McLaren confirms P1 Nurburgring lap time

6 Dec, 2013 10:31am Jonathan Burn

McLaren reveals P1 lap time of less than seven minutes, but refuses to name exact time

After much speculation, the McLaren P1 hypercar has posted a sub-seven minute lap at the Nurburgring. However, the manufacturer has not issued an exact time, suggesting it failed to beat the Porsche 918 time of 6 minutes 57 seconds.

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McLaren labelled the sub-seven minute lap "the final objective in the development programme" for the P1. Over the 13 mile circuit, which has more than 150 corners, the P1 averaged 111mph.

Powered by a 727bhp 3.8-litre twin-turbo V8 engine, coupled with a 176bhp lightweight electric motor, total output for the P1 is 903bhp. Combined with the aero-optimised body, the P1 can hit 62mph in 2.8 seconds and reach 186mph in 16.5 seconds. At those speeds the P1 can generate up to 600kg of downforce.

McLaren chief test driver, Chris Goodwin, who completed the sub-seven minute lap, said, “The track is like the rollercoaster from hell. However, the car feels balanced and poised throughout, and inspires you to push on with the levels of grip and all-round ability.”

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Submitted by chris_xxxx on Fri, 2013-12-06 11:49.

There is NO suggestion that it did not beat the Porsche 918. An unofficial timing of the P1 at the Nurburgring shows a lap time of 6 minutes 47 seconds, which is 10 seconds faster than the 918.

Submitted by Edge on Fri, 2013-12-06 14:19.

Well, just fire up the calculator: a 111mph average on the 12.9 mile ring gives you a time of 6.58 minutes. There is still wiggle room in the numbers supplied, but a 6.47 seems out of the question.

Submitted by macBS on Fri, 2013-12-06 14:59.

marketing BS. lafez will trounce time anyway, happended with the 458/12c and will embarrass mc again. like little girls running scared. nismo embarrases these cars anyway for the money, wait til the r36 turns up. hypercar more like hyperBS!

Submitted by mo on Fri, 2013-12-06 16:22.

fanboy

Submitted by Fadyady on Fri, 2013-12-06 17:27.

While it is true that to most of us McLaren P1, Ferrari LeFerrari and the Porsche 918 Spyder are rather irrelevant for being out of reach.
Yet these three cars have generated a lot of interest not only for being blinding fast but for being so much more than just big engine fast cars.

Submitted by Geoffrey Jackson on Fri, 2013-12-06 18:22.

I wouldn't even bother to reply. Anyone who cannot bother to make themselves understandable doesn't think they have anything worth reading.

Submitted by Ian Davies on Sat, 2013-12-07 06:14.

From the information supplied, I calculate a lap time of 6:59.3, which is not as quick as the Porshce. I think that if McLaren had beaten it they would have published their time.

Submitted by 505gerald . on Sun, 2013-12-08 21:39.

McLaren did an average in EXCESS of 178 km/h over 20.8 km , again they are not giving the exact average or lap time. BTW Porsche only did 20.6 kilometers. A full lap of the Nordschleife, bypassing the modern GP track, is 20.832 km (12.944 mi) long. Most laps are completed 200 metres (656 ft) shorter for safety reasons. McLaren did the FULL 20.8km in under 7 minutes.

Submitted by 505gerald . on Sun, 2013-12-08 21:42.

How can you calculate when all they said was they had an average lap speed of more than 111mph? You also know that the distances used for the laps are different between McLaren (20.8km) and Porsche (20.6km)?

Submitted by Andy on Mon, 2013-12-09 09:52.

Who cares, if you can afford one you can probably afford the others too. Just buy all 3! ;-)

Submitted by Sean on Mon, 2013-12-09 12:48.

I made it 6'59.8" with a more precise track length (12.944).

Submitted by Kenhubert on Mon, 2013-12-09 19:56.

So what the Porsche looks a whole lot better..

Submitted by sanj on Tue, 2013-12-10 14:51.

dear santa!!!

Submitted by Big_Phill on Fri, 2013-12-13 14:20.

"lafez will trounce time anyway, happended with the 458/12c" where exactly?

Almost every lap time comparison I've seen has the 12C beating the 458 by some distance

E.g. Top Gear test track:

458 did 1:19.1

12C did 1:16.2

The 458 wins a lap on occasion but how does this count as a trouncing when the 12C is quantifiably better than it in every way? Acceleration; top speed; power; fuel consumption etc.

Motoring journalists have had to resort to the "emotive experience" in order to say the Ferrari is better as in every other way it loses.

Having driven neither I cannot comment on which is better, I just challenge the supposed "trouncing" when to my knowledge nothing of the sort has happened

Submitted by Danny on Mon, 2013-12-16 16:30.

Very suprised. Was expecting the Mc to be significantly faster after all the talk of aero. Mc without Gorden Murray = much less