At the wheel of the McLaren 620R, from the circuit to the street ... and vice versa

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Only by having the DNA of F1 can we understand how a car manufacturer with a decade of life can threaten brands with more than half a century, such as

.

This is just a way of summarizing the driving of the

road

presented since the relaunch of the British brand in 2011, which has shown an outstanding behavior and great performance,

.

I have always thought that they are sports cars of the highest caliber in which it

.

Perhaps that is why, in recent years, the arrival of models like the Senna and 600 LT have added just the right touch of 'vertigo' that was missing.

Now the logic has been reversed and, with this

, McLaren wanted to make a

that prevails in many GT races around the world with results that speak for themselves: in its first year, 2017, he accumulated eight titles, 24 pole positions, 44 victories and 96 podiums (achieved in 41% of the GT4 races in which he participated).

Here you can see a photogallery with images of the 620R test.

Sums

, chief engineer of the 620R: "The GT4 570S is easy to drive even for non -

professional drivers and we

wanted to

."

How has this mission been accomplished?

The

received a dedicated control unit that resulted in the most powerful model in the

McLaren

range

.

Its performance is impressive:

for a sports car whose price has been set at

Tire headaches

Warner explains that "dual-clutch traction management

to generate additional acceleration when shifting up gear," and the standard Pirelli PZero Trofeo R tires (attached by a single bolt) central) are

developed specifically for this car.

"The 620R has 19-inch wheels at the front and 20 at the rear, which has caused a lot of 'headaches' because there are no 20-inch slick tires, but since we really wanted the customer to get on the track and swap out the Trophy for full tires directly slick, without any adjustments to the chassis, it

, "he explains, with visible pride.

The advantage of this type of tire is enlightening: "

, which translates into a gain of three seconds per lap on Nardo, our benchmark test track. "concludes Warner.

And what remained of GT4?

(it rises 32 cm from the body, so the airflow coming out of the car roof is kept at that high level, avoiding the rear turbulence zone) and It has three adjustable positions.

The customer receives the car with the most moderate of the three, but it is possible to readjust it to increase the aerodynamic pressure (which reaches a maximum of 185 kg at 250 km / h).

Of course, in the street model this spoiler mounts a brake light.

Aerodynamic architecture

Other decisive elements in the field of aerodynamics are the

which, together with the first

on a model of the Sports Series (the other ranges are Super Series, Ultimate Series and GT), help to create a 65-kilo pressure on the car's 'nose', which is essential to ensure a balance between the front and rear of the 620R.

There are also arched profiles in front of each of the four wheels, air intakes in the hood and an

that adds to the acoustic drama in the cockpit.

The 620R chassis features a

spring-loaded shock assembly (typical for a race car) adjusting system, with independent adjustments for compression and rebound.

It is six kg lighter than the adaptive damping system used in the 570S.

The stabilizer bars, springs, and upper stanchions (in stainless steel and not rubber) are stiffer, while

(at 390mm at the front and 380mm at the rear, beating even the GT4's) and calipers with six pistons at the front and four at the rear.

'Civil' and competition belts

The interior atmosphere is spartan and the super-light carbon fiber bacquets integrate

, with six attachment points.

Everywhere there is Alcantara and carbon fiber, in many cases structural, helping to lower the weight to

(200 less than a Mercedes-AMG GT).

The air conditioning, glove box and cab floor coverings are optional at no cost, while the customer can also opt for an excellent Bowers & Wilkins audio system ... although

In the center of the minimalist dashboard is a

.

I wish it were more focused on the driver, because any split second you gain to keep your eyes on the road is welcome ... Below, between the seats, the operations area has rotary knobs for

selection

for the behavior and the engine, and also the Launch Control and stop / start buttons.

Behavior on the road

The first part of the experience behind the wheel of the 620R took place on the roads of the

region

, to see to what extent the conversion of the GT4 to a 'civil' version had the desired effect.

The first thing I noticed upon settling in is that there is

thanks to the combined effect of the wide windshield and the narrow pillars.

The second has to do with the

, after the mechanics chose one of the most comfortable configurations among the 32 available.

Without surprise, the accelerations are dizzying and any overtaking on roads with only one lane in each direction can be consummated while the devil rubs one eye, with an engine sound that does not command less respect, quite the opposite.

, in the same way that the

when driving at a leisurely pace.

On the Snetterton track

I arrive at the Snetterton circuit to experience the track and, although I do not feel instantly transformed into a driver, this is not the time for protests.

The change of car for one with totally slick tires is only done to speed up the process, because they guarantee me that road and track cars are identical, except for the

made on the shock absorber itself (25% more hard) and the angle of the rear wing (which was raised to the middle position, increasing downforce by about 20%).

Next to me as an instructor is

, a seasoned British driver with experience in single seaters, in the Porsche Cup and GT racing, most recently with McLaren, for which he is a test driver.

He also competes in the British GT Championship, where he teams up with Mia Flewitt, married to the CEO of McLaren Automotive.

Well 'plugged in', therefore.

In a good mood, perhaps from his victory in a GT race a few days earlier, Hankey helps me put the communicator on my helmet and leaves me a couple of tips on what to do next.

When I fit into the bucket, I realize

.

In my hands I have a steering wheel without buttons.

In other words, it only works for what it was originally created for.

Behind it are mounted large gearshift paddles (inspired by those used in F1 and in carbon fiber) and instrumentation with

, although it is possible to vary this presentation.

Seven speed management

We use the biggest setup on the circuit (4.8km) and evolve from more moderate laps to faster paces.

Steering is as fast as it needs to be, and the small Alcantara-covered steering wheel helps with perfect grip.

Hankey never tires of giving instructions for the most indicated trajectories and gear changes at all points of the circuit and smiles when I apologize for the time it takes to memorize the layout, with two huge straights and (12) corners for all tastes , admitting that "this is totally normal for those who are not a professional pilot."

Saying that

may be redundant and too obvious, but I can't help but do so.

The gearbox, a

automatic

, almost does not lower the speeds of the V8 in the changes, which does not know response delays, even considering that the 620 Nm of torque comes relatively late (at 5500 rpm).

Anyway, from there

, there is still a lot to explore.

Film brakes

One of the most compelling aspects of the

dynamics

is its braking ability, both in distance and in the way the process takes place:

, which brakes from movie theater.

And that became evident at the end of the straight, where we reached more than 200 km / h and where no matter how hard I got into my head that on the next lap I would brake later, I always ended up far from the point of accelerating again touching the vertex of the curve.

The only solution was to accelerate again and hurt pride ... with Hankey's laughter in the background.

On the other hand, when it reached the braking point too quickly

cornering

with equal efficiency.

Throughout more than half an hour of increasingly intensive application, the brakes showed less fatigue than the 'rider', who at the end of the session showed external signs of fatigue.

Not too bad: the day before, other journalists had to drink water while they were still in the car at the end of the session, the instructor tells me.

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