McLaren is to unveil the new GT3 version of its 650S sports car at this year’s Gulf 12 Hours race, which will be held at Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi on 12-13 December.
McLaren GT managing director Andrew Kirkaldy said: “The development programme of the 650S GT3 has been extensive already, with the team testing over thousands of km in various conditions.
“The Gulf 12 Hours will give us the opportunity to fully evaluate the 650S GT3 in a real-life race environment, which presents a very different challenge. It will be the toughest test the 650S GT3 has faced so far — a real race situation with a highly competitive grid in high ambient temperatures.
Any endurance race is a true test of a car, but we are pushing the boundaries with the 650S GT3. We have worked hard to enhance all areas of driver engagement and optimised the cooling without affecting the performance.”
The 650S is powered by a twin-turbo V8 engine; and while it has the same carbon-composite monocoque as the proven MP4-12C, it has a new suspension system, bodywork and transmission assembly.
The Gulf 12 Hours race is one of the most competitive events on the GT calendar. It attracts some of the biggest names in GT racing and is the final headline event of the season. This year’s race is expected to feature around 30 cars in the GT3 category.