Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton Star in Road and Race Versions of New 12C at Goodwood Festival of Speed
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Media Information EMBARGOED: 12:13.BST, 6 July 2011 JENSON BUTTON AND LEWIS HAMILTON STAR IN ROAD AND RACE VERSIONS OF NEW 12C AT GOODWOOD FESTIVAL OF SPEED FIA Formula 1 Drivers’ Champions Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton drive road and race derivatives of new MP4-12C in front of a record crowd* at Goodwood Festival of Speed (FoS) See all the McLaren action at Goodwood Festival of Speed in 2011 in a new short film: www.youtube.com/mclarenautomotivetv Recently revised McLaren MP4-12C GT3 race car makes world dynamic debut on Goodwood hill MP4-12C GT3 to make competitive debut in Avon Tyres British GT Championship race at Spa-Francorchamps on 09 July 2011 McLaren Automotive, McLaren GT and McLaren Racing joined forces to lead the glamorous ‘Supercar Run’ at Goodwood Festival of Speed 2011. Making its dynamic world debut, the MP4-12C GT3 race car was piloted by both Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton, and closely followed by the 12C road car equivalent on Saturday and Sunday at this year’s event. 2009 FIA Formula 1 Drivers’ Champion Jenson Button piloted the new MP4-12C GT3 race car for the first time on Saturday 02 July, celebrating the 12C GT3’s world dynamic debut. Leading the second ‘Supercar Run’ of the day, McLaren secured a unique 1-2 with McLaren Automotive Managing Director Antony Sheriff close behind in a stunning Volcano Orange 12C road car. On Sunday 03 July, 2008 FIA Formula 1 Drivers’ Champion Lewis Hamilton took his place behind the wheel of the 12C GT3 as McLaren Automotive Chief Test Driver Chris Goodwin chased him up the famous Goodwood hill in the 12C road car. Antony Sheriff said: “I was incredibly proud to represent McLaren at Goodwood this year. The new 12C GT3 was a constant focus of attention in the McLaren GT enclosure and obviously it was great to see Jenson and Lewis delighting the crowds as the car made its dynamic debut. “The festival comes at an exciting time for McLaren Automotive. We recently opened the first of 35 global retailers; we are near to completing the McLaren Production Centre adjacent to our headquarters in Woking; we have a stunning new race car in development and very soon our customers will begin taking delivery of their own MP4-12Cs. “Having debuted the 12C road car at last year’s festival, it was terrific to bring the GT3 along for company this year. It really feels now that our car company is taking shape.” In addition to a high quality short film covering McLaren’s activities at FoS, McLaren Automotive today publishes for editorial use a collection of images of the McLaren Orange 12C GT3 and Volcano Orange 12C seen at Goodwood FoS. A set of images of a Volcano Red 12C, which was viewed by guests of McLaren Automotive at the Gurney Pavilion, are also available to download in high resolution. MP4-12C GT3 to make race debut Featuring a recently revised aerodynamics package, the MP4-12C GT3 will make its race debut this weekend in the Avon Tyres British GT Championship race at Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium. The 12C GT3 will be driven by CRS Racing Team Principal Andrew Kirkaldy and McLaren Automotive Chief Test Driver Chris Goodwin. The 12C GT3 is being developed by the recently established McLaren GT. Led by McLaren Group CEO Martin Whitmarsh and CRS Racing Team Principal Andrew Kirkaldy, McLaren GT is spending the 2011 race season developing the 12C GT3 before delivering 20 cars to privateer teams for GT3 racing in Europe in 2012.** Notes to editors: *More than 180,000 attended Goodwood Festival of Speed 2011 **Professional race teams interested in being the first to own and race the new MP4-12C GT3 should register at www.mclarengt.com Ends.