F1 drivers are accustomed to enduring massive amounts of g-forces, so experiencing the raw performance of supercars — which don’t travel quite as fast as F1 challengers — shouldn’t be a problem for them. However, Oscar Piastri did get jittery before going for a ride in the McLaren P1 with teammate Lando Norris.
Piastri and Norris were set to drive around Silverstone, which was quite wet because of winter. This made the surface slippery, leaving Piastri unsure of the P1’s ability to handle these tricky conditions.
Given that Norris owned the P1, which costs $1.5 million, he assured Piastri that he would drive carefully and not go flat out for a hot lap.
Still, nervousness was clearly visible on the Melbourne-born driver’s face.
Before Norris started the car, Piastri made a prayer gesture with his hands, hoping that nothing would go wrong during the hot lap. Norris saw this and reassured him once again. Deep down, though, he was just hiding his own nerves.
As they started trundling over the wet track, Piastri later asked down the straight, “Is that flat-out?” To this, Norris replied, “No, I’m too scared.”
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Piastri and Norris continued discussing the conditions, noting how some parts of the track were drier while others remained covered in wet patches. Though Norris jokingly suggested trying slick tires, Piastri wasn’t willing to take any chances. “It’s still nowhere near a slick,” he insisted.
The outing in the McLaren supercar was certainly fun. But Norris and Piastri were likely more focused on how to navigate a wintry Silverstone surface in an F1 car. After all, the P1 draws significant inspiration from the F1 machinery produced by the Woking-based squad.
McLaren’s F1 influence on its supercars
The McLaren P1 was initially priced at around $1.15 million. Despite its high cost, it sold out quickly, with production limited to just 375 units to maintain exclusivity.
Naturally, this drove up its value in the resale market. Today, the average resale price of a P1 has reached $1.5 million. Enthusiasts love the P1 not just for its rarity but also for its performance, which closely mirrors the characteristics of McLaren’s F1 cars.
With a twin-turbocharged V8 engine in the back that produces up to 903 bhp, the P1’s output is just shy of the maximum power output an F1 car produces (1,000 bhp). Its top speed is also in the same ballpark at 217 mph (350 kph).
McLaren have recently also launched the W1 Hypercar, which is a bit more elegant and powerful. While its top speed remains the same, the W1 delivers higher horsepower of 1,258, which has become the gold standard for many modern supercars in the market.
