The Bruce McLaren Story
Questions and Answers
Who was Bruce McLaren?
Bruce McLaren ranks with the greats of automotive history and rightly takes his place alongside Carl Benz, Henry Ford, Louis Renault, Ferdinand Porsche, Soichiro Honda and Enzo Ferrari.
In his short lifetime he made a significant impact on the world stage of motor sport. His legacy is not just that of a driver or a designer, although he was extremely talented as both, it was also his character and leadership that would ultimately cause his name to endure.
For more information on the life of Bruce McLaren visit The Man section.
What made McLaren special?
As a child, Bruce McLaren suffered from a crippling disability, Perthes Disease, which saw him spend two years in traction at the Wilson Home for Crippled Children in Takapuna, Auckland. He recovered, gained an education in engineering and went on to design, build and race his cars in the arenas of Formula One, Indianapolis, Le Mans, Can Am and Tasman Cup racing. He established the most successful motor racing team in the history of the sport, and his personality and achievements won him friends and enduring respect around the world.
How did Bruce McLaren set up the McLaren Racing Team?
McLaren Racing, or Bruce McLaren Motor Racing Limited, was formed in 1963 and contested the Tasman Series using Cooper Cars in January and February 1964. Bruce was not alone in forming McLaren Racing. He had a financial partner in Teddy Mayer, an American originating from New York who provided much needed working cash capital and who also worked extremely hard to establish the team on a sound financial and commercial footing. Looking at the McLaren Technology Centre in Woking England it is hard to believe that the McLaren Racing Team’s first headquarters was a corner in an earthmoving machinery storage shed.
Under these primitive conditions, the first McLaren mechanics, American Tyler Alexander and New Zealander Walter Willmott, toiled away at the first McLaren car. The car they built, to a design drawn out by Bruce with a stick in the dirt floor of their workshop, was the Cooper Zerex Sports Car. Bruce was still contracted to the Cooper Team as a driver so for political reasons the very first McLaren racing car, other than the Austin Ulster Bruce built while still a schoolboy, was the Cooper Zerex Oldsmobile.
What did he achieve?
Between 1964 and 1974, McLaren and his team achieved all of their goals and ambitions by winning the Tasman Series, several Can Am Sports Car Racing Championships in North America, the Indianapolis 500, the Classic 24 Hours of Le Mans and the Formula One World Championship. No other individual has masterminded and accomplished such success. McLaren's principal competitor, Ferrari, tried and failed to win the Can Am series and the Indianapolis 500, leaving Bruce McLaren's record unequalled to this day.
How did Bruce McLaren die?
McLaren died in an accident on the 2nd of June 1970, at age 32, while testing a Can Am car at the Goodwood circuit in England. He left behind his wife Patty and his young daughter Amanda.
Does the McLaren family support the making of this film?
Bruce McLaren's daughter Amanda and sister Jan are both part of the project's working group, and his widow Patty has also given her support to the film. Many of Bruce's friends and colleagues are closely involved with the production. They are the closest we can get now to the real Bruce McLaren, and we deeply appreciate and respect their willingness to share their personal knowledge and memories. There have been many other attempts to make this film, but never before have Bruce's family and friends agreed to be involved.
Where will the film be made?
After leaving New Zealand in 1958, McLaren lived in Britain and raced on all of the major circuits around the world, following the Formula One, Can Am and Tasman series. Locations will include New Zealand, United Kingdom, USA, Monaco, Germany and France. At this stage it is too early to say how much of the film will be shot in New Zealand.
When will the film be made?
By the middle of 2007 we expect to have finished the script and research work. This will be followed by six months of pre-production. Filming will take up much of 2008, with the film's release the following year.
Who is going to direct the film?
There is currently no director attached to the project.
Who will play Bruce McLaren?
At this stage no actor has been approached for any of the roles in the film.
Who will write the screenplay?
The script is being developed by Wellington screenwriter Matthew Grainger. Grainger has written a number of scripts for television and film and most recently co-wrote The Tattooist, currently in post-production.
Matthew has been a Formula One fan since he attended his first Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium in 1992. He was afforded the opportunity to attend several more F1 races while he was studying for his Masters Degree in Film Theory at the University of Kent in England.
The producers feel that it is important that the screenwriter is not just a highly skilled writer, but also a committed racing fan who is passionate about the sport and Bruce McLaren. Matthew fits the profile perfectly.
What source material is being used to create the script?
To capture who Bruce McLaren really was, the production is sourcing as much material as possible from the people who were actually there. At the launch of The Bruce McLaren Movie there were many people close to Bruce including Patty McLaren, Bruce and Patty’s daughter Amanda McLaren, Eoin Young, Walter Willmott, Bruce Harre, Chris Amon, Sir Jack Brabham, Phil Kerr, Anita Hulme, Jan McLaren, John Surtees, Emerson Fittipaldi and John Watson. It is our intention to draw from these people, and many others close to Bruce, the heart and soul of Bruce's incredible story.
Who will be the film's Production Designer?
This will be undertaken by Academy Award® winning production designer Dan Hennah. Dan's impressive list of achievements to date includes art directing The Lord of the Rings: The Motion Picture Trilogy, Peter Jackson's King Kong and The Frighteners. He has recently completed work on The Waterhorse for Barrie M. Osborne.
Who is investing in it?
Development of the film is being financed by a group of private New Zealand-based investors. Production financing and global distribution is being handled by Barrie M. Osborne.
Where will you get the McLaren cars from?
Bruce's cars were so astonishingly good that many of the originals were kept. They have been restored or maintained in running condition by colleagues, friends and collectors. We will rebuild the ones we need. Bruce's original designers and mechanics have already asked to be involved.
