Bruce Leslie McLaren was the son of Les and Ruth born on the 30th of August 1937. Bruce had a difficult childhood developing Legg-Perthes disease which affects the hip and immobilised him for a month in hospital and 3 years in a home for crippled children with his legs wrapped in plaster.  After a while he was allowed to use a wheelchair but doctors feared he may never have the use of his legs again however he fought back and was able to walk again but with a limp and his left leg was 1 1/2 inches shorter than his right.

Through his traumatic experience he was able to study amazingly and was able to graduate from an engineering course at The Seddon Memorial Technical College but he had already caught the motor sport bug.  His father a keen truck driver who even invested in a service station bought him an Austin Ulster Seven complete with 750 cc engine which scared him stiff but managed to pluck the courage to race it once he turned 15 getting involved in local hill climbs. Once the car was sold he upgraded to his fathers Austin Healey 100 in 1956 through to 1957 and from then on he raced a Bob tailed Cooper previously raced by Sir Jack Brabham.

Amazingly Bruce kept on studying at this time but arranged a deal with Brabham in England who then suggested bringing two Formula Two Coopers to New Zealand for the winter so he could drive one which was a complete success and McLaren went on to be New Zealand’s first "Driver to Europe" in 1958. This sparked his international career and eventually he couldn’t resist the temptation of driving and put his studies on hold. Bruce sold his car and bought a new Cooper when he arrived in England and gained experience about European races running little Formula Two cars.

He finished fifth in the drivers standings and won his first race in the series at the German Grand Prix at the famous Nurburgring. Once the season was over he took a 1960 cc Formula Two car home to New Zealand and won his national championship that same winter. In 1959 his Formula One career began signed for Cooper which he would remain loyal to for the next six years, his team mate was Jack Brabham and in his first year he won the final grand prix of the year at Sebring and was recorded as the youngest grand prix winner of the time at just 22 and for his team mate well he won the world championship!

Jack and Bruce stayed team mates for years to come sharing success but eventually Jack left and Bruce was picked to lead the team forward as First Driver how ever engine regulations cost the team and they suffered a bad year but in 1962 it was much better and Bruce even had a say in the design process of the car and won at Monaco and finished 3rd in the Championship.  The year after was disastrous which many people Bruce cared about being injured such as his wife Patty and John Cooper in a road accident.  Bruce himself was thrown out of his uncompetitive car at the Nurburgring and was knocked out he then began to look for alternatives. Bruce wanted to continue his usual ritual of taking his cars back to New Zealand for him and a friend called Timmy Mayer to race in the Tasman Series but Cooper wouldnt allow it.

In 1963 McLaren and Timmy’s brother Teddy created there own series and registered the name Bruce McLaren Motor Racing Ltd the series became a success but sadly Mayer was killed.Bruce continued as a driver with Cooper for another two seasons while watching his very own team form up sadly Bruce McLaren died in a testing accident at Goodwood in 1970 at the young age of 32 but was remembered as a successful driver and left behind a rich heritage.

After McLarens death the team was run by Teddy Mayers for a decade who then handed the reigns over to Ron Dennis and since then the team has enjoyed lots of success winning many races.

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