Born in 1937 in Auckland, New Zealand, Bruce McLaren studied engineering at university but left the course early to pursue a career in motor racing. In addition to his mechanical skills, he was also a gifted, natural driver.
His first competitive event was a hillclimb, entered at the age of fourteen, and in 1957 won the national Formula 2 championship. His talent was spotted by Jack Brabham who entered Bruce in the 1958 German grand prix at the Nurburgring where he finished fifth in a Formula 2 Cooper. The following year, age 22, he became the youngest driver to win a Formula 1 race, a record that stood for 44 years. He continued to drive for the Cooper team until 1963, when, frustrated by the disappointing results, he created his own race team although he continued to race the Cooper Climax V8 until he had built and entered his own grand prix car for the 1966 season. Along with many grand prix drivers he took part in the southern hemisphere Tasman races during the (European) winter months, racing his Cooper Climax to numerous victories. The photograph shows Bruce shortly after winning the Craven Filters Sandown International Trophy, a 60-lap Formula Libre race held at Sandown Park in March 1963, driving a (slow) victory lap in his 2.7-litre Cooper T62-Climax with a team member displaying the winners trophy whilst perched on the engine cover. ‘Health and Safety’ had not been invented in 1963. He was also given a can of ale to celebrate but had yet to open it as he is seen holding it upside down.
From the book ‘Moments in Motorsport’ by Trevor Legate
