McLaren F1 "absolutely unstable" at top speed according to Mari Andretti

[Gustav]

At 1998 Road and Track test of the AMeritech assembled McLaren F1.

"...I was suprpsied how aerodynamically unstable it was. Absolutely unstable. I was taking corners at 200 mph, but probably could have taken them quite a bit quicker if the back end hadn't wanted to keep haning itself out. This really caught me by surprise. I never though it was going to move around the way it did."

"Neverthless, its the only car that I actualyl had to use the brakes before going into the corners to feel safe. That was scary at 217 mph."

[MD318is]

His complaints seem a little idiotic to me. If he wants to go over 200mph around turns then he needs to get the LM package put on or at least the spoiler. I don't beleive that the regular production model was specifically built to handle corners at 200+mph by a race car diver.

What other car is he driving that he doesn't have to brake in while driving 200+mph?

[doug]

Originally Posted by MD318is

His complaints seem a little idiotic to me. If he wants to go over 200mph around turns then he needs to get the LM package put on or at least the spoiler. I don't beleive that the regular production model was specifically built to handle corners at 200+mph by a race car diver.

What other car is he driving that he doesn't have to brake in while driving 200+mph?

For a million bucks, no expense spared, and a car that exceeds 240 mph why is it too much to expect it to be stable at those speeds? Perhaps so few ever got to really explore the limits [of this supposed "road car"] until it was raced in Le Mans. Only afterwards was the LM created (and even then, only 5 ever made).

Andretti is a veteran of open-wheel racing where cars really *are* stable at 200+. Heck, maybe he's complaining so Gordon Murray will sell him an LM.

[Bingocaller]

Thats the same thing JC said - the car being unstable at high speeds - dont know if he have max one out though

[Sebring NL]

Thats the reason the LWB version was deployed.

This is a well-known thing. The car is simply too small for 200mph + steering.

Only one car still handles very well at 200+, and that is said to be the F40.

[Gop-Dogg]

Originally Posted by Sebring NL

Only one car still handles very well at 200+, and that is said to be the F40.

The F40's top speed is 201 MPH. Not much margine there.

[Sebring NL]

True. But it still appears to handle at top speed. I couldn't say, I never drove an F40 faster than some 100/ 110 mph.