Fast Facts: McLaren P1

It gave Jeremy Clarkson a case of “bottom clenching terror” and took the fight to Maranello. It is of course the McLaren P1. Now let’s get into some Fast Facts…

It’s stolen plenty of tech from F1

With McLaren being an F1 team you would expect the P1 to be filled with F1 inspired tech. The most prominent two are the DRS and IPAS systems (Drag Reduction System and Instant Power Assist System respectively) the former reduces the angle of the rear wing to create less drag and ultimately, quicker acceleration. The latter however, is slightly different. What IPAS does is use all the battery power in one massive shove to propel the P1 harder and faster to its destination.

It’s spoiler isn’t just for show

At 160 MPH the P1 develops 600KG of downforce. Later on the P1’s wing retracts slightly. It does this so that the force of the air pushing down on the car won’t break the suspension. The weight of that air? 1000KG!

It’s got some serious stopping power

The P1’s brakes are made by an American company called Akebono and are coated in Silicone Carbide. What the Silicone Carbide does is allow the P1’s brakes to withstand extreme temperatures. To put the brilliance of these brakes into perspective, the P1 stops from 300 KM/H to 0 in 6.2 seconds, 200 KM/H in 4.5 seconds and 100 KM/H in 2.9 seconds.

The P1’s race mode is mental

The P1 has a special track mode called Race. In race mode the P1 lowers itself to 50mm of the ground, stiffens the suspension by 3 times as much as normal and changes the rear wing’s angle to 29 degrees. In the UK it is illegal to drive the P1 in race mode in the road.

If you have a car you want me to write about let me know in the comments!
Thanks for reading!
-Denzloid-