Spend 17 seconds watching the McLaren W1 go from Road to Race ...

Published: 07 Oct 2024

“The aerodynamic platform of W1 is the most advanced ever in a McLaren road car,” explains, well, McLaren.

This new hybrid V8 platform – which at its core features the ‘Aerocell’ monocoque – was subjected to 350 hours in the wind tunnel, testing some 5,000 points. If we’re being silly, we’re immediately imagining this wind tunnel permanently etching a grin onto a poor engineer’s face.

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Of course there’s nothing silly about the W1’s performance, stats or its complex aero. It’s a ground effect philosophy, where much of the literal tonne of total downforce possible is generated by the underbody. Probably why it’s got a very clean silhouette.

We know McLaren has shaped and honed this W1 for the road, and then tweaked it for the track – arguably the better way round – but the way it transforms from its Road mode to Race is quite special.

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Flick the switch, and the W1 drops 37mm on the front axle and 17mm on the rear. Then comes the party piece – the rear wing.

It’s powered by four electric motors and in Race mode, extends 300mm rearwards and adjusts in pitch. McLaren says the deployment of active front and rear wings and the lowering of the ride height in Race mode “is not just theatre” – it creates 350kg of downforce on the front and 650kg of downforce on the rear.

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Of course, if we’re being silly, it’s one helluva cool party trick. Check it out below.

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