Dario Franchitti has pushed the limits of the Gordon Murray Automotive T.50s Niki Lauda and, in the process, given the final green light for the extreme track-only machine to enter production.
The four-time IndyCar champion and three-time Indianapolis 500 winner recently took the prototype to the Bahrain International Circuit for the car’s final Production Approval Test. What followed was more than just a routine shakedown. Franchitti delivered a blistering lap that obliterated the circuit’s established GT3 benchmark by over seven seconds, confirming the T.50s is ready for customers. With the final sign-off complete, Gordon Murray Automotive will now move ahead with building all 25 examples, with deliveries expected to be wrapped up by the middle of 2026.
Franchitti didn’t hold back in his praise after stepping out of the car.
“The T.50s is the most engaging car I’ve ever driven. For pure fun factor, it surpasses all other track-only models, my favourite supercars of all time, and even the race cars I drove to multiple world championship wins.
“Gordon set out to create the greatest on-track driving experience ever. The team has more than delivered. The feedback, responsiveness, performance, sound, visibility, braking, stability… everything… it’s just perfect.”
The Bahrain International Circuit was deliberately chosen for this final stage of development. Its layout is known for placing enormous strain on both mechanical components and cooling systems, making it ideal for testing a car under extreme conditions. The demanding nature of the track allowed engineers to examine how the T.50s coped with repeated heavy braking zones, severe tyre degradation and low-grip surfaces while refining the chassis setup.
During the sessions, Franchitti recorded longitudinal forces of up to 3G under braking. High-speed stability was also pushed to the limit as the car exceeded 296 km/h (184 mph) on the straights. Through the faster corners, lateral loads climbed to an impressive 2.7G.
The record-setting lap came right at the end of the test programme. Franchitti stopped the clock at 1:53.03, comfortably beating the GT3 benchmark that had stood since 2001. That lap effectively sealed the T.50s’ production approval.
The Bahrain test marked the final chapter in a lengthy and meticulous development programme. Every detail of the car has been scrutinised and refined with a single goal in mind: delivering the ultimate driver-focused track experience. Franchitti worked closely with the engineering team throughout the process, ensuring that every aspect of the car’s behaviour was tuned to maximise feedback, balance and engagement behind the wheel.
Back in the UK, production is already underway. Four customer cars are nearing completion, with several others already entering the assembly process. Now that the car has received final approval, engineers will carry out the last stages of calibration. Suspension settings, braking performance, throttle response, engine mapping and other parameters will all be adjusted to match the exact setup signed off by Franchitti during testing.
Professor Gordon Murray, Executive Chairman of the Gordon Murray Group, emphasised that the T.50s was never conceived purely as a lap-time machine.
“This car was never about setting lap times. We simply designed the lightest, optimally-powered, most driver-centric track car possible – with the right formula, speed comes naturally. T.50s is designed from the ground up to deliver the greatest possible on-track driving experience, without compromise.”
The T.50s carries the name of Niki Lauda, the legendary three-time Formula One World Champion and close friend of Murray. Lauda’s unforgettable victory in the 1978 Swedish Grand Prix behind the wheel of the Brabham BT46B fan car remains one of the most iconic moments in engineering-led race car design.
Each of the 25 examples will carry a unique name tied to one of Murray’s first 25 Formula One Grand Prix victories as a designer. It is a subtle but meaningful nod to the deep motorsport heritage that underpins the car.
Professor Murray added: “Naming the car after Niki was deeply personal. He was a great friend and a remarkable racing driver, and I believe he would have appreciated the purity, focus, and engineering integrity that define the car we named in his honour.”
The T.50s sits in a league of its own. The track weapon weighs under 900 kg and is powered by a naturally aspirated 3.9-litre Cosworth-developed V12 producing 761 horsepower (567 kW). The engine delivers its peak output at 11,500 rpm and continues spinning to a remarkable 12,100 rpm.
Power is sent through a bespoke Xtrac six-speed paddle-shift gearbox, while the driver sits in Gordon Murray’s signature central driving position. Aerodynamics play a major role too, with a fully adjustable package capable of generating up to 1,200 kg of downforce.
Almost every major component has been designed specifically for the T.50s. From the carbon fibre monocoque and body panels to the suspension layout and track-focused systems, the car has been engineered as a pure, uncompromising circuit machine.
Each example will be painstakingly assembled in the UK with support from Multimatic, the championship-winning engineering company responsible for numerous motorsport and high-performance vehicle programmes. The collaboration brings together decades of racing and engineering experience, ensuring the T.50s delivers exactly what Gordon Murray set out to achieve.
