This weekend McLaren GT returns to the Spa-Francorchamps circuit for Total 24 Hours of Spa with three McLaren MP4-12C GT3 racing cars. This event marks the first debut for a McLaren sports car in a day-long race since the McLaren F1 GTR started at Le Mans back in 1995.
This will be the second race in the MP4-12C GT3’s development program will see ten racing drivers pilot three cars in the 12C GT3’s first ever 24 hour race.
Earlier this month in the Spa round of the British GT championship, the first race eproved to be a welcome rehearsal for the Spa 24 hours. Just one McLaren entered and secured a pole position and a fourth-place finish – a pretty solid start for any racing programme.
At this event the McLaren GT driver line-up for the Total 24 Hours of Spa includes CRS Racing Team Principal Andrew Kirkaldy and McLaren Automotive Chief Test driver Chris Goodwin. Both are Directors of the new McLaren GT company, which is led by McLaren Group CEO Martin Whitmarsh and includes McLaren Racing Head of Vehicle Engineering Mark Williams.
“I was very happy with the performance of the 12C GT3 in its debut race at Spa,” said Goodwin. “We secured an amazing pole position at the first attempt and importantly for future customers; the 12C GT3 was reliable, fast and easy to drive.”
TheMcLaren MP4-12C GT3 drivers for Total 24 Hours of Spa are:
Pro-Cup category
Car 58 (McLaren GT):
Rob Bell – GB
Chris Goodwin – GB
Tim Mullen – GB
Car 59 (McLaren GT):
Andrew Kirkaldy – GB
Álvaro Parente – POR
Oliver Turvey – GB
Pro-Am Cup category
Car 60 (McLaren GT and VonRyan Racing):
Adam Christodoulou – GB
Glynn Geddie – GB
Phil Quaife – GB
Roger Wills – NZL
McLaren GT is using the 2011 race season to develop the 12C GT3, with twenty cars due for delivery to privateer teams for GT3 series racing in 2012.
Source: GTspirit
