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Fernando Alonso drives Senna's McLaren in latest promo clip

McLaren has put a lot of great drivers in the cockpit over the years. Several multiple World Champions in fact, from Ayrton Senna to Fernando Alonso. It may seem only fitting then that the latter should get a chance to sample the former's ride, and that's just what the team has done for this latest promo video. It's actually the trailer for a new clip called Don't Crack Under Pressure, celebrating 30 years of partnership between McLaren and TAG Heuer, filmed at Catalunya (Spain). Which is all well and fine, but the point is: Alonso, in Senna's car, the MP4/4 in which Senna won his first World Championship in 1988. And he's playing cat and mouse, no less, with Jenson Button in the new MP4-30, which is powered once again by Honda. Just like in the Senna days.

McLaren Elva gets another retro paint scheme from McLaren Special Operations

You may have noticed that McLaren's official brand color is a bright shade of orange. That dates back to Bruce McLaren's M6A Can-Am race car of 1967, the first to feature the all-orange paint scheme and the car that helped him win his first Can-Am championship that year. So what better way to honor a wild open-top race car than by painting the wild open-top McLaren Elva supercar in the same color? The McLaren Elva M6A Theme is the second race car-themed Elva to come from McLaren Special Operations (MSO). The group offers customization services to McLaren customers, particularly unique paint and carbon fiber finishes. The special was revealed on Twitter, and it is quite faithful to the 1967 car. It's finished in a unique orange that looks a little less bold with more of a pearl finish than the glowing solid orange of the race car. It's paired with big simple number circles featuring the number "4" like one of the race cars. On the sides, a metallic stripe is added to mimic the chrome divider between the top and bottom sections of the Can-Am car. It also gets the same "McLaren Cars" logo and Bruce McLaren's signature down the side. As cool as this is from a historical standpoint, the orange really shows off how the body blends right into the interior, something McLaren did to evoke the feeling of being outside and exposed to the world, rather than hidden inside the car's cabin. The dark launch color was far less effective at conveying that feeling. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. On track in Bruce’s Can-Am winner As previously mentioned, MSO did another race car-themed Elva, a black and white car inspired by an older 1964 McLaren M1A race car. Clearly there will be one of each, but McLaren hasn't put any limits on the designs, so it's possible there may be multiple examples in the car's 399-unit run. We also wouldn't be surprised if McLaren rolls out some other motorsports-inspired liveries in the future, as it has many famous racecars to pull from. The reddish-orange and white Honda-powered Marlboro F1 cars of the late 1980s and the black and silver Mercedes-powered F1 cars of the early 2000s both seem like strong choices. Or if McLaren doesn't do it themselves, maybe a rich reader could commission one painted as such. Though we wouldn't want to tell that person how to spend their $1.69 million (or more) on their car. Related Video:

McLaren F1 team finds perfect sponsor for the Halo: A flip-flop maker

If you can't hide it, embrace it. When the Halo safety device was mandated for Formula One cars this year, many were quick to draw parallels with the structure's eccentric looks and a flip-flop shoe. Now it seems McLaren is in on the joke, as it has joined forces with a flip-flop manufacturer. Next week, McLaren's cars will feature on their halos a prominent logo for Gandys, a British lifestyle brand known for its flip-flops. There's a charity involved, as 10 percent of Gandys' profits go to an orphans support foundation called Orphans For Orphans; the Forkan brothers behind the brand started Gandys after losing their parents in the 2004 Southeast Asian tsunami. And it's not just about a sticker on a racing car, since Gandys and McLaren will launch a limited-run "Halo Edition" flip-flop model, with all profits going to the aforementioned foundation. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. McLaren's CMO, John Allert says: "The placement of the logo on the MCL33's Halo was not only perfect from a branding perspective, but also a great opportunity to underline Gandys' charitable commitment to providing a safer, more protective environment for those at risk." Related Video: Image Credit: McLaren Humor Motorsports Weird Car News McLaren Racing Vehicles halo