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Old 5 Dec 2019, 09:01 (Ref:3944911)   #376
Samoan Attorney
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Speedhunters? Ten years gone, yes, a lifetime ago............that was fun to do but they descended into fanboi and internet yogi level..........my face no longer fitted, pity as I enjoyed the work (and the money).

Thinking back to Spa '97 there was no love lost between the factory Porsche drivers and Gounon. Jean-Marc was held accountable by some of them for the accident that put Bob Wollek out of Le Mans a few weeks earlier.

Early on Sunday morning Bob, leading the race he wanted to win more than anything else, tried to lap Gounon's Gulf McLaren but was held up for three laps. Then coming out of Arnage he lost control and clouted the barriers heavily and was forced to retire. Later, Norbert Singer attributed the incident to be the result of a broken driveshaft but in the minds of some, Gounon was to blame. Some others thought Bob had lost his cool and messed up............
I have just pulled Wollek's biography off the shelves..............he blamed himself: "Le Roi des cons" is how Brilliant Bob described himself once he had returned to the Media Centre.............'97 was a hard year to be a factory Porsche driver as Mercedes and McLaren dominated the opening season of the FIA GT Championship, Porsche were nowhere.
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Old 5 Dec 2019, 13:57 (Ref:3944973)   #377
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Sorry to be off topic still but I recall certain works McLaren drivers getting seriously teed off with another Frenchman that year too!
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Old 6 Dec 2019, 12:13 (Ref:3945173)   #378
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Sorry to be off topic still but I recall certain works McLaren drivers getting seriously teed off with another Frenchman that year too!
That has set me thinking..........must resist urge to spend afternoon reading books on the topic.......must resist.............
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Old 9 Dec 2019, 23:44 (Ref:3945844)   #379
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That has set me thinking..........must resist urge to spend afternoon reading books on the topic.......must resist.............
There was some interestimg tv comments. Think the Frenchman tripped up at least one of the drivers of the same car a few times!
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Old 16 Dec 2019, 13:17 (Ref:3946969)   #380
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Euan Hankey added to the Mclaren factory lineup, and Ollie Wilkinson added as a Mclaren Professional Driver, whatever that may be.

The fact that these two are announced together might suggest they will be in a 2020 programme together?

EDIT- I think both are great drivers and have had some races in Aston Martins. I will wait for Juntos to say how dreadfully unimpressed he is with these signings, and everything else..
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Old 16 Dec 2019, 14:50 (Ref:3946979)   #381
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Euan Hankey added to the Mclaren factory lineup, and Ollie Wilkinson added as a Mclaren Professional Driver, whatever that may be.

The fact that these two are announced together might suggest they will be in a 2020 programme together?

EDIT- I think both are great drivers and have had some races in Aston Martins. I will wait for Juntos to say how dreadfully unimpressed he is with these signings, and everything else..
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Old 12 Mar 2020, 17:36 (Ref:3963507)   #382
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Im not sure ive seen this mentioned anywhere but Mclaren seem to have launched a new "track special" version of their GT3 car. The Mclaren 720s GT3x.

Havent seen any information online after searching other than a dealer posting on Twitter "Coming Soon. The all new McLaren
@CustomerRacing
720S GT3X. Track only. No restrictions."

https://www.curbstone.net/en/galleri...7713342832428/
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...0a89251a_b.jpg
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...9a4334fa_b.jpg
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...75b50a9b_b.jpg
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...9e0e9162_b.jpg
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...f3bf547c_b.jpg
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Old 12 Mar 2020, 17:51 (Ref:3963514)   #383
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This is the car that was seen and filmed at Monza last year - then thought to be either a GT2 mule or an engine mule for Hypercar!
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Old 12 Mar 2020, 23:12 (Ref:3963661)   #384
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This is the car that was seen and filmed at Monza last year - then thought to be either a GT2 mule or an engine mule for Hypercar!
The one running without using the first chicane?
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Old 12 Mar 2020, 23:56 (Ref:3963686)   #385
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Yup
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Old 19 Sep 2020, 10:30 (Ref:4003773)   #386
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Old 25 Sep 2020, 07:28 (Ref:4006118)   #387
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United Autosport confirming 2x Gt4 Mclarens for European series. We’re they really ever going to end up with any other manufacturer? Pleased to see a professional team taking the cars on in europe
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Old 29 Sep 2020, 09:58 (Ref:4007339)   #388
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Well, that's what I'd call progress, if I've ever seen one.
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Old 15 Feb 2021, 11:30 (Ref:4035222)   #389
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Not a good offseason for Mclaren - Compass, 59 Racing, 2 Seas all gone from their GT3 roster, with no obvious sign of replacements yet.

Still time but doesnt look great.

Remaining GT3 teams are:

Balfe - 2x cars (both are Am orientated cars- British GT, maybe GT Open)
Optimum - 3x cars (likely to be the main Mclaren effort this year- GTWC Euro, GT Open, maybe British GT)
Jenson Team Rocket RJN - 1x car (DTM confirmed)
Teo Martin - 2-3x cars (no entry confirmed yet but GT Open likely)
Floral Racing ABSSA - 1x car (Super Taikyu just confirmed)

Hoping to see good coverage in British GT and GT Open again, with hopefully increased showing in GTWC Europe, Asia, Australia, America etc.
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Old 15 Feb 2021, 12:35 (Ref:4035231)   #390
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Are McLaren winding down their program? They have dropped so many teams and I wonder if they will be replaced. It does make you wonder

They still have their program. I hope they go well, it’s gonna be tough and with less teams it’s gonna be tougher still. I just hope the teams they have do enough to get them results. I do wonder if they feel sportscars doesn’t really mean that much anymore. I wonder if they are trying to focus on making more progress at this time
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Old 15 Feb 2021, 12:43 (Ref:4035232)   #391
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Are McLaren winding down their program? They have dropped so many teams and I wonder if they will be replaced. It does make you wonder

They still have their program. I hope they go well, it’s gonna be tough and with less teams it’s gonna be tougher still. I just hope the teams they have do enough to get them results. I do wonder if they feel sportscars doesn’t really mean that much anymore. I wonder if they are trying to focus on making more progress at this time
I a noticing a bad declining trend in GT3 at least as far as manufacturer diversity is going. Nissan, Bentley, Lexus, McLaren all have a very very small presence all of the sudden. Went from small presence to very very small presence. Rich are getting richer at this point in GT3 land. Most numerous car on grid worldwide now is Mercedes AMG probably. Only new manufacturer on the way looks to be the Chevy Corvette C8R, with fingers crossed on the Ford Mustang rumor and the eventual homologation of the Glickenhaus.

Want to see McLarens...I guess GT Open and British GT is best options at this point.
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Old 15 Feb 2021, 15:33 (Ref:4035255)   #392
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I a noticing a bad declining trend in GT3 at least as far as manufacturer diversity is going. Nissan, Bentley, Lexus, McLaren all have a very very small presence all of the sudden. Went from small presence to very very small presence. Rich are getting richer at this point in GT3 land. Most numerous car on grid worldwide now is Mercedes AMG probably. Only new manufacturer on the way looks to be the Chevy Corvette C8R, with fingers crossed on the Ford Mustang rumor and the eventual homologation of the Glickenhaus.

Want to see McLarens...I guess GT Open and British GT is best options at this point.
I dont think this is a sign Mclaren are pulling back from GT3. They have always struggled for GT3 customers, 2020 was actually their best year in existence in terms of teams and cars running, so I think this is more customers deciding to move elsewhere.

Its also unfair to call Mclaren down and out before March April when all series entries are out, but it is concerning how many customers have left.

That said, Mclaren factory drivers were shaking down a pair of brand new 720s GT3's this week in the UK.
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Old 15 Feb 2021, 19:51 (Ref:4035313)   #393
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Just saw an interview with JB in motorsport mag from 2 weeks ago, suggesting GTWC Europe and maybe British GT alongside DTM.

Seems like they would need 2 cars at least to accommodate that
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Old 15 Feb 2021, 21:23 (Ref:4035335)   #394
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I dont think this is a sign Mclaren are pulling back from GT3. They have always struggled for GT3 customers, 2020 was actually their best year in existence in terms of teams and cars running, so I think this is more customers deciding to move elsewhere.

Its also unfair to call Mclaren down and out before March April when all series entries are out, but it is concerning how many customers have left.

That said, Mclaren factory drivers were shaking down a pair of brand new 720s GT3's this week in the UK.
Good point. When McLaren had their first GT3 car in 2012 I think it was, it was quite popular. I think the Blancpain Endurance Series had 10 of them in one race that year. They have had good teams over the years like Hexis, Garage 59, KPax, but none of them stuck with them. Makes me think their customer service side of the equation is lacking
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Old 15 Feb 2021, 22:16 (Ref:4035342)   #395
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I read a blog post a while back from someone who seemed in the know who said that McLaren and Bentley have similar issues with running GT3 cars. They're not cheap to buy, not cheap to fix, not cheap for support and don't offer any advantages over the German and Italian brands. Performance was obviously BoP'd, but a lot of the time it came down to what specific people wanted, rather than what was the best decision overall.

Might be nonsense, but it was certainly written in a way that suggested the person knew what they were talking about.
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Old 15 Feb 2021, 22:55 (Ref:4035346)   #396
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Good point. When McLaren had their first GT3 car in 2012 I think it was, it was quite popular. I think the Blancpain Endurance Series had 10 of them in one race that year. They have had good teams over the years like Hexis, Garage 59, KPax, but none of them stuck with them. Makes me think their customer service side of the equation is lacking
yes and not, for sure it was way more popular than now of course, but things weren't that great. If I am not wrong, mp4-12c gt3 debuted in 2011 spa 24H with 3 cars, one had a huge crash, another one or both got bbq during the race. Need to consider that mp4-12c and 650S gt3 production and development was made by a third party (mclaren GT = CRS racing) that it wasn't actually a very big tuner compared to R8, Z4, SLS or 911 teams that were using cars made directly by the manufacturer and could receive somehow official support that mclaren teams hadn't (alvaro parente onboard aside).
In late 2011 were sold many mclaren because was a bit cheaper and teams were receiving a spare parts pack included in the price, but due unreliability/bbq attitude many teams dropped the car after one or two seasons. If memory helps me mclaren won only 2 not national championships, 2013 gtopen gts class and overall BES in 2016 with garage59 (plot twist... G59 it's basically CRS new name).
With 720S gt3 release, mclaren dropped CRS and took full duties on production and development, but there are really few around, most of them in british gt and gtopen and performance wise well... it isn't a top gt3 for sure, despite being closer to a hypercar than a gt.
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Old 15 Feb 2021, 23:15 (Ref:4035347)   #397
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I read a blog post a while back from someone who seemed in the know who said that McLaren and Bentley have similar issues with running GT3 cars. They're not cheap to buy, not cheap to fix, not cheap for support and don't offer any advantages over the German and Italian brands. Performance was obviously BoP'd, but a lot of the time it came down to what specific people wanted, rather than what was the best decision overall.

Might be nonsense, but it was certainly written in a way that suggested the person knew what they were talking about.
Main problem of bentley is (IMHO) that continental platform was a crap of base for a racing car... unlike mclaren gt that never had a lot of resources or a proper work team behind, for years bentley BES program was managed by work M-Sport that had basically endless budget, pro drivers and top engineers from audi sport like Leena Gade... in 2018 or 2019 spa 24H they even fielded 4 official bentleys ... despite all this, their best success was a 12H bathurst and a BSS season (won by HTP).
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Old 16 Feb 2021, 07:22 (Ref:4035373)   #398
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Main problem of bentley is (IMHO) that continental platform was a crap of base for a racing car... unlike mclaren gt that never had a lot of resources or a proper work team behind, for years bentley BES program was managed by work M-Sport that had basically endless budget, pro drivers and top engineers from audi sport like Leena Gade... in 2018 or 2019 spa 24H they even fielded 4 official bentleys ... despite all this, their best success was a 12H bathurst and a BSS season (won by HTP).

I think that is exactly Mclarens issue- resources

The lower level of support on track and potentially lower reliability are big factors

As it stands there are 5x 720s GT3’s for sale on Racecars Direct:

1x Balfe
2x 2 Seas
2x 59 Racing

Not great but I do remember the same happening with the 650s and MP12C
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Old 16 Feb 2021, 08:51 (Ref:4035381)   #399
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I think that is exactly Mclarens issue- resources

The lower level of support on track and potentially lower reliability are big factors

As it stands there are 5x 720s GT3’s for sale on Racecars Direct:

1x Balfe
2x 2 Seas
2x 59 Racing

Not great but I do remember the same happening with the 650s and MP12C
Yes, a team buying a mclaren gt3 for sure can't expect to receive the same support like audi sport teams use to receive, but watching some jenson button onboard at silverstone I think 720S has a lot of handling issues, that is quite ironic considering 720S is the only gt3 with a dtm-like carbon tub.

Last edited by canaglia; 16 Feb 2021 at 09:03.
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Old 16 Feb 2021, 09:55 (Ref:4035392)   #400
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Yes, a team buying a mclaren gt3 for sure can't expect to receive the same support like audi sport teams use to receive, but watching some jenson button onboard at silverstone I think 720S has a lot of handling issues, that is quite ironic considering 720S is the only gt3 with a dtm-like carbon tub.

Jensons car at Silverstone was borrowed from mclaren, all they had left to lend was the test mule car that was pretty destroyed from testing. It also had outdated spec on it and a major gearbox/handling fault which Mclaren helped correct through the weekend

So probably not a fair account of the car

The car itself sounds like it’s a super quick car in the right hands, but maybe not Am orientated like the Audi and Mercedes

I’m plenty sure you’re right about tech support, I believe Mclaren just send an engineer to the track with a spares truck. That engineer services all teams there
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