1996 McLaren F1 GTR

The car that we are honoured to present is chassis 16R, one of the final three examples of the nine ’96 spec GTRs. As the supplier of the engine that powered McLaren’s dominant F1 GTR, BMW Motorsport sought to showcase its role in the car’s success. For the 1996 season, BMW launched a semi-works effort at the Le Mans 24 Hours, ordering three of McLaren’s latest F1 GTRs: chassis 16R, 17R, and 18R.

Chassis 16R and 17R were assigned to compete at Le Mans, while 18R was held in reserve. To manage the campaign, BMW enlisted Team Bigazzi, a respected Italian outfit already handling BMW’s German Super Touring programme. The cars were backed by BMW's long-time sponsor, Fina.

The build-up to Le Mans began with pre-qualifying at La Sarthe, where 16R was driven for the first time by Steve Soper. It then participated in the Silverstone 4 Hours as a preparatory race, sporting its Union Flag/La Tricolore Le Mans livery. At Silverstone, Jacques Laffite and Marc Duez gave it a light shakedown, finishing 11th overall.

For the 1996 Le Mans 24 Hours, 16R was designated as the Anglo-French entry, driven by Jacques Laffite, Marc Duez, and Steve Soper. Meanwhile, 17R was the American entry, adorned with Stars and Stripes and piloted by Johnny Cecotto, Nelson Piquet, and Danny Sullivan. After a gruelling race, 16R finished 11th overall and 10th in the highly competitive GT1 class. Following Le Mans, both 16R and 17R were retired from active competition, while the spare 18R participated in three end-of-season races in Brazil.

Unlike its counterparts, which were retained by BMW, 16R was sold after its Le Mans campaign. It found its way into the hands of GTC Motorsport owner Ray Bellm, who converted the car for road use with Lanzante and then offered it for sale in 2003. The car was then acquired by Australian IBM executive Tony Raftis, who brought it to the southern hemisphere. A few years later, 16R returned to the UK after Raftis purchased McLaren F1 road car chassis 009.

Over the years, it has graced numerous prestigious events, including the 2015 Goodwood Members' Meeting, the 2020 Hampton Court Concours d’Elegance, and the 2024 Fuoriconcorso. It has been extensively cared for by Lanzante and McLaren with regular maintenance and invoices dating back to 1998. Contact us now for more information or to arrange a viewing.