McLaren driver's £2,000 court bill for clocking 124mph on M1 near Northampton

A 27-year-old who took a McLaren supercar for a spin on the M1 near Northampton at 124mph wound up with a whopping £2,000 court bill.

Northampton magistrates fined Howard Mears £1,667 and disqualified him from driving for 56 days after he admitted speeding in his £150,000 McLaren 570GT Coupe at 2.03pm between junction 16 and junction 17 northbound in September last year.

The limit on that stretch of motorway at the time was 70mph.

The McLaren has a top speed of 204mph — and guzzles fuel at the rate of one gallon every 22 miles.

Although part of the famous Formula One family, McLaren says the 570GT “adds extra comfort and practicality to breathtaking performance — it’s optimised for the road and makes the ultimate sports car experience one that’s perfect for daily use, longer journeys and weekends away.”

Mears, whose address was given as Shad Thames in Central London, was also ordered to pay a surcharge to fund victim services of £166 plus £85 prosecution costs.