McLaren P1 GTR in Marlboro livery by MSO celebrates 30th anniversary of Ayrton Senna’s first title

Over McLaren’s illustrious fifty-five year history, there have been various well-known liveries that have graced the flanks of its cars. The original orange colour scheme is inexorably tied into the brand’s beginnings (and is still used today), and the black, silver and red hues of the late 1990s and early 2000s – a result of a title sponsorship from tobacco company West – also comes to mind.

But for many, the most iconic McLaren livery has got to be from its longstanding partnership with Marlboro. The cigarette packet’s red and white colours stayed on Woking’s cars for more than 20 years, including in its most successful period in the ’80s. The most famous car of them all was the 1988 MP4/4, which still holds the record as being the most dominant car in the history, winning 15 out of 16 races that season.

That year was also when the legendary Ayrton Senna won the first of his three drivers’ championships, and to celebrate the 30th anniversary of this extraordinary feat, McLaren Special Operations (MSO) built a P1 GTR dressed in the same McLaren Rocket Red and Anniversary White that clad the Brazilian’s MP4/4.

Commissioned by a McLaren collector who was inspired by Senna at a young age, the car features the diagonal red stripes as well as a barcode (used during races in countries that banned tobacco advertising at the time) in lieu of the Marlboro logo. It also gets Senna branding on the front splitter and side air intakes on the doors, together with the “Driven to Perfection” slogan.

Other details include Senna’s race number 12 from that year, Brazilian flags, 30th anniversary laurels behind the side windows and various logos from McLaren’s technical partners past and present. All-in-all, the custom paint job took around 800 hours to complete.

But that’s not all – this particular P1 GTR also sports a number of choice tweaks to increase the ferociousness of this already fairly serious track machine. Firstly, the car gets a wider front splitter and a pair of front flics, while new bargeboards and a Gurney flap has been installed at the rear. Larger end plates – meant to echo the look of the MP4/4 – and additional wing elements round off an upgraded aerodynamics package that boosts downforce to a massive 800 kg, the same as a McLaren Senna.

On top of all this, a new engine specification provides what the owner dubs a “suitably pleasing” increase in power over the “standard” GTR’s already momentous 1,000 PS. Complementing the revamped 3.8 litre twin-turbocharged V8 are modified engine bay shrouds, a Lexan rear engine cover and a 24-karat gold heatshield reminiscent of the F1 road car.

Inside, the special GTR is inscribed with Senna’s signature on the carbon door sill, accompanied by one of his famous quotes. Meanwhile, the Alcantara-wrapped steering wheel gets stitching colour-coded to the one in this MP4/4, and the suede-like material also covers the dashboard and the Senna’s (the car, not the person) Super Lightweight Racing Seats. Thin red striping on the dash and doors complete the look.

Sharing the same Beco nickname that Senna’s parents bestowed upon him (with the permission of the Senna family, of course), the car also comes with a custom helmet matched to the bespoke livery.

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