James Hunt, McLaren M23
McLaren has been confirmed as a headline participant at this year’s Brooklands Museum’s Grand Prix centenary celebration, bringing three championship-winning Formula 1 cars to the historic Surrey circuit, including the machines of James Hunt and Ayrton Senna.
The event, which takes place on August 8, marks 100 years since Brooklands staged Britain’s inaugural international grand prix, officially titled the Grand Prix of the Royal Automobile Club, on 7 August 1926.
One hundred grand prix cars spanning the full century of the sport’s history will be assembled at the venue, ranging from pioneering pre-war machinery through to the current generation of Formula 1 racers.
Among the earliest exhibits will be the Halford Special, created and raced by Frank Halford in the 1926 race itself, while Delage, the marque that won the event with a car shared by Robert Senechal and Louis Wagner, will also be represented.
One hundred years ago, Brooklands hosted the first British Grand Prix, a race faithfully reported in the pages of Motor Sport, which began life two years earlier as the Brooklands Gazette. Now, we have joined forces to mark the momentous centenary
McLaren, based just a few miles away in Woking, will display one of its current papaya-liveried hybrid F1 cars alongside two machines that will be in action on the adjacent test track at Mercedes-Benz World, situated within the infield of the historic circuit.
Also on display will be the Cosworth V8-powered M23 that took Emerson Fittipaldi and Hunt to the team’s first titles in 1974 and 1976.
The third McLaren will be the V12-powered MP4/6, the actual chassis in which Ayrton Senna clinched his third championship at Suzuka in 1991.
Senna’s 1991 championship-winning McLaren MP4/6 will be in action at Brooklands
Grand Prix Photo
“It is an incredible honour for Brooklands Museum to welcome McLaren to our landmark centenary celebrations,” said Alex Patterson, chief executive of Brooklands Museum. “As the reigning world champions, the team’s presence perfectly represents where the sport stands today – exactly 100 years on from Britain’s very first Grand Prix, held here at Brooklands in 1926.”
Motor Sport magazine, which was born in 1924 as the Brooklands Gazette and reported that inaugural race in its September 1926 issue, is the official media partner for the centenary celebrations.
Tickets are on sale now via brooklandsmuseum.com, priced at £39.95 for adults and £19.95 for accompanied children aged 4-17.
Brooklands Members can attend an exclusive VIP preview evening on the Friday and receive discounted Saturday admission at £19.95.
