The McLaren F1 Owner's Club

[Peloton25]

I have a couple thousand pictures and tried to make sure I got a sampling of each car. I arrived in Los Angeles about 3 hours ago and am headed for dinner with my family shortly. Then I need to get a good night's rest tonight but also have the reality of doing some laundry first so I will try to find some nice things to share while doing that.

>8^)
ER

[Peloton25]

The best plans don't always work when your body needs rest.

I'm running through some of the Day 1 photos now and will toss a few in here as I go along.





Love this one with all the sportbikes giving chase.



>8^)
ER

[bprchamp]

To all Mclaren lovers
I am sorry I couldn't publicise this Tour, but many owners are publicity shy and I had to ensure the first Tour was discreet and fun for the owners. I think they all loved it and what better place to have it than in Ferrari land.
Thanks for all your kind comments, but I love these cars and they need a place to play, so the 20th anniversary - to the weekend was the time to start - together with an opening visit and address from the inspiration and creator of the car.
There will be more but there are rules of engagement for those asked to appear. I decided to start with Erik and Philippe who have both been impeccable in their handling of the Tour.
I drove 05R, 064 and 072 - the last with its new owner and wife - they were quite silent as we hit 140 mph through the Garda tunnels, but he now knows how it goes and how it stops!
BTW - Buses forbidden on Tours
We also have to thank Mclaren who supported the event technically and brought along 6 budget Macs for owners to sample - they are quicker than the F1!!!

Regards

[Sami Aaltonen]

Mr. Bellm:

Here from Finland, it has been amazing to follow Erik's uptades trought the week. I respect Your thoughts and decision to give him to change enjoy this tour with you and owners. Many thanks for that.

I have too many times watched side on the background, when everyone knows there is couple of great enthusiast on the crowd who really appreciate the cars and knows all possible details, but just can not let to enjoy with the owners and the cars simply reason of not owning one.
So I really respect your thoughts this.
I just wanted to say this here, public. Hope You understand what I mean.

And about this #05R, fantastic You decisided to keep it's Cesar Livery. I think all GTR fans in this forum are glad of it!

[carbuilder2002]

Interesting, 06R has been fitted with road car side windows presumably to try and offset the Italian summer heat.

[Peloton25]

Actually a custom made side window by Lanzante that slid open similar to the optional ones on the F1 LMs.

>8^)
ER

[Le Man]

Originally Posted by bprchamp

To all Mclaren lovers
I am sorry I couldn't publicise this Tour, but many owners are publicity shy and I had to ensure the first Tour was discreet and fun for the owners. I think they all loved it and what better place to have it than in Ferrari land.
Thanks for all your kind comments, but I love these cars and they need a place to play, so the 20th anniversary - to the weekend was the time to start - together with an opening visit and address from the inspiration and creator of the car.
There will be more but there are rules of engagement for those asked to appear. I decided to start with Erik and Philippe who have both been impeccable in their handling of the Tour.
I drove 05R, 064 and 072 - the last with its new owner and wife - they were quite silent as we hit 140 mph through the Garda tunnels, but he now knows how it goes and how it stops!
BTW - Buses forbidden on Tours
We also have to thank Mclaren who supported the event technically and brought along 6 budget Macs for owners to sample - they are quicker than the F1!!!

Regards

No need to apologize bprchamp, I think all the forum members here are extremely thankfull for your most utmost generousity, for inviting two of our top people from the forum too attend and cover this event with their excellent pictures and write ups so far. Once again many thanks for your great efforts on organizing the tour and allowing us a very close insight too what otherwise, was a closed to public event.

[mactotas]

Estimated Erik. Saludos from Mexico. One question, ¿do you know if some magazine are interesting in publish the Italy Tour?.

[Peloton25]

No magazines or journalists were invited to attend so I wouldn't expect too much coverage beyond online reports using pre-published photos. McLaren invited along a photographer and I expect they will have some coverage on their Facebook page or perhaps a Press Release will go out on the event in the coming days. Just speculating...?

Ray has some publishing plans - I will leave them for him to describe if he wishes.

>8^)
ER

[Peloton25]

Quickly once again - I can not thank you enough Ray. I hope that you realized what a wonderful thing you did by inviting us along. I know you said "It's no problem" several times but I am sure in advance of the event there was some concerns and I appreciate tremendously the fact that you would take that leap of faith and do something so special for us. It was the time of my life being there - really it was.

>8^)
ER

[quiqui]

Hello ,

Three pics of this fantastic rally ,

[Peloton25]

Now is a good time to mention that I have always felt the photos that Vincent (quiqui) takes and shares on his website CM-ARTE.com are some of the best in in the world. To discover from talking to him last week that he is essentially 'Unpublished' is literally unbelievable. I can not think of another photographer I would have rather had on this journey with us and was thrilled when I finally realized he was there.

In a funny moment when they first arrived I heard Phil's friend Nicolas (our Nicob) call him "Vincent" and I said "Wait a second - is he... Vincent Martin?" and they said 'Yes' and I nearly fell over from the excitement of knowing I would have his photographs to look forward to when the Tour was completed.

I've seen a few other shots that are yet to come off his camera and we really have some AMAZING images to look forward to. And that's almost an understatement when you understand that except for them finding appropriate places to position themselves along the route none of this photography was staged at all. There was no second chance for some of these shots. If the lighting wasn't perfect when the car came through the frame or there was more traffic on the road there was simply no opportunity to reverse the car and try again.

Incredible!

>8^)
ER

[quiqui]

Erik I have already told you but I repeat, I can never thank you enough for what you did.

It is thanks to you and phillipe that this week it's gone so well, I have no words to thank you!






(google traduction)

[Sami Aaltonen]

That #06R's image is perfect.
Welcome to the forum Vincent! I defenitely looking forward to see some more!

I know that some times, thigs just goes exaclty 100% right. Right moment, right time rigtht place. When you some day more or less by accident get something like that #06R's image is, the feeling is pretty good when uploading the images at home from the memory card to the computer and can't help wait to see "did the specific image sucseeded".
That's why photograffing is so great hobby.!

[F1GTRUeno]

Those shots are unbelievable.

Beautiful stuff Vincent.