Race Retro: Historic McLarens steal the show

Motor racing fans were treated to a superb display of historic McLarens on 21 – 23 February as Race Retro marked fifty years since the formation of Bruce McLaren’s eponymous company.

Held at Stoneleigh Park, Coventry, Race Retro celebrated historic motor racing in all of its forms, but the central display was five classic McLarens race cars, which included a James Hunt liveried M23 Formula One car.

The M23 was debuted in the 1973 season and rose to fame in 1974 in the hands of Emerson Fittipaldi who drove the car to the 1974 Formula One World Championship. Powered by a 3.0-litre V8 Ford Cosworth with 490bhp, the M23 was raced by James Hunt to the 1976 title and continued until its final appearance as a privateer entry with BS Fabrications.

Other McLaren gems included Mark Donohue’s 1972 Indy 500 winning M16B, a 1995 F1GTR short tail and the 1970 Can-Am McLaren M8D. Sourced from a private collection, the Can-Am features a 7.6-litre Chevrolet V8 with 680bhp and took nine wins from ten in the 1970 Can-Am Challenge, with Denny Hulme behind the wheel, giving him his second consecutive title. However, despite its breathtaking performance, the M8B is better known for the fact that Bruce McLaren lost his life in one during pre-season testing at Goodwood.