McLaren’s motorsport success over more than 60 years continues to inspire today’s McLaren road cars, and to celebrate this, the company has returned to the Goodwood Festival of Speed in 2024. Paying tribute to Ayrton Senna’s legacy, McLaren House featured a McLaren Senna in Senna Senna Sempre livery, showcasing the car’s craftsmanship.
Senna’s Legacy Lives On: McLaren Honors a Legend
The 30-year legacy of three-time Formula 1 World Champion Ayrton Senna is a key milestone in the 2024 F1 calendar. At the recent Monaco Grand Prix, McLaren unveiled the McLaren Senna in Senna Sempre livery and the MCL38 F1 car driven by Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, providing a unique opportunity to see these cars together.
The McLaren Senna and Senna Sempre liveries were the result of months of painstaking work by MSO’s highly skilled designers and painters, whose work includes bespoke cars for customers and groundbreaking projects such as the 3-7-59 theme for the 750S. The vibrant colors, a visual expression of Ayrton’s vibrant personality and outlook on life, are combined with newly developed paint techniques and intricate artwork depicting Senna, his three Formula One World Championship titles, and five Monaco Grand Prix victories.
McLaren celebrates Senna at Goodwood Festival of Speed 2024
The event featured a display of McLaren cars at McLaren House, as well as drivers and representatives taking to the stage to tell the tale of McLaren’s glorious F1 history.
Bruno Senna, Ayrton’s nephew, former F1 driver, and McLaren Automotive brand ambassador, was behind the wheel of his uncle’s 1991 title-winning McLaren MP4/6, the only V12-engined F1 car to ever win a title and the last championship chassis with a manual gearbox. It was this car that Ayrton Senna drove to seven wins and his third and final F1 title.
On Saturday 13 July, McLaren’s Formula 1 World Champion Mika Hakkinen took part in a Solus GT demonstration run. The bespoke car, named after Mika Hakkinen, has been painted by MSO technicians in the same colors as the McLaren MP4/13 that the Finnish driver drove in the 1998 Formula 1 World Drivers’ Championship. The paint color has also been mixed to match the way the body of the original F1 car changes color over time.
Specs and Design
McLaren Senna: A Performance Masterpiece
The car is based on the McLaren Senna and its design reflects the Senna’s heritage and philosophy. The McLaren Senna was designed as the ultimate road car, pursuing uncompromising performance. It is equipped with a 4.0-liter V8 twin-turbo engine in the midship, generating a maximum output of 800ps and a maximum torque of 81.6kgm. The transmission is a 7-speed dual clutch with paddle shifters.
In addition, the third generation “carbon fiber monocoque” was adopted, and all body panels were made of carbon fiber. This resulted in a vehicle weight of 1,198 kg, the lightest since the “F1” (1993-1998). The power-to-weight ratio is approximately 1.49 kg/ps. The McLaren Senna’s power performance is 0-100 km/h acceleration in 2.8 seconds, and 0-200 km/h acceleration in 6.8 seconds. Its top speed reaches 340 km/h, making it one of the world’s best.
Senna Sempre: A Tribute to a Legend
The Senna Sempre design is inspired by Senna’s heritage and philosophy and features a new paint technique using the bright yellow, green and blue of the Brazilian flag. This technique allows the paints to blend into each other, representing speed and the movement of the flag without creating additional colors. The design of Senna’s iconic race helmet is also reflected in the car’s glasshouse and the air vents on the underside of the windscreen.
Conclusion
Prepare to be thrilled as McLaren’s pinnacle of automotive engineering takes center stage. From the groundbreaking Artura Spider to the raw power of the 750S, this gathering promises an unparalleled display of speed, innovation, and luxury. And let’s not forget the iconic McLaren Senna and P1, representing the zenith of McLaren’s heritage.
Witnessing these automotive masterpieces firsthand is an experience not to be missed. If you own a McLaren and require expert care, look no further than Hytec Auto Garage. Our team of highly skilled technicians is dedicated to preserving the performance and prestige of your McLaren. With a comprehensive range of services, including maintenance, repairs, and performance upgrades, we are your trusted partner in McLaren ownership.
