Gordon Murray’s vision in creating the McLaren F1 was to create the ultimate road car, not to develop a vehicle for racing (similar to Ferruccio Lamborghini’s goals in starting his own automobile company). However, unlike Lamborghini, Murray cut his teeth designing some of the most famous Formula 1 cars in the world. It’s perhaps no surprise then that when the F1 hit the streets, lots of people wanted to see what it could do on a racetrack. Murray reluctantly agreed to create the GTR, a competition-only variant of the road car. Little had to be done, as the F1 was essentially a racer already—cooling ducts were added, and a wing was bolted onto the back. With these modifications, the F1 GTR won Le Mans outright—the first time a new marque had ever won the race on their first try. By 1997, however, the competition was fiercer and McLaren was forced to modify the GTR further. The “long-tail” version has better downforce, with completely revised bodywork and a de-stroked engine for better longevity. This car, #43, managed third place in the 1997 Le Mans race, behind a Porsche prototype and another F1 GTR. After 1997, BMW pulled out and the F1 GTR program ended, leaving behind an incredible racing legacy for a car that was never intended to race.
