Ferrari LaFerrari vs Mclaren P1 vs Porsche 918

any more than a Kit Car "Cobra" could either.

BOT

It's pretty cool how Porsche's massive experience racing at The Ring was able to be used to get the 918 to 6:57. It's also cool how that time helped them to make more sales. Ferrari doesn't need to do anything but make a hypercar to sell it out but I'm not sure this decesion by McLaren won't come to haunt. McLaren fan boys "in the know" talked about 6:46's, 6:39's. McLaren used a marketing slide that showed 6:33 (?). Ron said that the Ring was the Benchmark. They sent a helicopter to film the "record". They derided those who said 7:04. IMHO any McLaren fan who says what seems to have recently happened as per EVO is NP is whistling past the graveyard.

 

I have no idea what McLaren are doing, and perhaps this may have been said before, but I'm hoping they will announce something this week at the Dubai auto show. McLaren are exhibiting there with the P1, and it will be unveiled by Chris Goodwin, McLaren's chief test driver and I believe he was driving the P1 last week at the ring. Perhaps its nothing but it seems a bit odd they would fly their test driver over there to do an unveiling when they could send any number of folks. Just a thought, we'll see.

 

I hope U R right. No matter what happens it seems a very strange way to handle things.

 

What could possibly be Mclaren's reason for not releasing a real time? Other than the obvious, not achieving the time they set out for. Anyone have clue? Erik?

 

I find Porsche's openness with a full video very impressive. Macca not so much....Maybe they are having some Hollywood director edit the footage for better impact [kidding]

 

Let the owners show us how fast their cars are. OEMs are not going to risk a life lost for marketing. Hats off to McLaren if what we see here is true. I'd buy the P1 just to show my support.

 

They may want to release it at an auto show. Its just how marketing/press works. That way all the magazines get the information at the same time and McLaren can make a big to-do about it. Porsche did the same thing, they announced at the Frankfurt Auto Show (not on the first day of the show either, I believe they announced on the third day). Again, just speculation on my part, I have no idea. Cheers

 

Maybe they could then use your funds to make their F1 cars more competitive. Go for it...

 

Very irresponsible to go for a Ring record in a street car. Porsche should apologize for risking lives to try and sell more cars. Ferrari is beyond that.

 

Believe the logic from their angle is to avoid a pissing match they can not win, not a lap time battle they probably can win. The P1 will prove itself in due time - not necessarily at the Ring and not necessarily with an official press release and marketing campaign. A large percentage of owners have told McLaren they could care less about the headlines, so as was said, they've chosen not to release their ultimate result.

If some people on the internet wish to disregard physics and want to infer the P1 "obviously" failed to improve upon the time set by Porsche that's just them telling themselves what they wanted to believe in the first place. Doesn't make it factual.

Let's take note that while telling the world McLaren wasn't going to release their time, David Vivian's piece in the same upcoming EVO magazine has made it quite clear of McLaren's capabilities on the famed track. For those who haven't had the pleasure of reading, the summation is this:

I had the pleasure of spending some time with the P1 this afternoon - had a seat inside and imagined my own way around a race track in my head. Didn't care what the result was - the experience is sure to be mind blowing with that car and that's what matters. Then again, I've maintained all along that these times were irrelevant and even if that is a minority opinion around these parts it isn't soon to change.

>8^)
ER

 

All of this discussion would not be taking place had not Big Mouth Ron said his car was so superior to all others and that it would be proven on the "benchmark" Ring lap

 

Yeah - there may be a little regret over those words given this new decision. Can't change history though.

He did say it would be fastest and that may still be the case. We have nothing at this point to prove that it either is or isn't despite what some people wish to believe.

It's important to recall what Ron committed to (and I just watched the Geneva speech again this morning) which was that the P1 would exceed the 7:00 mark and beat all the records. At the time he made that proclamation there was no sub-7:00 lap time by any proper production car (most don't count the Radical's effort) and so confirming they have succeeded in beating 7:00 does satisfy the statement that was made at the time.

That's not going to be good enough for some people - I get that and am not surprised. Nick's words suggested McLaren would be pilloried for remaining tight lipped, but that's not going to come as a surprise to them either, I am sure.

We will see if they stick with this decision through Tuesday in Dubai. Going to make EVO look a little silly for this reporting if he was wrong or for some reason they change their mind. My only disappointment in all of this is that we likely won't see a full lap video, and that I was looking forward to watching as it says a lot more about the car than a string of numbers ever could.

>8^)
ER

 

My only disappointment in all of this is that we likely won't see a full lap video, and that I was looking forward to watching as it says a lot more about the car than a string of numbers ever could.

>8^)
ER[/QUOTE]

Agree 100%. Post the video and lets see how it deals with the multitude of surfaces and elevation changes the Ring throws at it

 

Can't pretty much any race car do that?

 

Yes. Not a big deal. But it is a big deal to do it for 24 hours, so hats off to Jim for that.

 

Here is my take. I have spent my fair share around the P1 and coming from a Ferrari guy... The car is incredible. I'm a fan! If someone said I could have my pick of the three it would be the Ferrari 1st (I'm a Ferrari guy) Mac super close 2nd and Porsche 3rd. These cars are simply amazing. Owning anyone of the three would be an incredible privilege!!

I believe the P1 has beat the Porche's 6:57 time but by how much? It's not top secrete that Porsche is going back and believes they have 3-6 seconds left in the tank! Mac probably knows they have more in the tank too and will wait for Porche to post a time then wait for optimal track conditions and run a hot lap. Just like formula one... Wait for the last minute and give it your all... And yes at the chance of the worst happening. Racers go as fast as they can and always will. Ferrari would like the bragging right but it may never run a official lap... But like you, my curiosity will be peaked on what the LF could do. I don't think we will see any times posted till the spring... Just my .02

Rb

 

Well this is just a strange post.

People are always trying to push the boundaries of the human experience.

Why do men climb Everest?
Why does a man run a marathon?
Why does Diana Nyad try to swim from Cuba to Key West? Or why do people swim the English Channel?
Why do Richard Nobel and Andy Green keep developing cars to try to exceed 1,000 MPH?
Why does Yo Yo Ma practice all the time?
Why does Joe Walsh, at age 67 (or Mick Jagger at age 70) keep making music?
Why do my friends John and Melinda, give up their successful business, buy a winery in California, learn farming and then dedicate themselves, for the last 15 years, to making the best wine they can make?
Why do I work on weekends and at night?

Some people simply try to be the best--and they find happiness and value in the journey. Ask an athlete what he misses when he hangs up the shoes. He will say that he misses the camaraderie of his teammates and their pursuit of one goal--everyone pulling in the same direction to achieve the same thing.

When you are part of something, such as a team, and when you do your very best -- in sports or business -- you find happiness in dedicating yourself to the task and doing your best.

There are any number of inspirational videos of athletes in the Olympics. After a pulled muscle, they find a way to hobble to the finish line. Not because they will win a medal. But because they have a need to finish what they started.

Unlike your comments, I do not want Porsche to apologize for seeking to produce the best car in the world. I do not think they are risking lives--I think they represent the very best of the human spirit. And I respect their efforts.

 

Search of profit?

 

Agree, and their cars will do the least miles.
Pete

 

Sorry Bill. Let the owners show what the cars are capable of? Really??

Considering most US supercar owners, Ferrari at least, don't drive their cars... Are we to conclude from the owner's showing that they are sculpture?

Every manufacturer from kia to Pagani uses test drivers for a reason.

The "ring" has become a yardstick because it is a measure of what a road car can do in the wild. A valid data point for a street supercar.

McLaren states publicly that they will be the fastest,... McLaren went to "the ring",... McLaren ran hard,... McLaren saw their data,... McLaren says not relevant.

 

ROTFLOL

Why stop there?

All of the Major Manufactures have had many people die racing/testing/high speed driving their cars, several this year. Why not ban racing, high speed testing, or any car that can be driven at high speed? Why not indict Enzo and charge him with Murder when his car killed someone at a race. Or Charge the guys that made the car Arton died in? Oh wait someone already did that. Great idea.

 

Ditto.

 

Dear Jim, in hindsight don't you wish now you hadn't made those comments about the track superiority of the P1 over its rivals?

 

Very well said!

 

Why does Porsche force their best drivers to risk their lives in a street car on a very dangerous track when they need more sales?

Sorry, most other OEMs (and apparently McLaren now) feel the way I do on this one. I learned a lot after pitching a proposal to do this. OEMs know what their cars can do at the Ring without having to actually do it. This is not the same as what you list above.

I think the equivalent to what you have would be...

Why does Porsche show they can beat the all-time Ring record set by Stefan Bellof 30 years ago?

And, why don't they do this?