New McLaren GT3 completes first tests

McLaren's new 650S GT3 racer has successfully come through its first round of testing.

The 650S, which was unveiled at the Goodwood Festival of Speed last month, undertook its first proper test at the UK's Snetterton circuit last week over the course of two days, before moving on to Silverstone for a further day of testing this week.

The new car is unlikely to race before its homologation ahead of the 2015 season. It ran in the hands of McLaren factory drivers Rob Bell and Kevin Estre at Snetterton, with the Frenchman driving at Silverstone on Tuesday.

"So far it has just been about trying to understand the car: we've been looking at spring rates, dampers and roll-bars and how they affect the car, but so far so good," related McLaren GT boss Andrew Kirkaldy. "We've covered 1100km [680 miles] straight out of the box without a single problem, which is impressive for a new car."

Kirkaldy explained that the first 650S would resume testing towards the end of August and would run extensively before the end of the year.

The 650S GT3 replaces the MP4-12C, which first raced in 2011 before the first customer cars were delivered for 2012. McLaren's latest GT3 is built around the same carbon-composite monocoque and V8 twin-turbo engine as its predecessors, which means MP4-12C owners will be able to upgrade their cars.

(Image: Lord/Ebrey)