First-Person in an 800 Horsepower McLaren M8F Around Laguna Seca

Go for a first-person blast around Laguna Seca with Rick Knoop in a monstrous 1972 McLaren M8F Can-Am.

In 1971 the McLaren M8F was the mightiest of the Can-Am warriors – and that’s saying a lot. Peter Revson took the 1971 1971 Canadian-American Challenge Cup drivers’ title in one, followed closely by his McLaren Cars teammate Denny Hulme in another M8F. Jackie Stewart was a distant third in a Lola T260.

1972 saw the Penske Porsche 917/10 stomp the scene, but the older M8F still did itself proud in the hands of drivers like François Cevert.

In this video, Rick Knoop hustles his 1972 McLaren M8F around Laguna Seca at the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion. He’s hard at work, graciously handling plenty of opposite lock when he opens up the taps. And we get to hop on board for the whole spectacle thanks to a visor-mounted camera.

A bright-blue, 8-litre, 800 horsepower V8 Chevvy McLaren through the corkscrew at full noise? Doesn’t get much better. Turn it up and enjoy!