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Indy not trying to 'poach' F1 drivers after Alonso

More Formula One drivers may have the Indianapolis 500 on their radar after double world champion Fernando Alonso makes his debut in this year's race, IndyCar boss Mark Miles said on Friday. He added, however, that there was no concerted effort to enlist their services. "I don't think it's a strategy for us," said the Hulman & Co president and chief executive. "I think it (Alonso's decision to compete) was a unique set of circumstances in so many respects so we're not going to be following the grand prix series around and trying to poach drivers. "I think more drivers will pay more attention to it and we'll see what happens. There may be points in their careers where we make some sense. It's not a strategy per se." McLaren driver Alonso is skipping the showcase Monaco Grand Prix to compete on the same day in Indiana as part of his bid to become only the second man to win the famed 'Triple Crown' of motorsport. The move has been helped by McLaren's poor performance in Formula One, a desire for some positive headlines and also to keep the Spaniard happy with his contract expiring at the end of the season. He will be the sixth driver to compete in the Indy 500 after winning a Formula One championship, with the late Graham Hill the only man to have won the F1 title, Indianapolis and Le Mans 24 Hours race. This year's field will include several ex-Formula One drivers, including Colombian Juan Pablo Montoya who won the Indy 500 in 2000. Alonso's involvement has created a significant buzz, with more than two million watching a live stream of his first drive in the Andretti Autosport car at Indianapolis this week. Miles said Spanish IndyCar driver Oriol Servia had called him after the announcement of Alonso's move to say he had woken in Los Angeles to 60 messages from Spanish reporters seeking reaction. That had triggered a decision to travel to Europe and hold a series of media briefings about the 500 and IndyCar series. The return of McLaren, after a 38-year absence, and Alonso's presence was not expected to translate into any immediate economic windfall with last year's race a 350,000 sellout anyway. But it had raised Alonso's name recognition in the United States and Formula One's profile while taking IndyCar to new audiences.

McLaren shoehorned the F1's V12 into a BMW M5 wagon test mule

Automakers are known to utilize preexisting vehicles as test beds for major research and development purposes. But some of the zombie mashups produced in-house can result in pretty interesting combinations. Case in point, when McLaren was developing its BMW-sourced naturally-aspirated 6.1-liter V12 for the legendary F1, the company put the engine in … a BMW M5 wagon? Yup, you read that correctly. ItÂ’s no mystery that the legendary F1 came with a BMW-sourced V12. That "M70" V12 originated from its placement in the E32 7 Series and E31 8 Series “50” models in the 1980s up through the 1990s. The version that went into the F1, however, is more closely related to the M-tuned "S70" V12 found in the E31 850CSI, which was the pseudo M-variant to the 8 Series that wasnÂ’t officially designated an M model. But it did feature full-fledged tuning from the M Division. On "Top Gear" presenter Chris HarrisÂ’ podcast, "Collecting Cars", Harris interviewed David Clark, the former director of McLarenÂ’s cars for both the road and motorsports between 1994 and 1998. Clark revealed that they took an E34 BMW M5 wagon and shoehorned the S70 V12 into its engine bay as the mule for testing the F1Â’s engine. Clark even said he drove the car himself as they were fine-tuning the V12Â’s engine output. YouÂ’re probably wondering, how the heck did that thing fit? But it isnÂ’t that surprising. The E34 5-Series was designed to house either the BMWÂ’s venerable straight-six or the new-at-the-time V8. And there was room enough to house the V12 as well, particularly since BMWÂ’s V12 was essentially two of its “M20” straight-sixes bolted together at the crank in a vee. When Clark was testing the S70 V12 in the wagon, he and his team ended up with the 627 horsepower and 479 pound-feet of torque the F1 became known for. ThatÂ’s nearly twice the power the production M5's 311 hp and 266 lb-ft at the time. Clark also divulged that the actual prototype mule still exists, but itÂ’s in BMWÂ’s secret collection of prototypes, and itÂ’s never been revealed to the public. He does, however, hope that one day, BMW will open its doors and show off the incredible mashup of an automobile. Until then, youÂ’ll have to rely on the few custom engine swaps done by owners to get a taste of what a V12-powered E34 M5 is like. Rumor also has it that McLaren could be working on a new direct F1 successor with help once again from Gordon Murray.

McLaren Senna GTR Concept gets racy in Geneva

The McLaren Senna GTR Concept storms its way into the Geneva Motor Show with one very bold claim attached to it: Outside of the British company's Formula One cars, this $1.4-million-dollar supercar is the fastest way around a racetrack in a car with the McLaren badge on it. This is especially big news from a manufacturer that targets the likes of Ferrari, Lamborghini, Bentley, and Bugatti; not to mention that McLaren already has legendary exotic cars like the F1 and P1 on its automotive resume. Based on the recently introduced Senna road car, the Senna GTR delivers more horsepower, more aerodynamic grip, and even more exclusivity. McLaren has promised that the 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 will produce a minimum of 813 horsepower in the Senna GTR, versus the 789 hp found in the road-going variant. The enormous rear diffuser, towering spoiler, and snow-plow-like front splitter aren't just there for show, either. The highly sculpted carbon fiber bodywork delivers upward of 2,200 pounds of downforce at speed. Much of the body is fitted with quick-release catches, making it easier to replace fenders and other exterior pieces during the heat of competition. The Senna GTR also rides on a special set of lightweight, 11-spoke alloy wheels. Combined with a revised double wishbone suspension, Pirelli racing slick tires, and a race-style transmission, the Senna GTR will "post the quickest McLaren circuit lap times outside Formula 1," according to McLaren's press release. That headline-grabbing claim probably won't stand for much longer, however. It's an open secret that McLaren is hard at work on road and race versions of the cryptically-named BP23, the firm's "hyper-GT" that pays homage to the original F1 supercar, produced from 1992-1998. "The track-only McLaren Senna GTR will have more power, more grip and more downforce – up to 1,000 kilograms – than the McLaren Senna and post even faster lap times," said Mike Flewitt, McLaren Automotive CEO. "The very limited number of customers who secure this car will be buying the closest experience you can get to a race car without actually lining up on a circuit grid." Interestingly, about the only thing this race-focused McLaren doesn't offer is the means to drive it on public roads – this is a track-only speed machine. Then again, if you can afford the roughly $1.4-million price and manage to snag one of the 75 scheduled to be built, commissioning the build of your own private racetrack probably isn't out of the question.