The 2023 Adelaide Motorsport Festival celebrates the 60th anniversary of the legendary McLaren with a M8E CanAm amongst the line-up of McLarens at the event.
Bruce McLaren Motor Racing was founded by New Zealand racer Bruce McLaren in 1963, rebranded as McLaren and going on to win 12 Formula 1 drivers’ titles and eight constructors’ titles in addition to success in CanAm, IndyCar and more.
The first McLaren car designed and built by Bruce McLaren Motor Racing was the M1, with the M-series cars competing in CanAm (Canadian-American Challenge Cup) over the course of the 1960s and 1970s. McLaren was the most successful constructor in CanAm, winning five consecutive titles between 1967 and 1971.
CanAm was at the cutting-edge of technology such as ground-effect aerodynamics, turbocharging and lightweight materials, with the rules limited to cars needing covered wheels and a passenger seat.
The M8E debuted in the 1971 CanAm season, powered by a naturally-aspirated seven-litre Chevrolet V8 engine producing 750 horsepower. With the car weighing 750 kilograms, the power to weight ratio is one-to-one.
The M8E coming to the 2023 Adelaide Motorsport Festival is in original specification, as it was raced in the 1971 CanAm season in an eye-catching yellow livery, and will be driven by Peter Jones in the Invitational category alongside other sportscar and rally legends.
The 2023 Adelaide Motorsport Festival will also feature a parade of McLaren road cars to mark the manufacturer’s 60th anniversary.