All posts in “formula 1”

FOR SALE: 2019 McLaren Senna Drenched in Bespoke Options

One of the latest supercars to hit BringATrailer is an absolutely glorious 2019, McLaren Senna, finished in Liquid Silver – which happens to be a $97,566 option. It comes with only 1,900 miles on the odometer along with all original owner’s manuals, accessories, clean Carfax, and a clean Pennsylvania title. The auction is set to end on Tuesday, April 27 at 2:00 pm.

This Senna is #196 of 500 cars produced to commemorate Ayrton Senna’s success with McLaren’s Formula 1 team. It’s finished in a bespoke Senna GTR-inspired livery along with Burton Blue accents from the McLaren Special Operations team and Satin Blue tinted carbon-fiber trim. 

2019 McLaren Senna Rear Angle

This car features over $265,000 of specified options – making it almost one of a kind. These options include bespoke blue Alcantara seats, Satin Blue tinted carbon-fiber interior trim, a Bowers & Wilkins audio system, Burton Blue brake calipers, Gorilla Glass side panels, and an MSO Push-to-Drink system.

2019 McLaren Senna Interior

Not only does this McLaren feature a twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8 paired with a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transaxle, racing-inspired center-locking wheels, but it also comes with the creature comforts found standard in most luxury cars. Things like adjustable driving modes, front and rear parking sensors, dual-zone climate control, Bluetooth, navigation, and touchscreen infotainment.

McLaren Special Operations Signatures

One of the neatest features on this McLaren Senna is the underside of the front panel – it has been signed by members of the McLaren Special Operations division. You can hop in the driver’s seat of this incredible car knowing that the MSO team is with you on the ride. 

Vettel Sells Ferrari Collection for a Fresh Start with Aston Martin

After finishing the worst year of his F1 career, four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel will no longer be racing for Ferrari. He will also be cutting ties with his amazing Ferrari collection he had gathered throughout the years. He will begin a fresh start for the 2021 season with Aston Martin.

Vettel’s Ferrari collection currently rests in Switzerland at his home and they are now for sale through veteran supercar dealership Tom Hartley Jnr located in the United Kingdom.

Sebastian Vettel

Among the collection cars that have been listed for sale include a Ferrari LaFerrari, Enzo, F50, F12 TDF, and 458 Speciale, and the majority of them are already sold or spoken for. Vettel has also listed a Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG, AMG SL65 Black Series, and a BMW Z8

Sebastian Vettel's LaFerrari

Though the split between Vettel and Ferrari is said to amicable, it does seem like Vettel is throwing away all memories and making way for his new love. This comes as no surprise as the Ferrari’s in his collection were acquired after his start with the Italian F1 team in 2015. 

Vettel's Ferrari F50
Image from: Tom Hartley Jnr

Vettel has also been seen sporting the Aston Martin DBX SUV in promotional footage. He could be making room for some new British supercars in the near future.

Vettel will be driving alongside Aston Martin teammate Lance Stroll. Aston Martin will be unveiling its new F1 car on March 3rd and complete official testing on March 12-14. The first race of the F1 season will be the Bahrain Grand Prix on March 28. Ferrari has since replaced Vettel with Carlos Sainz who will be alongside Charles Leclerc for the 2021 F1 season.

McLaren Applied Technologies Envisions the Future of F1 in 2050

Things Could Get Weird

Looking like a mashup of TRON and every futuristic racing video game you can imagine, McLaren Applied Technologies has a vision for F1 racing in 2050. It is nothing if not exciting. The company talked with fans, racecar drivers, engineers, and others intimately involved in Formula 1 racing to create a vision of the future for the sport. 

McLaren chose 2050 as the year to focus on. It chose that because 2050 marks 100 years for F1 racing. The car that the company came up with is called the MCLExtreme. The car has an open-wheel design and includes a driver, but uses futuristic technology. That tech includes shapeshifting active aerodynamics, an onboard advanced AI co-pilot, all-electric powertrain with 500 km/h inductive charging, autonomous and mixed reality technology and a whole lot more. 

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McLaren noted that a car could even steal electrical energy from the car ahead of it. That would further enhance race strategy for the drivers and their racing teams. The company sees the future of the sport shifting from how to get the most out of the stored power, to how to maximize the power itself.

McLaren says cars of the future may still use actual plug-in charging tech to get to full charge. However, at least some of the charging will be wireless. Additionally, the company says the cars themselves could glow the color of the driver’s emotions and the tires could be self-repairing.

It Won’t Just Be the Cars

The tracks will change too. Fans expressed a want for longer and wider tracks with steep banking. McLaren thinks this will come to fruition by 2050. With the popularity of street races, the company thinks smart cities with banked streets will be the future. 

=McLaren Applied Technologies 2050 racetrack=McLaren Applied Technologies 2050 racetrack
Image from McLaren Applied Technologies

“Smart cities will give us the chance to put the track action on people’s doorsteps,” said Rodi Basso, Motorsport Director at McLaren Applied Technologies. “We’re going to see more racing take place where the fans are, as part of a continued effort to bring the show to them…”

It’s clear that the future of F1 is full of possibilities. I highly doubt all the things McLaren envisions will come true. 2050, like it or not is not that far away, and the company is talking seriously large-scale changes. While technology moves fast, I doubt it will move this fast.

Maybe this is more like 2100 instead of 2050. With that said, we’re seeing the beginnings of this technology already added to cars, and it could be the future of F1. I just think it’s unlikely for changes like this to hit in only a little more than 30 years time. 

Please Join Formula One, Aston Martin

Within the past decade or so, Formula One evolved in car design through aerodynamics and engine packaging. Gone are the days of the mighty V12 of the 1990’s and here is the world of turbochargers and energy recovery. Many have argued that current engine regulations have taken the fun out of the sport and limited participation to the ones that can afford the R&D costs.

I’m not going to take anything away from Lewis Hamilton and his Mercedes-Benz Petronas team, but I’m just tired of seeing him on the podium. Don’t even get me started on Finger Boy!

There is a solution to everything: there is a revision of the regulations come 2021 with hopes of attracting new constructors to join in on the fun. And it seems like it has attracted a maker across the Pond.

There have been reports that Aston Martin is keen on joining in Formula 1 under Team Red Bull Racing. While they’re currently working with Renault who’s supplying McLaren, and Renault this season, Red Bull hasn’t been doing great this season with issues in Bahrain, an engine issue during FP3 in Shanghai, and a third-place finish in Spain.

Autosport.com reports that Aston Martin is paying attention to the new rules, especially with the focus on a simpler turbocharged V6 engine and the removal of the MGU-H unit.

They are aware that they must be competitive before talking with Team Red Bull and hopefully, things will get sorted out by 2019,

“We’re looking at 2021, so it’s somewhere down the road,” Palmer told Autosport.

“But if we can’t pass the ‘it’s OK for Red Bull test’ then that probably means we’re not passing the ‘it’s competitive’ test, and it has to be competitive.

“There’s approximately nine months’ work in front of us to convince ourselves one way or the other.

“You’ve got simulation tools and single cylinder work, and that gives you a pretty accurate correlation between the testing world and the simulation world.”

We look forward to seeing Aston Martin join the likes of Ferrari, Mercedes-Benz onto the podium. Carry on!