Jack Brabham and Bruce McLaren made F1 history nearly 60 years ago today at Sebring
The final Formula 1 Grand Prix of the season, and the first ever held in the US (not including the Indy 500), but history was also made by the two antipodeans. With victory, Bruce McLaren became the youngest Grand Prix winner, a record he held until Fernando Alonso won in Hungary 78 days his junior.
It was a record handed to him by race and championship leader Jack Brabham running out of fuel, embroiled in a three-way fight for the title with Stirling Moss and Tony Brooks. Undeterred and having clambered out of his Cooper, Brabham ‘started pushing his car towards the line, 400 yards with a very slight uphill gradient. Before Jack could reach the finishing line Brooks passed him into third place, Ireland came fifth three laps down… and when the World Champion did eventually cross the line he collapsed, to the cheers of the crowd.’
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