I was recently invited out to Circuit of the Americas to take part in the Pure McLaren Experience, events that are normally reserved exclusively for owners of McLaren vehicles. The program was created to give owners of McLaren cars a wide range of driving experiences on some of the best tracks in the world.
A basic Pure McLaren Experience starts at $1,550 per person and gets you a half day on the track that includes three track sessions with a McLaren Driver Coach and VIP hospitality including lunch. If you are more advanced a driver, more adventurous, or you want to be a real racing driver, the team at McLaren has several options, from 'arrive and drive' programs to their Performance Academy, that upon completion, grants the student an IMSA license.
In Europe, Pure McLaren is also host to the FIA Certifed Pure McLaren Championship, which allows amateur drivers to compete in a spec McLaren series at some of the best tracks in Europe. A series that will be expanding to the USA in the near future giving McLaren owners in the USA an 'arrive and drive' series that is perfect for the gentleman (or woman) racer.
After sitting down for an interview with McLaren CEO, Mike Flewitt and a few other drivers who were taking part in the event, I was asked to head to the changing room where a McLaren racing suit was hanging with my name on it, it was time to hit the track with champion racing driver Mia Flewitt (yes she is married to Mike) and see what it is like to take a McLaren GT4 car out on the track.
After a few hot laps around the home of the US Grand Prix, I was blown away with the performance of the McLaren and was smiling ear to ear. While this was a very well organized and professional event, everyone on the McLaren team is approachable, passionate about cars, and excited about what they are doing. Likewise, the owners who I met at the event were true enthusiasts, while McLaren is a prestigious brand, the owners I met didn't buy the cars for the badge, they bought the car they felt was the best performance car available.
I had an amazing time at the Pure McLaren experience and if you are a McLaren owner I would encourage you to attend one. Check out my two YouTube videos on my day at the track as well as more photos and a program outline below:
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