![]() ![]() The freshly prepared car was then sold to Steve O’Rourke who wanted to contest the 1998 British GT Championship and that year’s Le Mans. Having nudged a Viper, he smashed into the barriers at the flat-out right-hander before Spoon and 24R incurred serious damage.Ģ4R was subsequently returned to McLaren where it underwent a ground-up rebuild. Bscher and John Nielsen picked up a seventh place finish at the Nurburgring but crashed out at Spa and Zeltweg.Ī more serious accident then occurred in the build up to the Suzuka 1000km where Nielsen had a heavy 150mph practice crash. While 22R was back at McLaren undergoing a rebuild, Bscher leased the now surplus-to-requirements 24R.Ģ4R contested four FIA GT Championship events as a Gulf Team Davidoff entry. 24R subsequently charged back into the top ten, but at two thirds distance (while lying third overall), Lehto span into the wall at Arnage and 24R retired from the race.ĭuring qualifying for the 1997 Le Mans 24 Hours, the Gulf Team Davidoff / GTC Motorsport F1 GTR owned by Thomas Bscher (chassis 22R) was badly damaged by an oil fire. However, after a triple stint by Soper, the car lost nine laps when a pipe from the water pump to the engine had to be changed. #MCLAREN F1 GTR DRIVERS#The same three drivers then raced 24R at the Le Mans 24 Hours in June. Together they underwent a considerable amount of special preparation for the event.Ģ4R first ran publicly at Le Mans Pre-Qualifying in early May where Steve Soper, JJ Lehto and Nelson Piquet went fourth fastest overall and third quickest in the GT1 class. The two cars destined for Le Mans were chassis 24R and 26R. In addition to another two-car attack at Le Mans, BMW’s 1997 programme included a two-car team for the FIA GT Championship (which superseded the BPR series organised from 1994 to 1996). That year, their attention was focused firmly on the Le Mans 24 Hours. F1 GTRs delivered to BMW Motorsport.Īs supplier of the McLaren F1’s engine, BMW decided to begin racing with a trio of F1 GTRs in 1996. ![]()
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