2012 McLaren MP4-12C GT3 Race Car

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The 12C GT3 is based on the new MP4-12C high-performance sports car and a team of engineers, designers and test drivers with vast experience in Formula 1 and GT racing has been assembled to undertake the process of adapting the carbon chassis-based 12C to racing specification.

Martin Whitmarsh, McLaren Group Chief Executive Officer said: "McLaren has racing in its blood and it was a natural step to take our MP4-12C road car and turn it into the most reliable, efficient and easy to drive GT3 car. Every car on the grid will have its performance balanced by race rules, meaning our objective must be to select a technical specification that ensures any driver is able to access the 12C GT3's performance limit with ease."

Drivers and Races Confirmed for 2011

McLaren GT aims to deliver the highest quality, most reliable and most driveable car on the GT3 grid when 20 cars are delivered to privateer teams for racing in Europe in 2012. The unique combination of McLaren and CRS Racing's technology and development methodology is matched by McLaren GT's appointment of experienced and successful racing drivers to develop the 12C GT3 at challenging races over the 2011 season.

McLaren GT plans to debut the new MP4-12C GT3 at this season's Blancpain Endurance Series race at Spain's Circuito de Navarra, followed by Magny-Cours in France and Silverstone in England. As part of the development program for the 12C GT3, McLaren GT also expects to enter the Total 24 Hours of Spa endurance race.

CRS Racing Team Principal Andrew Kirkaldy will be joined by 2010 Vodafone McLaren Mercedes test driver Oliver Turvey and Portuguese racing driver Álvaro Parente in the McLaren GT driver line-up for the 2011 development program.

Public Debut at Goodwood

The first McLaren car built for racing outside of Formula 1 since the McLaren F1 GTR made its public dynamic world debut at the 2011 Goodwood Festival of Speed, held from 30 June-03 July. The new GT3 car, based on McLaren's MP4-12C high-performance road car, appeared in its revised form, honed during an intense period of development.

New components designed to optimize the car's aerodynamic performance include a front radiator, which increases the maximum ambient temperature at which the car can run, along with a new gearbox cooler mounted on the rear Aerodeck. These features complete an aerodynamics package incorporating a new front splitter, door blade, rear wing, diffuser and louvres in the front fenders, all of which is produced entirely from carbon fiber by McLaren Racing, following design input from McLaren Automotive.

McLaren MP4-12C GT3 Race Car: Review (2/2)