Bespoke McLaren P1 GTR MSO Pays Tribute To Senna’s 1st Title

McLaren MSO has just completed a bespoke new P1 GTR model, celebrating the 30th anniversary of Ayrton Senna’s first Formula 1 title, which he earned in 1988 while driving the McLaren MP4/4.

This P1 GTR, commissioned by a collector who was inspired by Senna, uses a similar livery as the MP4/4, boasting the iconic colors of then-sponsor Marlboro, which has been synonymous with McLaren for over 20 years.

Other details include the Senna Brand Trademark on the front splitter, as well as in front of the air intake and each door. Meanwhile, the ‘Senna’ script and ‘Driven to Perfection’ slogan can be found on the doors and intake. Speaking of the doors, they also feature the Brazilian flag and the bar code used in lieu of Marlboro script when advertising restrictions were in place.

McLaren says that it took more than 800 hours to paint and finish up the exterior of this P1 GTR, a task which including adding Senna’s 1988 race number ’12’ on the nose, bespoke 30th anniversary laurels behind the side windows, as well as discreet branding to acknowledge multiple McLaren technical partners, both past and present.

Dubbed ‘Beco’, in honor of the nickname given to Ayrton Senna by his parents, this car has also undergone several other external modifications, where new aero features now increase downforce to roughly 800 kg (1,763 lbs). In order to achieve this, new front dive planes were added, as were a wider front splitter, a Gurney flap and new barge boards to better channel airflow along the sides of the car.

At the rear, there are bigger endplates than those of a standard P1 GTR, in order to mimic the look of the MP4/4’s wing.

All about racing

Inside, the multi-function P1 GTR steering wheel has been trimmed in Alcantara with stitching that matches the wheel of the MP4/4. Alcantara has also been used on the fascia cover panel, while the Senna branding on the steering wheel and passenger dash panel is accompanied by a thin red stripe running across the door panels and dash.

The seats used for this project are the same Super Lightweight Racing Seats developed for the McLaren Senna, helping this P1 GTR lose even more weight.

Last but not least came the bespoke crash helmet, commissioned to complement the livery of the car.

“With a near-limitless range of bespoke additions available from McLaren Special Operations our clients are only restricted by their imagination and we can, of course, help with this too. It is, however, also great to have the opportunity to pay tribute to our brand’s wonderful history, especially with this year marking the 30th anniversary of Ayrton Senna’s first Formula 1 World Championship title with McLaren,” stated MSO boss Ansar Ali.

“This project has been a labour of love for MSO; with extensive engine and aerodynamic enhancements in addition to the distinctive cosmetic treatment this car has received, this is certainly a landmark achievement.”