---
title: "Ferrari F40 vs. McLaren P1 Drag Race Shows What a Difference 25 Years Can Make"
description: "It was never going to be close. But an F40 is still pretty fast."
date: "2020-11-06"
modified: "2020-11-06"
authors:
  - name: "Chris Tsui"
    job_title: "Contributor"
    link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/chris-tsui"
url: "https://www.thedrive.com/news/37473/ferrari-f40-vs-mclaren-p1-drag-race-shows-what-a-difference-25-years-can-make"
categories:
  - "Ferrari News"
  - "McLaren News"
  - "News"
  - "News by Brand"
tags:
  - "Ferrari"
---

# Ferrari F40 vs. McLaren P1 Drag Race Shows What a Difference 25 Years Can Make

![](<https://www.thedrive.com/wp-content/uploads/images-by-url-td/content/2020/11/McLaren-and-Ferrari-Hero.jpg>)
*\<em\>www.thedrive.com</em>*

Yes, drag racing a modern hybrid hypercar against something roughly 25 years its senior might very well be an exercise in asking questions you already know the answer to. When you're given access to a [McLaren P1](<https://www.thedrive.com/news/33176/this-track-only-mclaren-p1-gtr-got-transformed-into-a-street-legal-weapon>), a [Ferrari F40](<https://www.thedrive.com/news/37142/goals-drive-your-ferrari-f40-when-you-turn-80-like-this-guy>) and an empty runway, though, it'd almost be rude not to. This is exactly what the folks at *Lovecars* on YouTube, a group that includes *Top Gear* and *Fifth Gear* alum Tiff Needell, have done.

Despite them being worlds apart, both the P1 and F40 use mid-mounted, twin-turbo V8s as well as a whole lot of carbon fiber but that's pretty much where the similarities stop. The McLaren's power unit is a 3.8-liter hybrid while the Ferrari uses a 2.9-liter and comes from a time when the Prius was just a twinkle in Toyota's eye. As a result, the P1 produces 903 horsepower and gets to 62 mph in 2.8 seconds, almost double the ponies and a good amount quicker than the F40's 471 hp and official zero to 62 time of 4.1 seconds.

The Ferrari also uses a five-speed manual while the McLaren benefits from a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic. The Italian car's gated manual might win big emotional points but doesn't really count for much in the context of a [drag race](<https://www.thedrive.com/news/33552/honda-civic-driver-loses-drag-race-to-a-horse>).

With all that in mind, it really shouldn't be a surprise which car comes out victorious in a head-to-head sprint (or, in the P1's case here, a light and respectful jog).

https://youtube.com/embed/NqsBncRslsg

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h/t: [*Motor1*](<https://www.motor1.com/news/452786/mclaren-p1-ferrari-f40/>)

## Author
Chris Tsui is *The Drive*'s former Reviews Editor and current freelance automotive journalist. He's based in Toronto.

### Author social links  
[Instagram](<https://www.instagram.com/cltsuii/>)