McLaren F1 vs Ferrari F50

Posted on February 22, 2017 in Comparisons

When we think of sports cars, we think of the Italian name Ferrari which is a name that is almost synonymous with the word ‘racing’. However, McLaren is also not far behind, McLaren Racing Limited being one of the oldest British F1 companies to be established in the history of F1 racing. So, let us take a look at what both these F1 racing cars have to offer, in terms of similarities and differences.

Ferrari F50 and McLaren F1: Similarities

Both of the cars do have quite a few similar features. Here are a few of them:

Both the cars are from the same period that is early to mid-nineties.

Manual 6 gear gearboxes for both models.

Both cars also weigh approximately the same, the Ferrari F50 is 1,230 kg and the McLaren F1 is a bit lighter at 1,138 kg.

The Ferrari F50 and McLaren F1 share the unique feature of having three seats instead of the standard two in regular sports cars.

These are just a few of the similarities between the two F1 sports cars. Each one is, however, unique in its own special way, so here are the finer details of each model:

Ferrari F50

Built in 1995, this Italian racing car is a standard sports car in the roadster class. It also has a removable hardtop, and the engine has evolved from its predecessor’s engine of the Ferrari 641. Although the engine is well-suited for the racetrack, it is well-adaptable for city roads as well.

Hi-tech materials like carbon fiber, Kevlar and Nomex are used for making the accessories which give the interiors of the car a classy F1 feel. However, there is a lot normal about the Ferrari F50 which keep it from getting the reputation of being the new ‘brat on the block’ by any stretch of the imagination.

Lack of power steering and traction control, without four-wheel drive or four-wheel steering, adds to the plain image that this car brings up.

The clutch and gearshifts are quite smooth which makes the car comfortable to drive on city roads. At low speeds, the car is rather mediocre, to say the least, but the F1 race feeling starts to come at higher speeds.

So to sum it up, the Ferrari F50 is a stable car, powerful within limits, but not a super-charged beast waiting to spring raw, uncontrolled power at every touch of the gas pedal.

McLaren F1

The McLaren F1, on the other hand, is a reckoning pack of power with the smoothness that comes from world class suspensions. 0 to 125 mph in just 5.4 seconds, the car has some really decent power. While you zoom along the blacktop at 150 mph, it is as steady as a rock, tempting you to push 180, if the situation allows you to. It is a car so focused on speed, that once you touch the gas pedal, you probably won’t be driving it legally unless you are on a race track.

That having been said about the speed and stability, the McLaren F1 also has some other endearing features like the precision steering and an awesome 479 pound-feet of torque between 4000 and 7000 rpm with help of the BMW’s variable timing engine.

The interiors offer a central driving seat, which gives excellent front visibility to the driver, with two passenger seats on either side, all comfortable and cozy.

The only drawback is the brakes which are a bit jerky at slow speeds, due to the powerful brake pads which are more suited for handling speeds in the region of 200 mph.

Our Take

Looking at the Ferrari F50 and the McLaren F1, and having carefully considered the pros and cons of each, the verdict is now clear, and the winner is…The McLaren F1! The combination of smoothness, comfort, and speed of this car makes it one that you can be proud to own, and almost 20 years later, the McLaren F1 is still a coveted dream machine amongst all the later beasts that have followed it.

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