A spectacular new book on the McLaren F1 has gained the seal of approval from the ultimate authority on the car – its creator, Professor Gordon Murray CBE.
Murray contributed a foreword to An Illustrated Guide to the McLaren F1 by Joel Fletcher, saying: ‘This book is pure genius and will surely become the definitive document of the art of the McLaren F1.’
The Porter Press book celebrates the F1 in all its guises, from the 64 customer road cars through the GTR racing cars to the extreme long-tail LM models.
Every single car is depicted in original images created by illustrator Joel Fletcher, which show the cars’ original colour schemes, racing liveries and specifications, plus any subsequent changes.
Alongside the fascinating illustrations are details of each car’s history – from the example built for Beatle George Harrison, with hidden elephant logos within it, to the GTR that won the Le Mans 24-hour race in 1995 and the story of the F1 tied up with a Central American drug cartel.
One of the world’s most renowned automotive and motorsport engineers, Gordon Murray spent 20 years in Formula 1 as technical director with the Brabham and McLaren teams. His cars won 50 Grand Prix races and five world championships.
Murray went on to establish McLaren Cars to produce the F1 road car, of which just 106 road and racing examples were ever built. These cars remain enormously appealing to enthusiasts and are hugely valuable. In August 2026 a McLaren F1 GTR sold at auction for more than £25 million.
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The Author
Joel Fletcher is a graphic designer who has a keen interest in cars, and regularly attends car shows and motor sport events. He began producing automotive-themed posters in 2010, initially as a personal project.
Since then he has created more than 100 designs and sold more than 25,000 worldwide. His philosophy, he says, is to design posters that he would like to hang on his own wall. He has also created illustrations for motor industry clients including McLaren, Maserati, Ford, Honda, Tarmac Works, Werks Garage and Geeky Forge.
Fletcher’s garage in Auckland, New Zealand, is home to a supercharged 1987 Toyota MR2 sports car that he has owned for more than 20 years.
more information: porterpress.co.uk
Photo Credit by porterpress.co.uk
