Mimicing the general out line of the 1969 Championship Matra MS80, as did many others including the Tyrrell’s 001-004, the McLaren M19A was designed by Ralph Bellamy for the 1971 season. It’s original rising rate suspension was soon abandoned in favour of the conventional McLaren M14A suspension.
After coming within a few laps of winning the 1971 South African Grand Prix with Denny Hulme at the wheel the cars best championship result came at the 1971 Canadian Grand Prix where Mark Donohue finished third in a privately entered example entered by Roger Penske.
For 1972 McLaren found sponsorship from Yardley cosmetics who were less than impressed with the way BRM, whom they sponsored in 1970 and 1971, went about their business. On only their second world championship appearance in 1972 Denny Hulme won the South African Grand prix from 5th on the grid.
The M19 was given a diet in time for the 1972 Monaco Grand Prix where one car appeared in C spec with lightened front chassis bulkhead fabrication and numerous other weight saving modifications.
Denny Hulme finished second in the 1972 Austrian Grand Prix ahead of team mate Peter Revson both driving M19C’s a seasons best for the ‘C’ spec cars that was matched at the 1972 Canadian Grand Prix where Revson finished ahead of Denny.
In early 1973 Peter Revson finished second in the South African Grand Prix driving a Ford Cosworth DFV powered M19C on the models last championship appearance.
The M19C’s were replaced by the McLaren M23 model, one of which Denny drove on it’s debut in the 1973 South African recording pole position and a fifth place finish.
Thanks for joining me on this “Forward With Fragrance” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres”, I hope you will join me again tomorrow. Don’t forget to come back now !
PS My thanks to Tim Murray for pointing out Denny’s 1972 South African Grand Prix victory which I omitted from the original text.
