The brilliant McLaren Artura GT4 race car has been chosen to headline the renowned PalmerSport high performance driving event for 2025, marking the most significant upgrade to the legendary motorsport experience in its 34-year history.
The PalmerSport event was created by ex F1 driver and MotorSport Vision Group (MSV) Chief Executive Jonathan Palmer in 1991, and is world famous for being the only event where amateur participants get to push a fabulous range of fast machinery to the absolute limit.
The stunning road-going McLaren Artura supercar has already been awarded the coveted title of Britain’s Best Driver’s Car by Autocar magazine in 2024, and the GT4 is the dedicated race version, produced by the Woking manufacturer alongside its hugely successful Formula 1 cars, which is raced worldwide in sports GT events.
This extraordinary machine is a 100% racing thoroughbred, with many bespoke motorsport components to enhance performance. Indeed, the fully composite chassis of the Artura GT4 benefits from state-of-the-art McLaren Carbon Fibre Lightweight Architecture (MCLA) to provide significant weight reduction on its GT4 predecessors, as well as an immensely strong and safe survival cell for driver protection.
Behind the cockpit lies a compact, power-dense 3 litre V6 twin turbo power unit revving to 8500 rpm, which is lighter than previous McLaren GT4 engines, and with improved throttle response. The GT4 version has a seven-speed paddle shift gearbox, featuring shorter gear ratios and a mechanical limited slip differential for increased performance.
The Bosch Motorsports engine management system on the GT4 race car has been specially developed by McLaren for the Artura GT4s on the PalmerSport event programme, with a number of engine mapping modes to allow increments of power from 300 to 596 bhp. This enables the instructors to build up available performance to the guests as their skills develop, whilst also limiting power to safe levels for amateurs in wet conditions.
With advanced aerodynamics and slick racing tyres in dry conditions, grip levels are extraordinary, while enormous Alcon racing brakes incorporating a Bosch Motorsport ABS unit will provide huge stopping power and avoid locking wheels, for added safety.
This multi-championship winning Artura GT4 car marks a significant step up from the British marque’s previous GT4 race cars. Since its competitive debut in 2023, the Artura GT4 has established itself as a global benchmark in endurance racing. The car claimed several titles in 2024, including the outright crown in the GT4 European Series, and the top three spots in British GT’s GT4 class.
MSV has purchased seven Artura GT4 race cars to join PalmerSport’s extensive vehicle line-up, and they will run exclusively on the dedicated 1.5 mile South Circuit.
PalmerSport founder and MSV Chief Executive, Jonathan Palmer, said: “The addition of the McLaren Artura GT4 is hugely exciting for PalmerSport, and by far the biggest leap forward in our line-up since I launched the event in 1991.
“My close relationship with McLaren dates back 44 years, when I tested the MP4 F1 car as a reward for winning the British F3 championship in 1981. I then had an amazing time as their official F1 test driver for three years after retiring from Grand Prix racing, and became development driver for the original McLaren F1 supercar. I’m absolutely thrilled that we have finally been able to introduce a McLaren race car on our renowned PalmerSport event.
“What has made this possible is the fact that technological development has enabled McLaren to produce a race car that is not just prodigiously fast, but also very user friendly, so great for not just professional drivers but amateurs too. I drove and evaluated the Artura GT4 extensively at Bedford Autodrome last autumn, and was impressed with how delightful it was to drive. It’s so easy to get comfortable in, with an adjustable pedal box, great forward visibility, simple two pedal control with automatic clutch, very linear throttle response, instant gearshifts at the flick of a paddle, light power steering and ABS brakes.
“Never has such stunning performance been so accessible to amateurs. I can’t wait to see the reaction of our guests as they climb out after their sessions – mind blown, I’m sure!”
The addition of the McLarens to the PalmerSport programme replaces the BMW M4s, which will leave the line-up permanently in early May. The Artura GT4 will be exclusively available to drive as part of the legendary Full Day programme, and the precise details of the Half Day PalmerSport formats for this year will be announced shortly.
PalmerSport’s activity line-up from early May 2025:
- McLaren Artura GT4
- Formula 3000 single-seater
- Palmer JP-LM sports-prototype
- Ginetta G56 GTA
- Caterham Seven PalmerSport Edition
- Land Rover Defender
- Caterham head-to-head pursuit
- Karts
- Hyundai IONIQ 5 N Taster (untimed)
About PalmerSport
PalmerSport is an event where guests drive a fabulous range of exciting machines to the limit at Bedford Autodrome, a unique 800-acre complex including four separate circuits, in one unforgettable day.
Launched by former F1 driver Jonathan Palmer in 1991, PalmerSport maintains a reputation as the world’s greatest driving event, welcoming small groups, individuals and larger corporate parties. All guests receive a full day’s hospitality alongside their time behind the wheel, with superb catering throughout and exceptional hosts and team leaders.
What makes PalmerSport unique and so dominantly successful is that guests are actively encouraged, through skilled tuition by world class instructors, to drive as fast as they wish to, with timing on every circuit activity. Extensive run off areas and sophisticated systems maintain the highest levels of safety.
For more information on PalmerSport visit our website www.palmersport.com
Bookings
PalmerSport operates six days a week (not Sundays) and the season runs from March until early December. However, the updated line-up will not be available until early May. Driving time is always the same, whether you're a private individual attending with family or friends or part of an exclusive corporate booking.
For booking enquiries, call +44 (0)1403 733999 or email [email protected]
*images shown include the McLaren Artura Trophy car. Actual PalmerSport Artura specification may differ slightly