Remembering Bruce McLaren, the man, the driver and his legacy

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It's an extraordinary measure of a man's life and of his contribution to his field of expertise when his surname instantly evokes so much.

Bruce McLaren was not only the man who established F1's second most successful team, the Kiwi was also an outstanding driver - a winner in F1, Can-Am and at Le Mans - and one of motor sport's greatest engineering minds.

The world of motorsport was in shock on this day in 1970, when Bruce was killed while testing McLaren's new M8D Can-Am car at Goodwood. He was just 32.

Years before, McLaren had penned some thoughts on the untimely death of his Cooper teammate Timmy Mayer. They proved remarkably apt for McLaren himself:

"To do something well is so worthwhile that to die trying to do it better cannot be foolhardy," he wrote in 1964.

"It would be a waste of life to do nothing with one's ability, for I feel that life is measured in achievement, not in years alone."

Bruce McLaren's extraordinary legacy lives on...

Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.