesses: Automotive, Racing and Applied.

Further information:

Roger Ormisher
Vice President, Communications & PR | McLaren North America
Phone: +1 714 501 8137
Email: roger.ormisher@mclaren.com 

Lauren Dowdy
Press Officer | McLaren North America
Phone: +44 (0) 7818 537845
Email: lauren.dowdy@mclaren.com 

Media website: cars.mclaren.press
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