My FM Log: King's Weapon

The McLaren Senna and the Aston Martin Valkyrie are British hypercars performing exceptionally well not just on the road, but also on the track. With its track-only equivalents roaring in the Forza Motorsport game, it's time to exploit them further.

How do these two hypercar-turned-track weapons differentiate themselves? Let's begin with the McLaren Senna GTR, the track-only version of the King of McLaren Ultimate Series.

Revealed as a concept in 2018 and spawned into a limited-production model moments later, the Senna GTR transforms the already track-proven hypercar with even more potential.

The 4.0L V8 twin-turbo engine from its road-going equivalent remains the same, meaning it still produces 814hp of power, but it's mated to a racing transmission McLaren says it's faster in a straight line compared to the normal Senna.

In addition to its race-tuned aerodynamics that generate 1000kg of downforce, the Senna GT-R comes with a revised double wishbone suspension and slick Pirelli tires for improved grip.

The track-only Senna GT-R is limited to 75 units sold.

Now, let's get to know the Aston Martin Valkyrie AMR Pro, the closest thing you can get from a Formula 1 car.

Based on the Valkyrie hypercar, the AMR Pro is a track-only version that delivers the same performance and dynamics just like a Formula 1 car.

In addition to its more aggressive aerodynamic upgrades that add more dimension compared to the normal Valkyrie, making it capable of achieving lateral acceleration of more than 3G, the AMR Pro ditches the Valkyrie's hybrid system, trading power for weight loss. The 6.5L Cosworth V12 NA engine remains, producing over 1000PS of power.

During testing, the Valkyrie AMR Pro lapped the Le Mans circuit in 3 minutes 20 seconds, delivering the same performance as an LMP1-class race car.

Only 40 were made and sold. Customers who bought the Valkyrie AMR Pro have gained access to a bespoke track day experience at select FIA-approved circuits worldwide as well as other privileges.

To bring out the anger of the beast from these two track versions of British hypercars, I'm heading to Silverstone and find out which of them is the superior king. Let's roll the tapes.

And now, the results...

Senna GTR - 2m11.792s

Valkyrie AMR Pro - 1m52.599s

Thanks to its F1 know-how carried over from its road-legal equivalent as well as other track-based improvements, the Valkyrie AMR Pro massively sliced the Senna GTR into bits around Silverstone.

Regardless of today's result, I'm extremely satisfied that the Senna GTR and the Valkyrie AMR Pro are truly at home in the new Forza Motorsport game because this game served as a chance to demonstrate their de-restricted track capabilities against the world's most demanding race tracks.

Come try Britain's most extreme track weapons in Forza Motorsport if you're brave enough. You're welcome to do so.

My FH5 Log: Who is the ultimate Horizon Hero?

As the Forza Horizon 10th Anniversary celebration came to its bittersweet end, it's time to find out which of the Horizon hero cars is the ultimate Horizon Hero. Will it be the SRT Viper GTS? The Lamborghini Huracan? The Lamborghini Centenario? The McLaren Senna? Or the Mercedes-AMG Project One?

Five Horizon heroes are gathered at the Volcan Sprint and all they have to do is to set the fastest time, ultimately deciding once and for all who is the ultimate Horizon Hero. It's all or nothing now. It's do-or-die for these machines as they are giving this Forza Horizon 10th anniversary celebration the ideal sendoff I've envisioned.

Without further ado, let the battle commence. GO!

With their bravery tests done, here are the results;

Viper - 3m18.665s

Huracan - 3m08.155s

Centenario - 3m00.864s

Senna - 2m51.905s

One - 2m52.890s

So, after ten years of enjoying the Forza Horizon series since the first one up to now, this is the ultimate Horizon Hero. The McLaren Senna, the hero car of Forza Horizon 4, is the ultimate Horizon Hero.

FOREVER KING.

And that's a wrap! This is the end of the Forza Horizon 10th Anniversary celebration. The celebration has ended but our journey on Forza Horizon 5 continues because there will be more surprises in store, starting with tomorrow's Donut Media collaboration series update as well as December's holiday series update. There will be more to come this 2023 so stick around!

Here's to ten more years of the Horizon Festival! 

The party never ends...

My FH5 Log: Horizon Heroes - McLaren Senna

Our Forza Horizon 10th anniversary celebration concludes with the showcasing of the hero car of Forza Horizon 4, the McLaren Senna.

Launched on October 2, 2018, Forza Horizon 4 made players experience Horizon UK in four seasons. Every week, the seasons have changed, giving players different ways to explore Britain while taking on weekly Festival Playlist challenges to win prizes as well as new cars. While exploring Britain, players can unlock Car Mastery perks on each car, experience unique challenges in Horizon Stories, purchase properties, and more. They can even create their own racetracks as well. 

Post-launch, Forza Horizon 4 was blessed with two expansions; the Fortune Island and LEGO Speed Champions. After that, the FH4 experience got powered up with the Eliminator battle royale mode and Horizon Super7. The latter pits players against seven player-made challenges to tackle. Clear them all, and you'll win a big prize. Forfeit, then it's game over.

With the launch of the Xbox Series X and S consoles in late 2020, FH4's been optimized for the latest consoles with higher fidelity graphics in 4K at 60fps as well as Quick Resume support.

About the hero car, the McLaren Senna is named in honor of the legendary three-time Formula 1 champion Ayrton Senna and it is the personification of McLaren's DNA at its most extreme, creating the purest connection between driver and car. The Senna is limited to 500 units and all have been already spoken for. As the ultimate McLaren designed to challenge the impossible, the Senna is a track-focused, road-legal hypercar that sets the new standard for McLaren. The 4.0L V8 Twin Turbo engine was sourced from the 720S but produces 800PS of power and 800Nm of torque, making it the most powerful internal combustion engine McLaren has ever built but it's not just the engine that powers it because with its outrageous weight savings as well as the lightweight carbon fiber core that forms it, it's the lightest McLaren ever made since the F1 with 1200kg of dry weight. This means that the Senna delivers a 668PS-per-tone power-to-weight ratio.

With the introduction done, it's time to take the Senna to the peak of the dormant volcano while battling against the most elite drivers. Let's see if it's still the king I'm familiar with since my Horizon UK shenanigans. Let battle commence.

Still the king.

Now that we get to know the hero cars of the Forza Horizon series, I think I had a brilliant idea with these machines and since I have found the ideal venue, it's time to bring all of the Horizon heroes for the ultimate showdown. The SRT Viper GTS, the Huracan, the Centenario, the Senna, and the AMG One will be clashing against one another on a sprint run at the Volcan, just to find out who is the ultimate Horizon hero.

Brace yourselves because this will be the decider that will end Forza Horizon's 10th-anniversary celebration. Who will be the ultimate Horizon hero? Stay tuned!

Forza Horizon 4: Livin' the Series Life

In case you really really really missed it, Forza Horizon 4 has now been enhanced for Xbox Series X and Series S users since the launch of the newest Xbox consoles.

What that means is thanks to the strengths of the newest Xbox console, playing Forza Horizon 4 has never felt so alive and thanks to the console's speed and power, loading times have been sharply cut to near none, meaning if you are going to start the game right now, it really means right now. Don't worry though because most of the progress you've worked so hard in this game while on Xbox One is already carried over from the Series X upgrade. Of course, you still need to install most of the DLC packs including the Fortune Island and LEGO Speed Champions expansion you've bought from it to get the most out of it.

To experience the difference the Series X/S enhanced version of FH4 can do, let's redo some of the finales in the game starting with the time I've driven the McLaren Senna at The Goliath. Roll the tape!

Courtesy of the folks from Panic Button, the Series X/S enhanced version of Forza Horizon 4 is more dynamic, livelier, and sharper than the original Xbox One version, giving you plenty of reasons to enjoy your British escapades even more. Of course, results may vary because if you are planning to record the whole thing, well knock yourselves but remember; while recording FH4 gameplay video on the Xbox Series X or S, recording 1080p videos is limited to four minutes while less-quality but compact 720p ones are limited to 10 minutes, which is enough to record the whole Goliath track attack but it's hard to tell.

Now, let's redo the time the Urus takes on The Leviathan at Fortune Island and the LEGO McLaren Senna takes on the LEGO Goliath at LEGO Valley, just to take a much deeper look at how much difference the Series X/S enhanced version of Forza Horizon 4 made for your driving pleasure.

Roll the tapes!

Although it's hard to tell the difference, let's remember that thanks to the capabilities of the newest Xbox console, playing Forza Horizon 4 never felt so alive with more dynamic graphics and lesser loading times. Of course, even while you're playing this game on a new console, you can still expect great content coming up to this game.

Your British escapades just got better. Welcome back to Forza Horizon 4.

FH4 LEGO Speed Champions: The King's Work is Never Done!

The real McLaren Senna that ruled Horizon UK in style and performance truly is a king on its own right and in the LEGO Valley, its LEGO-fied equivalent is no exception because despite being made mostly out of LEGO bricks, it behaves just like the real thing.



The LEGO Speed Champions McLaren Senna is the star of the show, at least in LEGO Valley, and just like its real-world equivalent, the LEGO-fied Senna opens doors to everyone who set their wheels in the awesome world of LEGO the same way the normal McLaren Senna did to Horizon UK newcomers. At the hands of LEGO Valley's Master Builder, wielding the power of the LEGO McLaren Senna is like you are ruling LEGO Valley with an iron throne, minus the throne and the iron. Just a LEGO-fied iron throne, perhaps?



When the LEGO McLaren Senna battles against the real McLaren Senna at LEGO Valley, it's like the two kings from two different worlds clashing each other, in my mind. Anyway, want to see the action unfold?



So, the McLaren Senna truly is the king of Horizon UK but in the LEGO Valley, it's the LEGO version that truly wears the crown but hey, at least these two kings had the time of their lives in this awesome battlefield.



However, the King's work is never done because having managed to build the entire Master Builder's House as well as a LEGO plane, I've unlocked the LEGO Goliath challenge, which is the ultimate battleground for Master Builders of the LEGO Valley, and since the LEGO McLaren Senna is the star of the show, it wants to finish where it all started, like almost every single Forza cover car I know.

The LEGO Goliath challenge maybe long but at the speed of where the LEGO McLaren Senna goes, it will take less than five minutes to have the whole footage recorded but despite the short time to finish, the corners at the LEGO Goliath are tricky at high speeds and the way the LEGO McLaren Senna handles is like the struggle is real. It really hurts when you try to handle through the bends at high speeds and if you are being chased like ghosts, here's a little reminder; watch your backs.

Anyway, with the promise to give you the footage, here goes. Enjoy the ride.





The king has crowned in LEGO Valley at long last and it feels like the very moment the normal McLaren Senna fought The Goliath and won.

The battle at the LEGO Goliath maybe well and truly over but our work at the LEGO Valley is never done because there's still so much stuff to do like completing the brick challenges, conquer remaining races, and overall, stay awesome.

Like I said, the King's work is never done, especially at LEGO Valley. Happy trails!

Forza Horizon 4: Road to the King!

It's a Horizon Festival tradition to have a road racing track called The Goliath and the United Kingdom is no exception to this tradition. True to the name, it covers the entire map and only festival goers who performed outstanding results in various events can only unlock The Goliath on Forza Horizon 4.



The car I've selected to take on The Goliath is none other than the McLaren Senna, the cover car of Forza Horizon 4, and interestingly, this is definitely the right thing to do because this is like what they said, "where it all began, where it all will end." The Senna started this story on the roads of Britain when the game began and now, it must pen its endgame right here, right now, whatever it takes.

If you are wondering why I went stock, it's because the Senna wants to prove that it wants to fight like a man so with all of its upgrades stripped, the brave Senna takes on all comers in an epic Goliath battle across the roads of Britain, no matter how scary or intimidating its opponents may be, even the sleeper cars who look like stock cars but with crazy stuff under the hood. I know, I've faced them many times.



From the Ambleside suburbs to the mountains of Glen Rannoch, the streets of Edinburgh, the beaches of Bamburgh, all the way to the suburbs of Broadway, The Goliath is a massive track layout only the bravest festival goers are chosen to take on the ultimate Horizon challenge. Combining this terrifying layout with the Senna's terrifying dynamics and the result is a very terrifying experience where the only focus you must shift on is only the road and nothing else so if you are up to the extreme, then do it. Just do it with your heart's desire if you are chosen to take on The Goliath.

One more thing, if you went off course or if you got spun out, you might as well kiss your dignity goodbye.

This place and this adventure really mean so much to me. Having ventured through every single nook and cranny across Britain, driving some of the most fantastic vehicles in history, meeting some of the most formidable rivals, and taking on the most grueling challenges ahead, I feel like I'm getting accustomed to what this great country offers to me, even when Brexit draws near no matter the delays. I have grown a lot from this experience and now, here I am, ready to take on the ultimate challenge to see if I have the right to say "king me" to the rest of the festival.

The road to the king is on. Let's do this. For the throne!



This is definitely the most terrifying challenge I have ever taken on but I came, I saw, and I conquered The Goliath! Woo-hoo!



Where it all began, where it all will end. The Senna welcomed drivers to an epic journey across Britain at the beginning of Forza Horizon 4 and now, we've penned a happy ending after slaying The Goliath with its speed, determination, skills, and luck. We have conquered Horizon Festival UK but there are still so many things we haven't tried out so with that, even with The Goliath well and truly over, the Horizon adventure across Britain lives on.

This is not the end. This is only the beginning.

Forza Horizon 4: Senna Time

The all-new McLaren Senna, the latest Ultimate Series masterpiece, is the image car of Forza Horizon 4 and because this game is set in the United Kingdom, what better way to showcase the beauty of Great Britain than crowning the newest McLaren as its king? Tell you what, let's have a quick chat about the McLaren Senna.



Hailed as the successor to the legendary McLaren P1 in the Ultimate Series lineage, the McLaren Senna is named in honor of the legendary three-time Formula 1 champion Ayrton Senna and it is the personification of McLaren's DNA at its most extreme, creating the purest connection between driver and car. The Senna is limited to 500 units and all have been already spoken for.



As the ultimate McLaren designed to challenge the impossible, the Senna  is a track-focused, road-legal hypercar that sets the new standard for McLaren. The 4.0L V8 Twin Turbo engine was sourced from the 720S but produces 800PS of power and 800Nm of torque, making it the most powerful internal combustion engine McLaren has ever built but it's not just the engine that powers it because with its outrageous weight savings as well as the lightweight carbon fiber core that forms it, it's the lightest McLaren ever made since the F1 with 1200kg of dry weight. What this means that the Senna delivers 668PS-per-tone of power-to-weight ratio. That's more than you get from the Bugatti Veyron. With that, the Senna can reach up to 124mph in less than seven seconds and a top speed of 211mph, which is less than what the Lamborghini Aventador can do but doesn't matter because the true objective of the Senna is to set blistering fast times.

Aerodynamics play a key role in the Senna and in Race mode, the Senna delivers 800kg of downforce at significantly less than 155mph and it features the most advanced braking system fitted in a McLaren road car. It's seven times longer than conventional carbon ceramic discs and because it's heavily inspired by their Formula 1 car as well as being armed with the P1 GTR-derived brake booster, the Senna has a braking distance from 124mph to nothing in just 100 meters.

Because of the Senna's demanding performance, it features bespoke Pirelli P Zero Trofeo R tyres. These special tyres are made for dry racetracks but approved for road use so the Senna can use it on track days. Its unique patterns on the treads and unique construction delivers unmatched grip and cornering stiffness while providing shortened braking distance, better longitudinal performance, consistent reaction between the two axles, and better steering response.\



Having my first dibs on the Senna, mastering this machine is worth a challenge to me because that massive retractable rear wing really delivers too much grip so drifting in this car is worth the fuss and when taken on the straights, even a balls-out Koenigsegg or a Bugatti Chiron will eat the Senna for brunch. Still, despite its faults, it's worth a shot to experience what the McLaren Senna is made of, delivering the ultimate experience in a way drivers couldn't imagine before and that is the absolute connection between man and machine and here in England, the Senna really shines like the Queen's Diamond Jubilee and that's what makes this Ultimate Series McLaren very special in every single way.



I had a lot of fun to talk about my first dibs with the one-and-only McLaren Senna hypercar but it's time for me to put the Senna to the test to see if this is the McLaren to end all McLarens. Since this game is all about the United Kingdom and the change of time, weather, and seasons, the sounds of the clock gave me a brainwave and with that, it's time to shift gears.





BOOM! What do you think? The change of time, the change of weather, the change of seasons, it makes sense for someone who fights against the dystopic future envisioned by a certain...woman. Huh? If that mystery caped man who knows my destiny pops up, he could have labeled me "king" but no matter. King or no king, this one's ready to turn the clocks on this challenge.



Called The Colossus, it's a mega sprint race to the streets of Edinburgh but despite bearing a very long distance, the Senna feels like it can time break through Edinburgh is easy as 1-2-3.  BOOM! It ain't no mega-bomb in the Boom game but this Senna says "I'm ready to be a king" so without further ado, fire away, King!





Intense, heart-pounding, thrilling, they're three words to describe the Senna in every single way and although it pains me to say this, I'm starting to love the McLaren Senna very much and I want to drive this hypercar again and again and again unless my game of King is over. Whether you are ready to defy fate here in the UK or you are prepared to devote yourself to the King, look no further than wielding the wheel of the Senna. The McLaren Senna. Now, go! The King awaits you!