There are many perks of being a professional race car driver. One of them is showing up to a special celebration in a 690-horsepower supercar.
Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, the two drivers for the McLaren Formula 1 Team, did just that during the sport’s break. The two drivers showed up at the McLaren Production Centre in a pair of McLaren Artura Spider hybrid convertibles.
The purpose of the trip to the facility was simple — to celebrate Piastri’s first F1 victory and the fact that the team scored 10 consecutive podium finishes. Piastri won the Hungarian Grand Prix in July, one of his three podium finishes in the four races leading up to the break.
The two drivers had ample opportunity to enjoy their respective Artura Spiders as they followed the lake road into the packed facility. They both expressed a desire to do burnouts and donuts, but they ultimately decided to drive respectfully toward the awaiting McLaren employees.
“I’ll give you my race bonus if you do a burnout in the Boulevard,” Piastri joked as the two drivers pulled into the McLaren Production Centre.
The McLaren Artura Spider is brand-new for 2025
Having the two F1 drivers take control of the Artura Spider was a fitting choice considering that they drive for the automotive brand’s F1 team. It also served as an opportunity to show off the hybrid convertible.
McLaren originally unveiled the Artura coupe back in 2021. However, the car did not go on sale in the United States until last year. The automaker then revealed an updated version in February 2024 while showing off a host of improvements.
Chief among the changes for 2025 was the introduction of the Spider, McLaren’s first hybrid convertible. This vehicle included a retractable hardtop, improved suspension, and even more horsepower.
The Artura Spider still features the 3.0-liter V-6 engine mated to an electric motor that debuted in the coupe. However, McLaren increased the maximum horsepower output to 690 while keeping the torque at 531 lb.-ft. The compact axial flux E-motor provides 94 horsepower.
The automaker said that the car features improved torque delivery through revised engine mapping.
McLaren said the Artura Spider, which is electronically limited to 205 mph, can go from zero to 60 mph in three seconds. The hybrid convertible can reach 124 mph in 8.4 seconds.