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McLaren envisions future of Formula One racing in 2050

We're seeing a lot of change in the car industry with the rise of electric vehicles, autonomous driving features and ever more connectivity, so much so that the car world will probably look pretty different 30 years from now. But what about in motorsports? Well, McLaren expects some pretty radical changes, too, and it put together an elaborate vision of what its bread and butter, Formula One, will look like in 2050. The race cars will still be open-wheel racers with elaborate active aerodynamics. The company describes flexible side pods that can retract for high speeds up to 310 mph, and can then expand for additional drag when braking and cornering. Downforce will come more from diffusers and undercarriage designs than external wings. The cars will be fully electric, and charging will come from induction coils placed in the ground with receiver coils in "self-repairing composite" wheels and tires. McLaren expects the cars to recharge 10 to 50 percent of battery capacity in 10 to 30 seconds. Traditional pit stops may give way to charging lanes or zones that provide different amounts of power depending on your speed, adding more strategy. With faster cars, McLaren suggests that track designs could be reimagined. They would include steeper banking in corners to keep speeds up, allow even tighter turns, and expand the tracks for the higher top speeds. Street circuits could even expand to encompass entire cities for more places to view the cars and more interesting courses. The driver will have some impressive technology at hand, too. To combat the high speeds and g-forces, especially on those hypothetical banked tracks, drivers will need fighter pilot-style suits with inflatable air bladders to keep from blacking out. An AI system will be on-board to help develop racing strategy, and make adjustments to the strategy and car to accommodate the driver's shifting emotions. This technology will have to be supported by drivers working on strength training, and crew mates that race the tracks virtually to develop strategies and racing lines that can be used in the race. It's a wild view of the future. And it's tempting to write some of this off as pure fantasy. But a lot can happen in 30 years. Just look at cars from now compared with those of 1989. We'll certainly be excited to see what does happen and how accurate McLaren's vision is. Related Video:

The ghoulish McLaren 600LT Spider by MSO lurks in the night

McLaren will use anything as an excuse to show off the customization prowess of its McLaren Special Operations (MSO) division. In the past, it has released bespoke cars to celebrate Le Mans, fashion designers, various historic racing achievements and Canada. With its recent creation, McLaren is using the 2019 Geneva Motor Show to display what a 600LT Spider could look like with a few special touches. According to McLaren, about half of all 600LT Coupe buyers use MSO in some form or another, so it assumed fans and customers would like to see similar treatment on the open-top Spider version. McLaren has shown MSO projects regularly at Geneva, and with overall demand and production ramping up, it wasn't about to stop in 2019. This show car is meant to be somewhat of an ode to the 600LT's predecessor, the 675LT, and uses Napier Green as the accent color, an original paint from the 675LT. The main body color is called Dove Grey and gives the car an under-the-radar smoky look. To apply the Napier Green — which outlines several aero pieces, appears on the brake calipers, and stripes across the side of the body — McLaren used a method previously only done on race cars. As it did with the 720S GT3 and 570S GT4, McLaren applied the paint by compressing it into a "light and flexible film." No supercar is complete these days without splashes of carbon fiber, and the MSO 600LT adheres to the trend. The exposed carbon fiber aero kit and the door scoops were given a satin finish to contrast the gloss black wheels. The interior has several optional features, as well. It has carbon fiber racing seats that were first developed for the McLaren Senna, with 600LT embroidered into the headrests. It also features an Alcantara headliner and steering wheel, as well as green contrasting elements all over the place. More carbon fiber was applied to the door inserts, the tunnel sides, the gear select housing and the infotainment surround. The 600LT by MSO is not one of McLaren's most outrageous works, nor does it have a specific theme for its debut, but it will surely draw plenty of attention in Geneva. Since driving one, we've spent most of our time daydreaming about what it'd be like to craft our own. Related Video:

McLaren 720S Hits Motorcycle | Autoblog Minute

A McLaren 720S hit a motorcycle at a Cars & Coffee event in Palm Beach, Florida. The video shows a cyclist yelling at the driver of the McLaren. McLaren Autoblog Minute Videos Original Video