THE McLaren F1 is considered, and rightly, as one of the best supersports ever. Innovative, it also became the fastest car ever until a certain Bugatti Veyron appeared on the scene. But for a 25-year-old car, the fact that it's still the fastest atmospheric engine car ever — 391 km/h verified — remains remarkable.
Not only was it the first road car built in carbon fiber, a set of unique features would eventually make it the automotive legend it is today.
Among them is, of course, the central driving position . It's not a common solution. Even today's McLaren take on a conventional driving position, with the driver's seat on one side of the vehicle.
So why did you decide to put the driver in half in F1? If there is anyone who can answer this question, it is the creator of McLaren F1, mr. Gordon Murray. We can say that the central driving position allows for better visibility or even a better balance of the masses, and these are all valid reasons. But the main reason, according to Mr. Murray, was to solve a problem that affected all supersports of the 80's: the positioning of the pedals.
Like? Positioning the pedals?!
We have to go back to the 80s, early 90s, and realize what super sports we were talking about. Ferrari and Lamborghini were the main representatives of this species. Countach, Diablo, Testarossa and F40 were an enthusiast's dream and were part of the decor of any teenager's room.
Spectacular and desirable machines, but unfriendly to humans. Ergonomics was generally an unfamiliar word in the world of supersports. And it started right away with the driving position - in most cases poor. Steering wheel, seat and pedals were rarely aligned, forcing the body to be incorrectly positioned. The legs were forced to go further into the center of the car, where the pedals were located.
As Gordon Murray explains in the movie, he tested several supersports to see what he could do better. And the driving position was one of the critical aspects to be improved. Putting the driver in the center allowed avoiding the generous wheel arches, as they had to accommodate very wide tires, and thus creating a driver's seat where all the elements were where ergonomically they should be.
It is still one of its most valued characteristics today, even though it brings some difficulties in accessing the central command post.
Murray continues in the film to highlight aspects of the McLaren F1 — from its carbon fiber structure to its performance — so we only regret the short film not being subtitled in Portuguese.