cars news 10: Learn the Story Behind McLaren’s F1 Speed Record

Captivating is the only word we can use to describe this video. It already features one of the greatest cars of all time, the McLaren F1. But it also features the man — and his take on the car and the record — that took the mighty McLaren to its top speed of 240.1 mph. The short film is absolutely riveting, and reveals Andy Wallace to be a driver of heroic proportions.

The release of the footage lines up with McLaren’s 25th anniversary of the introduction of the McLaren F1 supercar, and it details a hitherto unseen piece of the car’s illustrious and legendary history. Yet, watching the video, it’s not the car that truly shines, but Wallace and his superhuman stamina and skills.

Think about it this way. When Bugatti topped out the Veyron, it had active aerodynamics, massive carbon ceramic brakes, and a set of specially designed Michelin tires tested to withstand the sheer g-force of doing 250 mph. The McLaren had none of those things. It didn’t have active aerodynamics or even a wing. It was also running on street-legal tires pretty much off the shelf. That is ludicrous.

Watching the video, you’re at the edge of your seat as you listen to Wallace’s deep breaths. The tension is palpable and, if you’re like us, you’ll find yourself holding your breath as he nears the car’s theoretical top speed of 240 mph.

What’s also interesting is the sneak peek inside the inner workings of McLaren during this time and how the entire company came to the test, including Gordon Murray. This video just makes us wish we had a spare $15 million lying around to once again get behind the wheel of the McLaren F1. But since we don’t, we’ll just have to wait for McLaren to launch its upcoming three-seat hypercar it announced late last year.