The Hypercar Reference Point

Gordon Murray's brief was simple: build the best driver's car in the world, with no compromises. Three decades later most enthusiasts still agree he succeeded. Our FH6 entry lists the F1 as a 1993 RWD Class S1 Classic Sports car with the mid-engine, V12, and supercar tags. Status: expected. Forza has carried the McLaren F1 in every Horizon and Motorsport entry since FM3, and there's zero scenario in which Playground Games skips it.

How to Unlock the McLaren F1 in FH6

Autoshow Purchase

FH5 listed the McLaren F1 in the Autoshow at 15,000,000 CR. Expect FH6 to retain that price tier, possibly bumped to 15–18M CR given general post-launch credit inflation. The F1 is not behind a player level gate beyond the natural credit grind.

Backstage Pass

The F1 is a Backstage Pass headliner in FH5 and almost certainly in FH6 as well. Backstage Passes are awarded for completing seasonal Festival Playlists. Saving 4–5 passes lets you redeem the F1 directly without needing 15M CR.

Festival Playlist — Forza Edition

An F1 Forza Edition with a credit-boost or skill-boost perk has been a recurring 80-point Festival Playlist reward in FH4 and FH5. Expect the same in FH6 — likely tied to a "British Icons," "Woking Heritage," or "Hypercar Origins" season.

Auction House

Standard F1 listings on the AH usually start at 15M CR Buyout (the cap in FH5) — slightly under Autoshow. Pre-tuned community builds sell at the cap routinely. Snipe early Sunday morning for the best deals.

Real-World Background

McLaren's road-car division built 106 F1s between 1992 and 1998, including 64 standard road cars, 28 race versions (GTRs), 5 LMs, 3 GTs, and a handful of prototypes. The carbon monocoque chassis weighed 1,140 kg dry — almost 500 kg lighter than a 2024 Ferrari SF90. The 6.1-liter BMW S70/2 V12, designed by Paul Rosche, makes 627 hp at 7,400 rpm with no turbocharging. The center driving position with two flanking passenger seats remains unique in production cars. In March 1998 a standard F1 hit 386.4 km/h (240.1 mph) at VW's Ehra-Lessien test track, with the rev limiter raised — a record that stood until the Bugatti Veyron in 2005. Auction prices today routinely clear USD 20 million.

In-Game Performance

Stock the McLaren F1 sits at S1 (~870 PI) in FH5, with 627 hp and 1,140 kg dry. 0–100 km/h: 3.2 seconds; top speed: 386 km/h. The F1 in Forza is famous for its razor-sharp throttle response — naturally aspirated V12 with no turbo lag, instantaneous power on demand. Tuning options push it to S2 (920+ PI) with a single-turbo conversion, or X-class (~975 PI) with race transmission and aero. The community sweet spot is a 900 PI S2 build retaining the stock V12 audio. Watch for oversteer at full throttle — the F1 has very little inherent stability above 250 km/h without the rear airbrake deployed.

Best Events to Run It In

  • S1 Road Racing — the F1 is the reference S1 hypercar, balanced against the F40, NSX-R, and 993 RS.
  • Goliath — long straights play to the V12's torque curve and the F1's astonishing top speed.
  • S2 Tour events — at 900 PI the F1 holds its own against tuned 993 GT2s and Diablos.
  • Showcase / Cinematic events — the F1 is a default headliner for any "1990s hypercar" themed showcase.

Alternatives if You Can't Get It

Three substitutes from the FH6 catalog: the Ferrari F50 (1995 NA V12, F1's closest period rival), the Ferrari F40 (1992, twin-turbo V8, Enzo's last car), and the McLaren F1 GTR Longtail (the race version, much wilder, S2-class).