Higher ambitions

The McLaren M7A, powered by the Cosworth V8 engine, had proven to be a competitive car in 1968, enabled Bruce McLaren to win the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa. The New-Zealander finished in a promising fifth place in the Drivers’ standings.

Expectations were high then for Bruce McLaren and his team, the Bruce McLaren Motor Racing, for the 1969 Formula One season. A revised M7B was entered in South-Africa, where Bruce finished fifth, before an M7C, always powered by the V8 Cosworth, was entered for the rest of the season.

Picture above: Bruce McLaren is literally flying, in his distinctive papaya-orange McLaren M7C-Cosworth, to a fine third place finish at the 1969 German Grand Prix on the Nürburgring.

No Grand Prix victories for the Kiwi in 1969, but a string of good results with three podiums in Spain, Germany and Great-Britain, plus regular finishes in the top 6, meant McLaren finished third in the Drivers’ World Championship standing behind Stewart (Matra-Ford) and Ickx (Brabham-Ford).

Picture below: Team mate Denny Hulme, McLaren M7A, at the South African Grand Prix held at Kyalami, finished third.