One of the most important McLaren F1 GTRs ever built is quietly up for sale
10/03/2026
Few race cars from the 1990s carry the same legendary status as the McLaren F1 GTR.
Born from the iconic road-going McLaren F1, the GTR quickly became one of the most dominant endurance racing machines of its era. Now, one of the most historically significant examples ever built chassis 27R, a 1997-specification longtail F1 GTR has surfaced on the market. The car carries an estimated value between $18,000,000 and $21,000,000, reflecting both its rarity and its exceptional racing pedigree.
One of the rarest McLaren race cars ever built
Across its entire production run, only 28 examples of the F1 GTR were built. Among those, just 10 were constructed in the ultimate 1997 longtail specification, making them some of the most sought-after GT racing machines ever produced.
The longtail redesign was McLaren’s answer to increasing pressure from rivals such as the Porsche 911 GT1 and the controversial Mercedes-Benz CLK GTR, both of which were purpose-built homologation specials designed to dominate the FIA GT Championship. To stay competitive, McLaren radically evolved the F1 GTR. The 1997 version introduced:
dramatically extended longtail aerodynamics
a new X-trac sequential gearbox
a revised 6.0-liter BMW V12
extensive weight reduction
The final result weighed just 915 kilograms, roughly 135 kg lighter than the original 1995 GTR, turning it into one of the most extreme GT racers of the decade.
A car with genuine racing pedigree
What makes chassis 27R especially significant is its authentic competition history. The car was originally delivered to David Morrison’s Parabolica Motorsport team, making its racing debut in the 1997 British GT Championship at Silverstone.
The result was immediate: victory on its debut, marking the first race win ever achieved by a longtail F1 GTR. Throughout the 1997 season the car competed in nine rounds of the FIA GT Championship, achieving top-six finishes at some of Europe’s most iconic circuits:
Silverstone
Nürburgring
Spa-Francorchamps
The car was driven by respected racers including Stefan Johansson, alongside Gary Ayles and Chris Goodwin. It was also loaned to Team Lark McLaren for the 1997 edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, one of the most prestigious races in motorsport.
From race car to road-legal icon
Following its competitive career, chassis 27R underwent a meticulous transformation. The car was restored and converted for road use by renowned McLaren specialists Lanzante Limited, the same team responsible for running the winning McLaren F1 at Le Mans in 1995. The project included:
a complete technical rebuild
reinstatement of its original Parabolica racing livery
road-legal conversion
full UK registration
Remarkably, the car retains its original numbers-matching Type S70/3 BMW V12 engine, something rarely seen in historic competition machinery. A recent service carried out by Lanzante alone exceeded £53,000, ensuring the car remains fully operational.
A concours-level collector car
Since being acquired by its current owner in 2018, chassis 27R has appeared at several of the world’s most prestigious automotive events, including:
Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance
Goodwood Festival of Speed
Concours of Elegance Hampton Court
Thanks to its Lanzante conversion and UK registration, the car is also eligible for a wide range of historic driving events such as Le Mans Classic or the Goodwood Festival of Speed hill climb. Few machines combine historic racing pedigree, concours eligibility and road usability quite like this.
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Cars like the McLaren F1 GTR occupy an entirely different universe compared to modern limited-edition supercars. It belongs to the golden era of GT1 racing, when manufacturers pushed engineering boundaries to extraordinary levels and regulations allowed for some of the wildest racing machines ever built.
For collectors, this isn’t simply the chance to buy a McLaren. It’s the opportunity to own a genuine piece of motorsport history.
