Among automotive legends, the McLaren F1 casts perhaps the longest shadow. Torturously few were produced as road cars – the ultimate road car, mind you – and they’re rarely spotted, let alone sold or exchanged. A phenomenal BMW V12 engine, crisp manual transmission, and extensive carbon fiber and aluminum construction make the car thoroughly futuristic, even 30 years later. The car was never intended to go racing for real, though. From the beginning, designer Gordon Murray set out to create the best road-going car possible. Racing wasn’t in the books. After being convinced by Le Mans winner John Nielsen, Murray and McLaren got to work modifying a spare F1 chassis (there’s a concept) for race duty.
Of course, not all that much had to change. The McLaren F1 road car was already extreme. Some cooling ducts, a fixed rear wing, and several weight-saving efforts made the car quicker despite power restrictions imposed for contemporary race rules. A set of ceramic brakes and a roll cage later, you’ve got a race-ready McLaren F1.
Meet McLaren F1 Chassis #17R
Sometimes called the FINA car, McLaren F1 chassis #17R is widely recognizable, and it’s the one that showed up at Pebble Beach. It’s one of a trio originally purchased by BMW Motorsport – chassis 16R through 18R. After pre-qualifying runs at Le Mans, the car ran at Silverstone in 1996, where it finished fourth overall. The car’s final race was the full Le Mans 24 Hours. Nelson Piquet, Johnny Cecotto, and Danny Sullivan raced it with BMW’s Italian race partner, Bigazzi Team SRL, and it finished in eighth place and sixth in-class behind three other McLaren F1 GTRs.
Today, Chassis 17R lives in BMW North America’s collection and regularly runs at special events. While only ever seeing the racetrack three times, it’s irrefutably historic and is one of just 28 F1 GTR chassis ever built. Thanks to the current caretakers for letting us enjoy it.