Here's his write-up on it:
F1 ride
F***. It’s. Fast.
This is the story of my ride in a McLaren F1 roadcar. At the express request of the owner I cannot say where the car is because of owner privacy, and for the same reason I most unfortunately cannot share any pictures over the internet. Suffice to say it was rather far from me, and made flying necessary to get there. When I arrived the car was in a garage and amongst some other interesting cars, but to me, a rapid F1 fan for over 10 years, the other cars obviously paled in comparison to the car I had come to see. After seeing so many pictures and reading so much about the car it was excellent to finally see it in person. Even though I knew the exact length, width, and height of the car it was quite a shock to see just how compact it really is. It is amazing that a 6.1L V12 sits inside of such a trim package. I spent a long time examining the car from every angle and I was shown some of the interesting details of the car; the extremely light weight tool kit (I’ve never felt a wrench made of titanium or one that weighed so little), the plaque detailing McLaren’s racing victories, and the fuse box which was the perfect example of neatness and attention to detail which characterizes the entire F1. After lunch it was finally time to go for a ride in the beast.
Even the starter on the F1 sounds exotic, and when the engine catches it does so with a satisfyingly loud bark. The car was then backed out of the garage and allowed to warm up for several minutes. With the car outside, the engine thumping along, and condensation rising from the exhaust it looked and sounded like a living thing. Once the dihedral doors were opened it only added to the drama. At last the engine was warm and it was time to go for a drive. The big deal many make out of entering the F1’s driver seat is not really such a big deal for someone who has done it more than two or three times. I sat in the left passenger seat, and I was amazed at how comfortable it was, and how effectively it held me in the seat during cornering. The passenger seat gives a great view of the speedometer, tachometer, and pedals. The staggered seating is obviously not the best for conversations, but the F1 is more about driving than having conversations with passengers so I think that can be excused. By this time I was literally out of my mind with excitement, I was sitting in the passenger seat of an idling McLaren F1! The first car we pulled up next to was a Toyota 4 Runner, and it was amazing how massive (and tall) that car seemed to us in the F1. I was surprised by how compliant the ride was and the forward visibility, which is excellent. After a short bit of driving we came to some open road and in an instant my head was snapped back as we accelerated hard through some of 2nd gear.
My response: “Holy SHIT!”
Driver: “That was only about ½ throttle”
Then we went around a few corners at a good clip, and although we obviously weren’t anywhere near track speed, the car felt extremely planted even over bumps (it was not a billiard board smooth road) and the supreme lightness of the car was immediately apparent. Then, we rounded another corner and came upon a nice, long, attractive stretch of open road in front of us. Now, I have seen probably 50 or more McLaren F1 videos, but hearing the car at full throttle with that gorgeous BMW V12 inches from your head cannot be duplicated by any video or speakers. What a beautiful sound. And what absolutely, completely, absurdly murderous acceleration! The thing about the scenery blurring in fast cars that journalists talk about, well it’s true. I was lucky enough to receive a passenger ride on a track in a modified F40 last year and it was nothing in comparison to the sound and feel of the F1 under full acceleration. I have ridden in a few fast cars, but holy shit, the F1 is something else entirely. On the other side of things, I also saw the tremendous tractability of the F1’s V12. Pulling away from close to a stop after crossing some treacherous railroad tracks in 3rd gear was no problem for the big V12. A few more turns and we were presented with another stretch of clear road, and I with the experience of a blast through 1st and 2nd gear, just reaching 3rd before needing to slow down (because even in 2nd gear you can break any speed limit). The instantaneousness of the power, along with the sheer magnitude of that power is astounding.
Then it was back to the garage and a chance for me to sit in the driver’s seat. As I said before, getting into the driver’s seat is not the huge and involved process some make it out to be, although it certainly isn’t as simple as a normal car, but this isn’t a normal car and it is well worth the extra effort required to make your way into the driver’s seat. Speaking of the driver’s seat, it is another incredible part of the car. Comfortable, supportive, and amazingly thin the seat is a work of art in itself (like so many other pieces of this car). The car is set up for someone shorter than me, but even so I had no trouble with headroom. The steering wheel is small but feels excellent in your hands. Everything is where it should be; including you, and the view forward is unhindered and perfect. The gauges are magnificently clear and mechanical looking, and the 260mph speedometer hints at the massive capabilities of this car (and relegates legal speeds to the bottom quarter of the speedometer’s range).
Soon it was time for me to catch my flight, and it’s all over too soon. I have seen Enzos, F40s, F50s, Lamborghinis, Saleens, Porsches, etc. but none of them come close to just seeing the F1 in person. It is simply the greatest car I have ever seen, heard, or had the pleasure of riding in. It was an extraordinary experience and completely worth the rather long trip!
