The ultimate McLAREN holiday
Pack your bags, we've got the perfect trip for F1's summer break
Let’s face it, holidays are about escapism. A chance to break free from the stresses and strains of daily life. An opportunity to be inspired, learn, and crucially, relax. The cost of this escapism? In almost all cases, a lighter wallet! It means that for many of us, our dream holiday remains, well just that. But that’s no reason to stop dreaming.
And if you're not able to go on the trip of a lifetime just yet, we want you to sit back and relax as we take you on the ultimate McLaren holiday…
Strikingly beautiful and engineered to cross continents without breaking a sweat. The decision of how to get from A to B on this grand tour couldn’t be easier. An engaging yet comfortable ride and a generous helping of luggage space, combined with addictive amounts of power and performance, make this the perfect travel companion. It’s time to get behind the wheel of the car that proves you really can have it all: the McLaren GT.
Before crossing the Channel to mainland Europe, a brisk jaunt to southwest England to pick up Lando from Glastonbury. His hometown is steeped in history, myth and legend, and we leave with a reassuring dose of ‘good vibes’ for the journey ahead. We make a detour to nearby Cheddar Gorge. Carved into the Mendip Hills, the twists and turns provide the first opportunity to really stretch the legs of the GT.
Several hundred miles later, we find ourselves in the Champagne region of north-eastern France, cruising along a seemingly innocuous stretch of road commonly known as the D27. But there’s more to this asphalt. A lot more. On it, we find the slumbering Circuit de Reims-Gueux. All that remains of the track where Bruce took victory in 1962 is the start-finish straight. The GT’s V8 howl echoing around the empty pitlane and grandstands which flank it.
Next, we scythe our way through France and into northern Spain. We saunter down the avenues of the picturesque port city of A Coruña to meet Carlos for a few pints of Estrella Galicia 0,0 in Plaza de Maria Pita, just minutes away from where it's brewed. After eating enough tapas to feed a Spanish village, we head to the imposing Estadio Riazor to watch local side Deportivo de La Coruña take on Carlos’ beloved Los Merengues. Hala Madrid!
Time to set our sights on Italy, but not before scaling the dizzying heights of the Swiss Alps – home to some of the most scintillating alpine driving routes in the world – the snowy peaks the perfect excuse for Lando to prove you really can fit a pair of skis in the GT. Time disappears among the sinuous ribbons of asphalt, and a glance at Lando’s exquisite RM 50-03 watch reminds us that check-in at Hilton’s luxurious Rome Cavalieri hotel awaits 500 miles south of the border.
Just as we become accustomed to life in the lavish retreat overlooking the capital, the last leg of our adventure beckons. And fuelled by Huski Chocolate, we escape in the early hours of the morning. The GT’s thunderous V8 roars life into the sleeping city, ahead of a blast across Umbria’s rolling hills. Our final destination is the fearsome Imola circuit, and the chance to pay a visit to a dear friend, a legend, and an inspiration.
The inimitable Ayrton Senna.
