[Mikeyb]

Dreams do come true.

So am delighted to say that I have purchased MP4 -22/5A

Originally driven by Lewis Hamilton in his first season in F1, this particular chassis won twice with him at the wheel, in Hungary and Japan. He also drove it to 4 second places, most notably at Monaco, but also at Malaysia, Bahrain, and Spain and also two pole positions and two fastest laps. It also was the chassis that sadly went into the gravel in the pit lane at China, a pivotal moment in the season that year.

2007 will always be remembered as the only season (so far) that Alonso and Hamilton were in the same team, thankfully at Mclaren. Sadly it will also be remembered for the spygate controversy, indeed arguably the controversy started when Fernando blocked Lewis in the pit lane at Hungary during quali, when Lewis was driving this very chassis. Thankfully as noted above Lewis went on to win the race.

I am hugely grateful to the Boards of McLaren technology group and Mclaren Automotive for sanctioning this sale, as well as the heritage department at MSO for the advice that they gave during the purchase.

The car is currently being refurbished in the heritage bays at MTC so those of you visiting in the coming weeks and perhaps months will see it.

Hopefully the car will be ready to go by the end of the year, and all going well, I will be driving it at Pure Mclaren days next year, maybe the end of this year (although not at the same time as other road cars!)

 

[Mikeyb]

Fantastic news Miley!! Couldn't happen to a nicer guy! I'm glad to see McLaren is finally letting some of these cars get used by enthusiasts instead of sitting around collecting dust! So very few McLaren race cars had ever been in private hands. I remember going to the Pure McLaren event in Austin last year and one owner turned up with an Emerson Fitipaldi McLaren race car and everyone absolutely LOVED IT! It was an incredible spectacle for those of us who got to see and hear it roar around the track!

Obviously I always expected they'd hold on to the most important cars in their history but every year there are two or three chassis that could be used by people like you and to get to be on track alongside them, or even watch them from the pits, is a huge honor for McLaren owners bringing their own street cars to these events. Ferrari has been doing this for years and it's been hugely successful. I'm glad to see McLaren Group shaking off some of their stuffiness of the past and allowing things like this to happen.

Enjoy it and stay safe!

Thanks your support and kind words fella as always. Can't wait to take a photo of you sat in it.. .maybe even your side of the pond.. ;-)

As you say, it's proper cool that we will be able to see these cars out and about in the wild. I think the plans that are afoot will mean everyone will be able to have a really close look at something we have only ever previously seen on the TV..

 

[Mikeyb]

That is so cool! I need to work out getting to one of those Pure days next year, even if it's just as a spectator.

-Jamie.

You do indeed. !

 

[Mikeyb]

Are you kidding me! WOW.

Mikey: First, let me congratulate you on such an awesome purchase. It's fantastic that this car is in the hands of such a deserving enthusiast (Petrol Head). I couldn't be happier or more excited for you and the family and wish you many years of enjoyment. Please do keep us posted on what will definitely be an awesome experience.

Have fun and stay safe my friend.

Too kind DLC thanks... i hope to see you and it at the same time one day.. that would be really cool !

 

[Mikeyb]

Holy cow, congrats Mikey! So are you going to drive the snot out of this, or kick the grand piano out of the living room and put this in its place?

Both my friend.
Summer it'll be moved around europe and maybe the world to various tracks.

Winter it'll be home to be able to look at it a bit longer.

 

[Mikeyb]

I learned something today.
I always heard that Mclaren had never sold any Formula 1 car and kept them all.
Happy for you that that was not true.
Congratulations !

It's true they didn't. They only sold one to Zak brown himself in the modern age.

Thankfully Mr. b likes the idea of there being other enthusiasts like him taking the cars out.

I understood completely why ron wanted to keep them all, but am pleased the policy appears to have eased a little

 

[Mikeyb]

@zippycar @Ducati1199

The car will be supported by the heritage department, the same guys you see maintaining the older cars in the MTC. We have a commitment from them to support whenever wherever, but you can imagine am unlikely to be going to Oulton park or Dijon on a cold wet Sunday morning. .

Equally we will be shown at some point all necessary procedures to run the car, and indeed supplied with the equipment to do so.

But in reality I personally will never run the car without the support of mclaren.

Also get to go in the sim

 

[Mikeyb]

Wow, just the chance to drive a car like that is a bucket list item for me . Owning one is dreaming BIG! Congrats, enjoy it!!

Thanks Jmc.

There's very much plans to bring them stateside so will let you know what gets organised of course. It will be next year at the earliest sadly

 

[Mikeyb]

Awesome Mikey what next, where do you go from here ?

Round in circles really quickly hopefully Sam .

 

[Mikeyb]

I know the Merc,s had been getting a bit close in the GT races.......

Seriously, can not think of a more deserving owner... Big Congrats

Very kind city. Thank you indeed sir !

 

[Mikeyb]

P1? Pssh, no thanks.
650S sprint? Nah.
How 'bout an MSO High Sport? I'll pass.

Give me a f*ucking Formula 1 car and call it a day.

Unbelievable! This is so damn cool. Now I want to go to Pure McLaren just to see this monster on the track v


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

thanks JG.. still got the others mind ;-)

 

[Mikeyb]

Absolutely unreal! That is fantastic. If you ever bring to the States please let us know, I'd fly to COTA(assuming that's where you'd go) in a heartbeat! Congrats again on pulling this off.

Will you store at your house or does it have a permanent home at MTC unless you're using it?

heh Brandon...

It will most likely be at home with me in the winter and at MTC during the summer so it can be easily moved where it's needed... best of both worlds ! ;-)

 

[Mikeyb]

Seat fitting today.

Fits me perfectly now.

 

[Mikeyb]

MB,
Ever driven a super high downforce thingy? (not sure of your racing background) They are a hoot to come to grips with if you can pardon the pun.

A little.

My first experience of really hi downforce was a early 2000 Renault F1 car, when the team was lotus. I drove it twice, once at hungaroing, once at Paul Ricard.

More recently my 650s gt3 and this year am racing LMP3. So mostly in the 600-700 kg range so will still be a ‘small’ step back up to around 1000 I guess. Most important this year I think is driving again without tc and abs, which has improved my driving a little. Although of course the 22 does have TC.

 

[Mikeyb]

MB,
Likely not applicable to you but I remembered doing a write up after going from bikes to a 2l Sports Racer then a Spice and finally into ChampCars. I just re-read it and it brought back many memories like the guy who just gave me my Super License looking in the rear view mirror of the pace car only to see me loop it behind him on cold tires (as we were forming up for the start)

http://lolachampcar.com/syllabus_for_teaching_a_zero_tim.htm

Very useful thanks Lola. I remember learning about how to brake in high downforce with the lotus f1 guys. Thankfully all makes sense and of course the car communicates hugely so you can feel the downforce bleeding off and adjust brake pressures accordingly. As you’ll remember am sure it’s a wonderful thing when you get it right, and thankfully doesn’t take long at all to get used to.

 

[Mikeyb]

That's top 5 for my favorite F1 car of all time. Holy shit, need videos of this monster

You’d be welcome to come see it TS. Well most likely run it in the US at some point. Would be fun to see for all sorts of aspects. The mechanics are an all star line up themselves. Sennas mechanics, Prost mechanics.. legends of the sport.

 

[Mikeyb]

you said you were gunna drive it at pure mclaren, that still happening?

not this year no.. or at least looks less likely sadly... the team are concentrating on getting the other cars refurbished and being mclaren, they want everything to be perfect before they put the cars back on track.. so sadly have to be a bit patient for now

 

[Mikeyb]

Love it!!
We need to get people like MB to write up their road to competence. I've found it incredibly helpful when those that know share their knowledge. For me in Historics, it was people like Akin, Redman, EFR and the like that were kind enough to share.

happy to share whatever you'd like to know.. none of its a secret... ;-)

 

[Mikeyb]

MB,
Yea, you've driven a high downforce thingy Love the Le Mans win!!

thanks Lola... something that can never be undone.. a very small part of the history of Le Mans... very small, but a part never the less..

 

[Mikeyb]

MB,
By chance did you get anything that looks like this with your car?
http://lolachampcar.com/images/Performance/RideHeight.pdf

sadly not lola… I suspect they still keep that stuff pretty much under wraps even with her being 10 seasons old...