British racing team McLaren is marking its long association with the Goodwood Motor Circuit by taking three of its most famous turbocharged race cars to the 72nd Members’ Meeting on 29-30 March.
The headline act will be Niki Lauda’s McLaren MP4/2-01, which brought the Austrian driver home ahead of Alain Prost by just half a point in the 1984 Formula 1 season.
The engine hasn’t been turned over since 2009, or the car driven in anger in 30 years, so it has undergone a major refresh prior to the event. McLaren engineers have stripped the suspension and fuel injectors, serviced the gearbox and fitted new seatbelts and tyres in preparation for the drive.
Lauda’s MP4/2-01 is due to be demonstrated by Stoffel Vandoorne, a GP2 rookie with McLaren’s Young Driver Programme.
A McLaren MP4/2B from Prost’s 1985 campaign will also be making the trip to Goodwood. It was the car that allowed the Frenchman to avenge his narrow loss to teammate Lauda the previous year, helping him to take the championship with 23 points to spare.
The trio is completed with Prost’s Marlboro-liveried MP4/2C-05, which carried the world champion to his second consecutive victory in 1986. It was last seen at Goodwood at the 2010 Festival of Speed when it was driven up the hill by Jenson Button, and is set to be on show in the paddock area.
Button has plenty of experience of the Chichester circuit, having driven a McLaren P1 at Goodwood last year. The firm's latest hyper-car will be taking over course car duties at the 72nd Members' Meeting, and those who buy tickets will be in with the chance of winning a hot lap at the hands of one of the team's drivers.
