If you’re one of those Netflix weirdos who leaves the subtitles off, you’re going to want to revise practices ahead of this video, in which legendary rally pilot Walter Röhrl tests the McLaren F1, then sits down with a drink to hash out his feedback. Sure this video is all in German, but the translation is beyond serviceable—even great, I’d say—and the insights on offer are well worth the minimal effort it takes to break out your reading glasses.
As a bonus, there’s another vehicle brought along for context: Porsche’s ultimate crack at a supercar, the V-10 powered Carrera GT. It’s a barroom debate for the ages, comparing these two legends. Röhrl is right there to lend appropriate weight to the argument, having helped develop the Carrera GT and of course, dominated rallying and road driving in his own time.
I’ve was lucky enough to drive a McLaren F1 at decent speed, but Röhrl is a finely calibrated instrument and I’m more like a crudely cut piece of meat stuffed into a latex glove. As such, Röhrl lends some fascinating insights about the way the F1 feels, how it compares to the Porsche, and where the two cars differ. The whole analysis is delivered the way only a pro driver of Röhrl’s caliber and experience could, without heaps of nostalgia clouding the view.
It’s a fascinating look at a car we’ve all spent years oogling, with takeaways from a test drive you won’t hear or see anywhere else.
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