McLaren is back on track! The Woking firm has today confirmed that it will sell a limited number of GT3 racing cars based on the MP4-12C to private teams. The first cars will be available for the 2012 season and will be sold to European-based privateers.
15 years since the McLaren F1 GTR won the world-famous Le Mans 24-hour race, McLaren and UK-based team CRS Racing have begun a comprehensive development programme to turn the MP4-12C into a competitive GT3 car. As part of the build-up to sales in 2012, the team will enter the car in selected rounds of the European GT series in 2011.
Martin Whitmarsh, boss of the McLaren Mercedes F1 Team said: “Racing is in our blood – it was natural to develop a GT3 car alongside the 12C road car. We have a legendary history in global motorsport, including GT racing, and we aim to maintain that reputation with this GT3 programme, and any future sports car projects that may evolve.”
Initial plans are for a limited run of 12Cs developed for the 2012 European FIA GT3 Series, but, as with McLaren Automotive’s road car business, conservative growth and expansion will be considered.
CRS Racing will build, sell and support the 12C GT3 cars in close collaboration with McLaren. The Leicestershire-based racing team has a strong pedigree in GT racing in the Le Mans Series, the FIA GT Championship, the International GT Open and the British GT Championship. CRS also runs two successful single-seater teams: in the Formula Renault UK Championship and as Atech CRS in the GP3 Series. 
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