Breaking news
Formula 1
McLaren launches tongue-in-cheek Woking GP plan
McLaren has launched a light-hearted plan for a Formula 1 grand prix on the streets of its home town of Woking.
Glenn Freeman
Edited: Aug 15, 2017, 10:47 AM
Copy link
Share on Viber
With the F1 season in the middle of its summer break, McLaren has joked that its “absurdly ambitious plan” would enable Woking “to join the ranks of Monaco and Singapore as one of Formula 1’s most glamorous and iconic race locations”.
The plan includes an 18-turn track of just over three miles – named the Woking International Circuit.
McLaren technology group chief operating officer Jonathan Neale said: “Why not bring Formula 1 to the streets of Woking?
“Obviously, aside from the huge social and financial commitment needed to set up the infrastructure, re-profile roads, re-lay Tarmac, fit miles of Armco, build grandstands, pay for race-hosting fees and gain approval and sign-off from the FIA, we don’t see any barriers to our vision.”
McLaren added that the projected top speed on the circuit would be 195mph, stating that this would be “for the frontrunning cars”.
McLaren executive director Zak Brown said the plan evoked memories of Mika Hakkinen’s run through the town to celebrate his first world championship in 1998.
“It was Mika who first ‘raced’ a Formula 1 McLaren around the streets of Woking, way back in 1998,” he said.
“That event lit a spark that started a fire that turned into a dream that we converted into an idea: to host a round of the Formula 1 world championship on our doorstep, in Woking.
“Our engineers, our mechanics, our strategists have all actually driven this track. In fact, they’ve lived it; which actually gives them a head-start over the rest of the field.
“They know every bump on the track, every ripple in the Tarmac, every useable rush-hour rat-run, every decent takeaway restaurant within a five-mile radius of the start-line.
“That’s the sort of advantage you can’t buy…”
The proposed circuit layout “takes full advantage of the market town’s winding streets and fast multi-carriageways” and passes two of McLaren’s former factory locations.
McLaren’s plan also includes ideas such as basing the paddock on floatable pontoons anchored along the Woking-Basingstoke canal, and having journalists work from wi-fi hotspots in local cafes, restaurants and shopping centres instead of a media centre.
We want your opinion!
What would you like to see on Motorsport.com?
Take our 5 minute survey.
- The Motorsport.com Team
Read and post comments
Read also :
Share Or Save This Story
Copy link
Share on Viber
Previous article Analysis: The role of Pirelli testing in Ferrari's resurgence
Next article First half of Force India's 2017 season in photos
Top Comments
There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?
View More & Comment
More from
Glenn Freeman
F1 2019 game to allow official driver transfers
Esports
Esports
F1 2019 game to allow official driver transfers
Albon keeps Toro Rosso on top in morning of Day 4
Formula 1
Formula 1
Barcelona February testing
Albon keeps Toro Rosso on top in morning of Day 4
Raikkonen fastest for Alfa on third morning of F1 test
Formula 1
Formula 1
Barcelona February testing
Raikkonen fastest for Alfa on third morning of F1 test
Latest news
Spire, Chris Gabehart reject Joe Gibbs Racing premise on deleted texts
NASCAR Cup
NAS NASCAR Cup
Charlotte II
5 h
Spire, Chris Gabehart reject Joe Gibbs Racing premise on deleted texts
Ricky Stenhouse explains his side of Michael McDowell conflict
NASCAR Cup
NAS NASCAR Cup
Charlotte II
9 h
Ricky Stenhouse explains his side of Michael McDowell conflict
Barnes: Why IndyCar’s updated licensing system fails its own integrity test
IndyCar
Indy IndyCar 10 h
Barnes: Why IndyCar’s updated licensing system fails its own integrity test
Why NASCAR is not penalizing Stenhouse, McDowell for post-race theatrics
NASCAR Cup
NAS NASCAR Cup
Charlotte II
11 h
Why NASCAR is not penalizing Stenhouse, McDowell for post-race theatrics
Feature
Discover prime content
Subscribe and access Motorsport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
You have 2 options:
- Become a subscriber.
- Disable your adblocker.
Subscribe now Already subscribed? Sign in here
Already disabled your adblocker?
Reload page
Manage Alerts
Subscribe