--- title: "Here’s Why You Can’t Move the Driver’s Seat in a McLaren W1" date: "2025-05-16" modified: "2025-05-16" authors: - name: "Nico DeMattia" job_title: "Contributing Writer" link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/nico-demattia" url: "https://www.thedrive.com/news/heres-why-you-cant-move-the-drivers-seat-in-a-mclaren-w1" categories: - "McLaren News" - "News" - "News by Brand" tags: - "mclaren" - "Supercar" --- # Here’s Why You Can’t Move the Driver’s Seat in a McLaren W1 ![McLaren W1 interior]() *\McLaren\* McLaren isn't the only hypercar maker to incorporate fixed seats in its latest masterpiece; rivals like the LaFerrari and [Aston Martin Valkyrie]() have 'em, too. In the case of the [McLaren W1](), though, the company didn't force fixed seats to show off, or charge customers even more money for bespoke seat padding. The W1's seats don't move because that helps it stay as light and aerodynamic as possible. A new video from [McLaren]() explains the rationale behind the fixed seat, and it all revolves around the hypercar's new Aerocell carbon-fiber chassis. Back when the W1 was still a blank sheet of paper, McLaren's engineering team knew it had to reach deep to achieve its weight and drag-coefficient targets. So when it came time to design the new Aerocell chassis, the crew was willing to make any changes necessary. "Fundamental to this project was the aero story," said Andy Sylvester-Thorne, McLaren's head of body structures. "That meant we needed to shrink the Aerocell down in the key areas. One of the key facilitators of that was having a fixed seat because that allowed us to shorten the monocoque." ![]() ![]() ![McLaren W1 seats]() **McLaren** It's a compounding effect, too. With a fixed chair in place, McLaren was not only able to make the front structure more compact but also reduce the height and angle of the A-pillars and roof, improving aerodynamics. More efficient front-end packaging gained by the seats allowed McLaren to push the front axles even further back. They extend outwards through pre-built holes in the carbon fiber front impact pillars, shortening the dash-to-axle ratio and, again, improving aero. It's all explained in the video below, starting at about the 1:10 mark. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BKOkIo8j5OI Long before Sylvester-Thorne worked on the W1, he was also in charge of designing the chassis for the Mercedes-Benz [SLR McLaren](), a project that was led by the legendary and famously obsessive Gordon Murray. In other words, he understands what it means to agonize over the tiniest details to get things just right, and it seems that's exactly what's been done with the McLaren W1. Now, when are we going to get that W1 versus [Ferrari F80]() race? *Got tips? Send ’em to tips@thedrive.com*[]() ## Author Nico is a writer and reviewer from New Jersey who probably thinks he’s a lot funnier than he actually is. His love of cars began when he was just a kid playing Gran Turismo 3, grinding out enough race wins with a Mazda Miata to save up for an in-game RUF 911. That passion for small, lightweight sports cars drove his desire to learn more about the industry, get his hands on as many cars as he could, and bring those experiences to life on the page. He cut his teeth writing about BMWs, Volkswagens, and Audis, mostly, and has owned far too many of each. He’s on his fourth 3 Series sedan, but all of his old, cheap German cars have forced him to learn more about car maintenance than his mechanical capability can handle. Too many late nights have been spent scrambling to get a car running by morning so he could get to work. For some reason, he never seems to learn that old Bimmers probably aren’t the best daily drivers. But he loves more than just old German cars. He’ll gladly drive and discuss anything with four (or even three) wheels. Cars aren’t his only passions, though. Nico is also a big nerd and loves movies, video games, comic books, and cares far too much about the New York Giants. So don’t be surprised if you see football references or dumb, obscure movie quotes in any of his car reviews. ### Author social links [Instagram]() [LinkedIn]()