With the 2016 Formula One 
season already underway, McLaren has released quite a spectacular video showing team driver Jenson Button jumping in the MP4-31 race car from an Airbus A400M. Yup, that’s no typo. Button was dropped from the sky in a Formula One car from a military cargo aircraft that can carry two 8×8 armored vehicles. Not only that, but it landed directly onto a race track and put McLaren’s new single-seater through it paces before crossing the finish line with the massive airplane only a few feet above.
It’s obviously a nice piece of filmmaking, as McLaren wouldn’t risk an air-drop of an expensive F1 car, but such a stunt wouldn’t be impossible given that this airplane is being used to drop tanks and other armored vehicles. I guess it’s a nice way to grab the attention of racing gearheads after an unfortunate 2015 season with the new Honda power units and several reliability issues.
Hollywood-worthy stunts aside, the two-minute video is promoted as a teaser for the 2016 season. The problem is that it comes several days after the championship hosted its maiden race, the Australian Grand Prix, at the Melbourne Circuit. Not surprisingly, Mercedes-AMG scored yet another 1-2 win, while McLaren ended the event with Jenson Button in 14th and Fernando Alonso retired after only 16 laps.
If only McLaren’s performance at the track would be as spectacular as this video…