McLaren has unveiled a life-size statue of the late Bruce McLaren on the 50th anniversary of his passing.
New Zealander Bruce founded McLaren Motor Racing Ltd in 1963, which has morphed into the McLaren we know today which has expanded from its motor racing heritage to include an automotive and technology brand.
A statue was unveiled at the McLaren Technology Centre (MTC) in Woking on Tuesday by his daughter, Amanda, who lit 50 candles in his memory during a private ceremony.
The candles were placed around the 1970 McLaren M8D, the ‘sister car’ of the M8D in which Bruce lost his life following a crash at the Goodwood Circuit on 2 June 1970.
The M8D would go on to win the Can-Am championship that same year, driven by fellow Kiwi Denny Hulme.
“It is an honour to mark the 50th anniversary of the death of Bruce McLaren by unveiling this wonderfully crafted statue to commemorate his life and achievements,” commented Amanda McLaren, daughter of Bruce McLaren.
“When my father died in June 1970 – just 12 years after coming to the UK from New Zealand – he had already done so much to realise his ambitions, but the best was still to come. McLaren’s accomplishments over more than 50 years in Formula 1, three Indianapolis 500 wins, five successive Can-Am championships, the landmark victory at the 1995 24 Hours of Le Mans race and the supercars and hypercars designed, developed and built under the McLaren banner, all stand as his legacy.
“June 2 is always an emotional date for us and that’s particularly true this year. Having ‘Dad’ looking out over McLaren is incredibly moving and I know that he would have been so very proud of the achievements made in his name.”
“Today, on the 50th anniversary of Bruce McLaren’s death, we remember what he created. Bruce was a racer, an innovator and a leader, and all of us at McLaren strive each day to follow the example he set us. Bruce stands as a hero of our sport, immortalised by this statue which is surrounded by his legacy,” added McLaren Racing CEO, Zak Brown.
“We take a moment on this important day to mourn his loss, but to also draw inspiration from his life. Bruce’s spirit lives on through all the people that work at McLaren today. We race in his honour, fearlessly forward, in the pursuit of better.”
The bronze statue of Bruce McLaren was created by painter and sculptor, Paul Oz. Globally recognised for his motorsport-inspired art, Oz was previously commissioned by McLaren Racing to produce a sculpture of Ayrton Senna that is also at the MTC. Senna drove for McLaren for six years, winning all three of his Formula 1 World Championships at the wheel of a McLaren in 1988, 1990 and 1991.
