1:24 McLaren MP4/12C - Hexis FIA GT1 2012 Decals Set

Studio27 1:24 decal sheet, McLaren MP4/12C GT3 Hexis, FIA GT1 2012

This is a decal sheet, not a model car. In the package you will find water-slide decals (and instructions for placing them) for converting the Fujimi McLaren MP4-12C GT3 kit in 1:24 scale into the racing form of the car of the French team Hexis Racing from the 2012 season. The Fujimi kit itself is not part of the package and you have to own it.

The real subject: Hexis and the GT1 world championship

The McLaren MP4-12C was the first road McLaren after the legendary F1, and its GT3 racing version meant the McLaren return to customer racing. The FIA GT1 World Championship was a short-lived world championship for GT cars (2010 to 2012): it was the only GT series with world championship status and it came to an end after 2012. It was Hexis Racing, which had raced with Aston Martins before, that entered the 2012 season with McLarens. With a pair of 12C GT3s Hexis fought for the title to the very end and finished second in the teams cup; the title went to a rival with a Mercedes.

Why people buy decal sheets

The box from Fujimi offers only one or two liveries, yet the MP4-12C GT3 raced with many teams and in many series. A collector typically wants one particular car from a particular championship, and that one simply is not in the box. That is why sheets like this one came about. Other MP4-12C liveries exist as well: Lapidus (Blancpain 2012), Long Beach 2014 and Racing Studio (Italian GT 2015). Do not confuse them, each is a different team, a different series and a different year.

Application tips

• Decals belong on gloss clear coat. On a matte surface air stays under the film and the decal silvers: it makes a silver rim. That is the most common mistake and it destroys the work already done.
• The 12C body is full of curves, so have decal softener ready. With large sponsor markings it is practically a necessity, otherwise the decal will not settle and will make folds.
• Once it has dried, spray clear coat over it so that the edge of the film cannot be felt, and polish it at the end, after which the body looks wet.
• The shade of the body has to match, as the sheet does not cover the whole area and the rest is sprayed with paint. Add the paints according to the box art of the car.

Who the sheet is for

• Modelers who already have the Fujimi McLaren MP4-12C GT3 kit and want a livery other than the one from the box.
• Collectors of GT3 cars and fans of the era of the GT1 world championship.
• More experienced builders who dare to take on large sponsor markings on a curved area.

This is a standalone decal sheet. The kit, paints, clear coat, softener and glue are not included in the package.