Automobilista 2 | 1997 McLaren MP4/12 Heading To The Simulation

[Paul Jeffrey]

Reiza Studios have confirmed the slightly delayed new mystery car coming to the simulation will be the epic West McLaren Mercedes MP4/12, as driven by Mika Hakkinen and David Coulthard during the 1997 F1 season.

• McLaren MP4/12 will be added as free DLC content.
• The car will be released alongside a new build update for the simulation.

We knew a new car was heading to the simulation as part of this final August build update, and now the cat is out of the bag - the McLaren MP4/12 that raced in the 1997 Formula One World Championship is coming to Automobilista 2 - the final McLaren of the slicks generation before Formula One moved to grooved tyres for 1998.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1296913276291420162

Those of us who can remember 1997 (was it really 23 years ago?!?!?) will recall this particular McLaren had a special trick rear brake system, something that helped the Mercedes powered team to their first victory in Grand Prix racing since the great Ayrton Senna departed the team at the conclusion of the 1993 racing season.

Having found form towards the end of '97, the MP4/12 would act as something of a springboard for the team heading into the new Adrian Newey era for 1998, with Hakkinen catapulting himself into a champion driver for the following two years, while team mate Coulthard continued to rack up occasional race victories as his support wing man at the British team.

McLaren would win three races in 1997 on their way to third and sixth in the Drivers World Championship (following the exclusion of Michael Schumacher post Jerez Villeneuve shunt), and arguably the team produced their most attractive car of recent memory with the striking shape and new Mercedes and tobacco inspired silver livery.



Automobilista 2 is available now, exclusively on PC.

Got questions? Have answers? Want to chat about AMS 2 and don't know where to go? Worry not my friend, we have just the place for you! The Automobilista 2 sub forum here at RaceDepartment welcomes you with open arms - come say hello!

 

[John Addison]

Is there a reason i dont see this update in the states yet ?

 

[Trebor901]

Because its not out yet

 

[Emery]

That whole anti tobacco discussion. Things were different back in 1997, and the car model in sim should be historically accurate recreation.
Licencing of the liveries is different matter, Reiza just might not be in the position to afford one.

You're forgetting that tobacco ads limit who you can market to on Steam.

 

[John Addison]

Because its not out yet

Oh LOL I thought it said Aug 22?

 

[lukasz12]

please check now

 

[Redvaliant]

Yep just got it.1.5gb

 

[Case_]

You say only stupid people let advertising affect what they do... there must be quite a few people on the planet that it would affect then.

Well...

 

[Deleted member 197115]

You're forgetting that tobacco ads limit who you can market to on Steam.

Those should play Mario anyway.

 

[John Addison]

Yeh just dropped right after I asked.

 

[Copef1]

One of the reaon i never watched F1 since 2007, but also the cars looking ugly as hell since then. Today they look like inflated jetwings with four meters of wheelbase and too big/wide underbody. Also i dont like the colored tires, specially the ugly halo and the fact the races are held with only 20 cars. Then i think none of the drivers comes close in terms of "professionalism" and "charisma", that the old ones like Häkkinen, Couldhardt, Frentzen, Barichello, Irvine etc. had back in the days. Sometimes when i watch a interview with the "new guns", they act and look like whiney 8 year boys, wich got its matchboxcar stolen.

Really cannot identify with F1 anymore. Maybe the new reglement changes something. Give me a 24 - 30 car grid, no DRS- and kers bull****, good looking cars (like the ones from 1997 - 2006) as a new modern, safer version, mostly european tracks and drivers, who stop bit***** around over every little contact they made with a other driver. Maybe F1 got me back then.

You know, its funny, but I remember people on forums complaining about the cars and drivers in the late 90's, and early 2000's, saying almost exactly what you are saying here. They talked about how ugly the cars were compared to the 70's and 80's, and about how Hakkinen and Schumacher didn't have the charisma of Lauda, Prost, Piquet, Mansell, and Senna. My guess is that people in the 80's probably complained about how the 80's cars weren't as beautiful as the 60's cars, and the drivers weren't as charismatic as Clark, Hill, Stewart, Brabham, and Rindt.

 

[UMC 22]

You know, its funny, but I remember people on forums complaining about the cars and drivers in the late 90's, and early 2000's, saying almost exactly what you are saying here. They talked about how ugly the cars were compared to the 70's and 80's, and about how Hakkinen and Schumacher didn't have the charisma of Lauda, Prost, Piquet, Mansell, and Senna. My guess is that people in the 80's probably complained about how the 80's cars weren't as beautiful as the 60's cars, and the drivers weren't as charismatic as Clark, Hill, Stewart, Brabham, and Rindt.

Very true, but I think it's also true that 2020 drivers do seem very dull. It's not that they don't have personality and charisma, it's that they're not allowed to show it. With everything being corporate and contracts being a lot more strict than they ever were in the past, drivers have to tow the company line and never say anything controversial. The result is that they come across like robots, all spewing the same set script for a given situation. YAWN.

Anyway, the new McLaren is pretty and seems fun to drive. I had a quick dabble with the fiddle brake thing and was crap, but that's not surprising. It's use is pretty alien to me so it'll take some getting used to. The only thing I don't like is the audio... it's very underwhelming. But unfortunately that is one of this sim's big weak points all round. Still a nice car to have in-game, and hopefully it'll eventually get some playmates.

 

[pennywiseguy]

Not sure if the fiddle brake is a big enough distraction for most people from the bouncing AI cars that either slightly go off a curb or touch another car at a wrong angle. Super springy suspension sending them to space is an odd penalty I don't remember seeing in real life.

Give me all the real life cars you want, but this won't plaster over the seemingly flawed physics or AI calculations that keep rearing their ugly head.

Reminds me of PC2.

 

[M D Gourley]

I am perfectly fine with retro cars, I could care less for GT3 and F1. Not my cup of tea
I wanna see touring cars, retro touring and anything that drives on dirt

Have a look here at the fantastic website...'DEV ROADMAP' along the top Menu ...awesome content in-coming every month till December

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[M D Gourley]

 

[Alex Harkett]

Goes very nicely round Jerez

 

[DC WOLF]

nice one

 

[Cote Dazur]

 

[Renato Simioni]

Not sure if the fiddle brake is a big enough distraction for most people from the bouncing AI cars that either slightly go off a curb or touch another car at a wrong angle. Super springy suspension sending them to space is an odd penalty I don't remember seeing in real life.

Give me all the real life cars you want, but this won't plaster over the seemingly flawed physics or AI calculations that keep rearing their ugly head.

Reminds me of PC2.

While I appreciate ranting is one of the primary functions of the internet, checking the changelog or giving the update a try before commenting would let you know those very issues have been greatly (If not completely) addressed in this update.

In any case we assure no bug fixing was compromised in the production of this car and its fiddle brake

 

[mistascoopa]

Can someone explain what the "track grades" mean? There are 4 graded categories and 1 ungraded category.

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[Dicra]

Can someone explain what the "track grades" mean? There are 4 graded categories and 1 ungraded category.

AUTOMOBILISTA 2 | MOTORSPORTS SIMULATOR | CIRCUITS

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These are the FIA grades, the ungraded category containing tracks which haven't been assessed by FIA inspectors.

As for the grades' explanation:
Grade 1= F1 can race here
Grade 2= Everything except F1 can race here
Grade 3= You may go to this for touring car racing, but don't put LMP cars on it.
Grade 4= Mainly used for club racing.