00:00:06
Amanda McLaren, welcome to my podcast. >> Thank you very much, Dom. It's a real
00:00:10
pleasure to be here. >> Oh, it's wonderful. Wonderful to have you here. I I think I contacted you
00:00:14
originally on LinkedIn about coming on the podcast. >> I think you did. And at that point, I
00:00:18
think I'd just broken my foot, so I kind of put it off a wee bit, but great timing. We've just secured the
00:00:24
constructor's championship in racing. So yeah, flew back in yesterday >> from Yeah, from Singapore. How how was
00:00:31
that experience? >> Absolutely brilliant, you know, to be there when the team secured back-to-back
00:00:37
championships. Um we we didn't make it through the all night party which actually began at 4:00 and finished at
00:00:44
about 9 um in the morning, but we celebrated with the team and just so pleased for them. Such an amazing
00:00:53
achievement. You you still I'm >> sorry. >> Oh, you're all right. You're all right.
00:00:58
You're still you're still um you're still quite involved with your dad's
00:01:01
company, aren't you? >> Yes, we are now. And I say we, myself and my husband. We're honorary brand
00:01:07
ambassadors for both McLaren Automotive, Rogar side of the company and with McLaren Racing and also trustees of the
00:01:16
Bruce McLaren Trust here in New Zealand. So, a great thing to be able to do to sort of perpetuate the legacy of dad and
00:01:26
especially with racing and and and what they're achieving at the moment. Fantastic to be a part of it. M that's
00:01:33
part of the reason why I wanted to get you on the podcast cuz I'm I'm I'm 52 so
00:01:37
I'm I'm relatively old I guess on the big scheme of things and I I was sort of
00:01:42
loosely aware of the connection between McLaren and Bruce McLaren and New Zealand
00:01:48
but I feel like um in a way that sort of like I don't know the legacy or memory
00:01:53
whatever you want to call it is fading a little bit and people younger than me may not necessarily appreciate it. Um so
00:01:58
it's good to shine a light on this stuff where we can. For example, I I it was
00:02:01
only a couple of weeks ago that I learned that the McLaren logo is like a kiwi. >> Um well, yes and no. It looks very very
00:02:08
much like a kiwi, but actually it's not. So, if we go back, what was the Malbra
00:02:15
chevron was created by Malbra um by Philip Moss when they were main sponsors of McLaren racing.
00:02:25
Uh when Malbra stood away from sponsoring McLaren, they rounded off the chevron to create the
00:02:34
sheet shape that it now is. And it's also based on the vortex that came off the rear wing of the racing car. And so
00:02:44
it looks very much like a kiwi, but actually it's not. However, if New Zealanders want to believe it's a kiwi,
00:02:51
[laughter] who are we to delusion disillusion them? So, um, yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And I think, you know, back to to
00:02:59
to young people not knowing for quite a while there, the link between McLaren, my father, and New Zealand wasn't really
00:03:09
at the forefront of what it was they did or they spoke about. Since the advent of
00:03:13
McLaren Automotive and Zack Brown coming on as as CEO of racing, they've made a
00:03:20
lot more of the history in the heritage and McLaren social media now, all the big anniversaries of of dad's
00:03:28
achievements, birthday, death, they put something out there. >> And the Speedy Kiwi, which was actually
00:03:35
my father's second logo, is actually on the Formula 1 card. took a photo of it
00:03:41
in the pits at Singapore over the weekend. And I mean, he's hanging on there for grim death. The cars go a wee
00:03:46
bit faster now than they did when when he was created. >> But Zach especially is very very fond of
00:03:54
the history and the heritage and makes quite a lot of it. and you walk into the pits and anyone who's on my my social
00:04:01
media or the Bruce McLaren Trust social media um will see pictures of dad in both the hospitality in the paddock club
00:04:08
and in the pits at Singapore and if you go into the McLaren technology center now there is dad everywhere and the team
00:04:17
say that they follow his vision and values very much in the team today. >> How does it make you feel?
00:04:25
extremely proud. You know, my my father would what would have happened to the company
00:04:31
had he remained alive, I don't know. But to see the road cars being created very much in the the same philosophy as
00:04:42
his original prototype road car, the M6 GT. And to see his name still in Formula
00:04:49
1, second oldest team on the grid next to we don't use the F word in our house.
00:04:56
It's not what most people call the F-word, but I'm referring to that red
00:04:59
Italian team. Um, [laughter] so they've been around quite a bit longer than we have, but for McLaren
00:05:07
still to be called McLaren after all these years with all the changes in in ownership and so on, I think is just
00:05:13
absolutely wonderful. And dad would be so proud of everyone there >> cuz what your dad did um was quite
00:05:21
extraordinary. And it was only um researching for this chat with you today that I was sort of aware of um just what
00:05:28
he achieved especially at such a young age. So he was born in Oakland in 1937. So if he if he was alive, he'd be 93
00:05:34
today. Um diagnosed with a thing called Perth's disease as a child. >> Yeah. And up until that point, he wanted
00:05:41
to be an all black. >> An all black. Yes. Yes. >> And and this what does this condition
00:05:45
mean? Cuz I saw him bedridden for like a year. Two years. >> Two years. Two years. Yes. At the Wilson
00:05:49
home in Takapuna. So basically it's a degenerative condition of the hip joint. the blood
00:05:56
flow to the the the hip um ball in the ball joint in the hip is compromised and it causes necrosis or death of the hip
00:06:06
joint tissue and the treatment at the time was to put the children in traction. So he was on a frame on
00:06:14
traction for 2 years and was told potentially he may not walk again. He overcame that. Did walk again, albeit
00:06:22
his leg remained quite a bit shorter than the other one. And so he had quite a pronounced limp, but he was told no
00:06:29
contact sport. >> So that put pay to his rugby career. But his father, my grandfather, owned the
00:06:36
garage in Remuera, McLaren's garage there. And so dad had grown up around cars and obviously inherited a love of
00:06:45
cars and driving. and so switched his attention to cars which I'm quite delighted about because you know I'll
00:06:54
admit it I am not a fan of rugby now that had dad been an all black maybe things would have changed um but I'm I'm
00:07:02
certainly delighted that he chose cars as as his profession >> but what he achieved you know he was 32
00:07:08
when he was killed um and after he established Bruce McLaren Motor Racing in 1963 he was running the
00:07:17
He was helping design and build the cars and that was five different types of cars at the at the point that that he
00:07:24
was killed. Um he was driving the cars, he was testing, he was doing work for other companies such as Ford and
00:07:30
Firestone to bring in money. And so you can imagine one person doing all those jobs today. Absolutely not. Um
00:07:39
sport has changed so much. It's no longer a sport multi-billion dollar business. But yeah, dad dad seemed to be
00:07:45
able to just manage to do it all and the travel, you know, they didn't have private jets and helicopters, so he was
00:07:51
flying commercially and yeah, managed to fit it all in. >> Yeah. So, oh no, you're right.
00:07:59
>> I picked up a little bit of a laggy in Singapore, I think. >> So, um, he Yeah. moved to England at 21
00:08:05
after winning a racing scholarship. Um, do you have any idea of the route he took? Like, what did aviation look like
00:08:10
back then? It wouldn't have been just one stop in Singapore or Dubai, would it?
00:08:14
>> I mean, originally he was supposed to sail because it was a cheaper form of
00:08:19
transport. Now it's a sort of luxury holiday to go from New Zealand to the UK
00:08:23
on on a ship. But um he got as far as Australia and then apparently they wanted him to
00:08:31
fly because Koopers had a race that he was supposed to be driving in and so he did fly. Um, but yeah, it was still a
00:08:42
long way in those days. I mean, even as a young child, I remember it was four stops to get to New Zealand from the UK
00:08:47
where I was born. But um, you know, what an adventure for such a young man and to
00:08:55
leave his home, his family, his friends to the other side of the world where, you know, you couldn't make a call on a
00:09:02
phone and just talk directly to somebody. And so a lot of letters were sent home um which are now part of the
00:09:09
British McLaren Trust collection and reading through those you know it it must have been very exciting but also
00:09:17
you know very brave I think back then to do what he did. >> Do do the letters paint a picture of who
00:09:22
your father was? >> I think they show what a close relationship he had with his father. M
00:09:29
>> I think his father was very much his sounding board and often he would discuss problems with the cars or the
00:09:37
handling cuz my grandfather dad's dad had been a racer himself and understood
00:09:44
car dynamics and so on. So I I think that relationship remained incredibly close over the years. Dad came back a
00:09:51
number of times to see them once I was around bought me back. Um and and the letters do portray that that close
00:09:59
father-son relationship very much. >> Um yeah, these are these are treasures
00:10:04
and it's something that you'd only have at that point in time. I'm thinking now
00:10:06
like Liam Lawson, it's probably like short text messages to his dad. >> Yes. Yes. I I think technology has moved
00:10:13
on in all walks of life and and you know now it's very very different for for the
00:10:18
drivers for sure. >> Yeah. So, so your father was 26 when he founded McLaren Racing in 1963, which
00:10:24
seems which seems it seems crazy like 26. He's effectively a kid. >> Well, well, he is. I mean, I think back
00:10:32
to sort of how I was at 26 and and you know, well, I thought I knew everything. I did not for sure. Um, but you know,
00:10:39
he's over there a you know, young man from Remuer in New Zealand taking on the
00:10:46
established greats. you know what a thing to do. you know the audacity of him that but he had this vision he had
00:10:54
this dream and he was the sort that once he wanted to do something he did it and
00:11:00
I think that's what made things so special and and made him a a special person
00:11:07
>> and so yes he established McLaren Motor Racing and you know went on to to
00:11:12
establish himself only the second driver ever to win a Formula 1 race in a car that he had designed and built his own
00:11:20
came on the nose and his great friend and mentor Jack Brabbom um was the first one to do it and Jack very much
00:11:26
inspiration. My mom said that Jack had dad had rung Jack and said, you know, I want to set up my own team. You've done
00:11:33
it. Any advice? And apparently Jack said, well, if I can do it, so can you. >> And and he did.
00:11:41
>> It's incredible. And then uh when he was 28, you came along. [laughter]
00:11:48
>> Matt is not my small point, so I'm just nodding brilliantly. 1965. >> Yeah. So you came along and then um uh
00:11:57
and then in 1970 in 1970 um at the age of 32 he dies while testing a car. >> Mhm.
00:12:04
>> So you're 4 years old. What do you have any like what memories if any do you
00:12:08
have of your dad? >> I actually don't have any memories of dad unfortunately.
00:12:14
In the March of 1970, we went to South Africa to the Kruger National Park out there and spent some time and I have
00:12:23
snippets of that and hearing the animals and and being being there on holiday. I
00:12:29
also remember the evening of June 2nd when he was killed because I went to a friend's house which had been the plan.
00:12:37
and mom and dad were going to go out with them and I used to stay overnight with their um family.
00:12:44
>> But I was given a doll set and I remember thinking wonder why I've been
00:12:49
given a doll set. It's not Christmas and it's not my birthday but I was given it
00:12:53
and I just accepted it and carry on. My mother was of the generation where children
00:13:01
weren't really told what she deemed to be adult things and didn't mix in with
00:13:07
adult things. So I was never actually told. My father had died and for a long time probably was unaware that something
00:13:17
had changed because he was rarely at home. you know, racing Can-Am across in the States, racing in the in the um
00:13:26
European circuit in Formula 1, testing cars, working for other companies. I didn't see a lot of him,
00:13:35
>> but I think I mean, my mother suffered a double loss. She was carrying a child at
00:13:39
the time. She lost that and a year later I was diagnosed as a type 1 diabetic, an
00:13:46
autoimmune condition, possibly exacerbated by stress. >> So I think as a little four-year-old, I
00:13:55
picked up on what was going on at home. I didn't know why, but I think that there was some underlying
00:14:03
acknowledgement of what was happening. That must have been so difficult for your mom,
00:14:10
>> Pat. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. A a very strong lady. She picked up and carried on. Um became a brand
00:14:18
ambassador for Yardley a couple of years later. Never blamed motor racing. She always
00:14:25
said to me, "Your father died doing what he loved." Mhm. >> She until the day she died called
00:14:31
everyone that worked at McLaren's regardless of when they joined her boys. And she said, "I lost a year of my
00:14:40
life." And then one of my girlfriends and all her friends, her female friends
00:14:44
were the wives and girlfriends of the then racing drivers. One of them said to her, "Come on, Patty. We're going back
00:14:51
to wherever it was." And she picked up and went back. And from then on, every
00:14:56
British Grand Prix, one European Grand Prix at least a year, um, all the historic events at Silverstone when the
00:15:06
Goodwood events, the Revival and Festival of Speed started up, she was always at those in that it was her life
00:15:13
for so long, a life she loved, and it was her friend. So she continued to to be a part of motor racing, became an
00:15:23
honorary member along with Betty Hill of the BRDC, first of the women um to be elected into the the organization and on
00:15:34
an honor on an honorary basis, excuse me. Um and also um for some time there a senior part of the committee of
00:15:46
what was affectionately known as the doghouse club um which was originally set up for the women to support each
00:15:53
other when their husbands and and boyfriends were killed um because tragically back then it was so
00:15:59
dangerous. >> The dog house club, the women's motor racing associates club still exists
00:16:04
today. I am a patron um and very much now uh for raising money for charities. Thankfully not the benevolent fund. It
00:16:14
was for the women of of drivers who were killed. There are still unfortunately the odd one. Um not so much in Formula 1
00:16:21
these days. The the safety measures that are in place are incredible. But you know it says on your ticket
00:16:28
motor racing is dangerous and unfortunately it still is. Yeah, I might be missing something here, but you just
00:16:34
when you say that, the last driver that I can think of that comes to mind that that died was maybe at Cena in the '90s.
00:16:39
>> Um, there was Jeankei subsequently. He wasn't killed instantly at the track.
00:16:45
Um, but he suffered massive brain damage and and succumbed sometime later. >> So, um, I believe he was the last
00:16:52
Formula 1 driver. Um, there have been some very nasty accidents since. um um I can't think of the the gentleman's name
00:17:01
and he he went to um the Indie car, but the car was absolutely engulfed in flames and he was trapped in that car
00:17:07
for a wee while uh managed to get himself out and then you know back in in the days before the fireproofing and all
00:17:14
the safety measures, he certainly would have been killed. >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. The outcomes are
00:17:18
pretty good these days. Yeah. I mentioned ET and Senna just a second ago. Have you met He was a McLaren
00:17:23
driver for a time. Have you met many of the drivers over the years? I've met a
00:17:26
lot of the drivers over the years, but unfortunately Eden was not one of the ones that I met, but certainly possibly
00:17:33
one of the most famous McLaren drivers. Um, really in a league of his own when it comes to talent and ability and
00:17:41
certainly the one most people remember, but yeah, sadly I didn't get to meet
00:17:46
him. [laughter] >> Who? Oh, yeah. I I'll throw some names at you and we'll see if you know them or
00:17:50
not. Um, Elaine Prost. >> Have met Elaine a few times. Yes. Lovely chat. Yes.
00:17:56
>> Um, Mika Hackinan. >> Mika Hackinan. Yes. Met Mika quite a few times. Um, and he's now an ambassador
00:18:03
for McLaren. So does quite a bit with racing and automotive as well. >> Awesome. Lewis.
00:18:07
>> Lewis. Met Lewis once. Um, yeah. Most of the the the latter ones up until sort of
00:18:17
2014 when we went across to automotive, I was living in New Zealand. Um, and while I went to the the Australian Grand
00:18:26
Prix, um, that was more sort of the MKER and David Kard years. Um, yeah. Yeah. >> Did you ever meet Louiswis's dog?
00:18:33
>> It's No. >> Oh, his dog's passed away recently. >> No, it was very sad. Um, I mean, what I
00:18:39
loved was in in the F1 Grand Prix movie or the F1 movie, the dog gets a cameo part. I mean, bless it. and and you
00:18:48
know, Lewis was obviously so fond of that dog and almost wasn't going to race. Um but sadly the dog did pass away
00:18:55
and yeah. >> What about your dad's Kiwi mates from way back? Um Denny and Chris.
00:19:01
>> Yes. So they were good family friends. Um I remember growing up especially with
00:19:06
with Denny's children um until they came over back to New Zealand. Um and similarly with Chris. But the the
00:19:14
children we all met a couple of months ago when they unveiled the statue of Chris um in bulls and we've made a pack
00:19:23
that we will get together the children of the trio at the top Bruce Chris and Denny every year for a function or a
00:19:30
dinner or a barbecue or something somewhere and just yeah it's lovely you know we're very fond of each other um
00:19:38
and it it's great for us to sort of spend that time and and reminisce sing and talking about our dads.
00:19:44
>> That's so special. >> Yeah. [gasps] >> Um, speaking of statues,
00:19:50
>> we've got one here. >> What's this? This is very heavy, by the
00:19:54
way. >> Yes. So, >> it's beautiful. That's your dad. >> It is. It is a a bronze. It's a bronze
00:19:59
miniature of the fulls size statue which is on display at the McLaren Technology
00:20:04
Center in Woking in England. So for the 60th anniversary of Bruce McLaren Motor Racing being formed, Mansor Roier, the
00:20:15
late shareholder of of major shareholder of McLaren and Zack Brown commissioned the lifesize bronze done by the great
00:20:23
Paul Lars, very very clever man. And when we unveiled that, we had a lot of plans for a huge celebration and
00:20:31
unfortunately it was 2020 with co >> um but the full-size bronze is in McLaren Technology Center and I was
00:20:42
presented with this little one which we took out to Singapore for an event that we were involved in and it did cause
00:20:51
quite some interest getting it through security and then onto the plane cuz the case is a little bit oversized. But I
00:20:59
have to say both Air New Zealand and Singapore Airlines were wonderful about us taking it on once they realized what
00:21:05
it was. And um all the cabin crew on the the plane on the way over suddenly became huge McLaren fans. Um some of
00:21:12
them definitely were cuz they knew a lot about the history. Some of them I think
00:21:15
were just saying it to be nice. But >> [laughter] >> um yeah, it's wonderful for me to have
00:21:20
something like this. Everything that I have has now been bequeathed to the Bruce McLaren Trust. Um, but this one we
00:21:27
do pick up and take with us because it it's quite a talking point and so very
00:21:32
very lifelike >> and so heavy as well. >> It is rather heavy. Imagine I I had a
00:21:39
weight given to me for the the life-sized one. You can imagine how heavy that is. But yes, this is I I
00:21:46
think it plus the the the book case is 10 kilos. M. >> So what do you know? What do you know
00:21:52
about your mom and dad's love story? So they met in a party in Timaru, I believe.
00:21:56
>> They met in a party in Timaru. So >> where's where's your mom from
00:21:58
originally? >> So mom was from Christ Church and moved down to Timaro to live with an aunt and
00:22:06
started working down there. And mom was really rather glamorous when she was a young lady. She I could hear what do you
00:22:14
mean when I was young? She was really all through her life. She was quite a stunning woman.
00:22:19
And she was at a party and the story is that my father saw her across the room and if
00:22:28
you bel believe in love at first sight this was it because he turned to the person he was with and said I want to
00:22:34
marry that lady. >> Uhhuh. And apparently that they were introduced and my mother sort of looked him up and
00:22:40
down and and but obviously there was something there because she says they had a courtship mainly by letter because
00:22:50
she was still living in New Zealand. She he went back to the UK. He followed she
00:22:55
followed him to the UK um and lived with a girlfriend over there and then they got married in Christ Church, mom's
00:23:04
hometown. and then moved back to the UK. Of course, being involved in Formula 1 in
00:23:09
those days, you had to be based in the UK or Europe. And so they set up home there and then 1965 I came along um and
00:23:19
was born and raised in the UK. But it it is a lovely story and I think for a young lady from Christ Church to
00:23:30
meet the people she did and especially at Monaco after dad won. She went to the palace, met Princess Grace, Prince
00:23:39
Reineier, and was at a cocktail party there. And she tells a wonderful story about they're waiting in this huge, huge
00:23:45
foyer with a marble floor. And she calls them the boys, Dad and and the other two
00:23:52
drivers who were on the podium got a bit bored and took their shoes off and in their socks are skating up and down on
00:24:00
the the floor, whereas mom and the three ladies are sitting nice and quietly. >> Jeez. And I mean, you could probably
00:24:06
imagine what's coming. The door opens and there is Princess Grace waiting to
00:24:10
usher them through [laughter] to the party. And my mother said she didn't know whether to be completely emblared
00:24:16
or what to do or she says, but this faint smile appeared on Princess Grace's
00:24:21
face. And then she sort of regained her demeanor and said, "You please do follow
00:24:25
me." And through they went, my mom said, but things like that. She said, "You
00:24:29
know, Monaco was just spectacular." and the K's film festival was sort of the
00:24:34
week before and so all the stars would go down. So, you know, she's rubbing shoulders with all the film stars and
00:24:39
and just having an amazing time through until the point when my father was was killed. But yeah, she she and dad a real
00:24:48
fairy tale story. >> That's wonderful. And I believe the um your childhood home in London, it was
00:24:54
called Murray. >> Yeah. after Mai Beach in New Zealand. When when did you start to feel a
00:25:00
connection to New Zealand? >> Um, >> how did you how did you end up back here
00:25:05
living in Toadonga? >> Okay. So, to to I mean, whenever somebody you you phoned somebody and and
00:25:11
you know, you didn't order things online. You phoned and you made the order or and and they'd asked for your
00:25:16
address and I said Mai and like what? [laughter] M U R I W? What's that? Oh,
00:25:23
that's New Zealand and it's a beach and um at you know whatever age I was on the
00:25:28
telephone at home in England. Um we used to come across to New Zealand every couple of years to see mom's
00:25:36
family and Christ Church dad's family in Oakland. Spend some time here with them.
00:25:42
I then left school went training as a nurse in London um back in the the days of hospital-based training. And I'm two
00:25:51
and a bit years into it and I get kicked by a horse and completely take my knee apart like I had no ligaments left. Tore
00:25:58
the cartilage. Um it was a horrible mess. And unfortunately afterwards I got an infection in the joint and my whole
00:26:05
knee locked solid. Um so I was a year on crutches feeling very sorry for myself and my mom and stepdad um were coming
00:26:13
out to New Zealand. Mom had bought a townhouse in Christ Church. And so mom and stepdad will come back for
00:26:22
as my stepfather after my stepfather retired, time got longer and longer and longer, but he was still working at that
00:26:28
point and [cough] excuse me. He was still working at that point. And so they both said, "Why don't you come
00:26:41
to New Zealand with us?" So I hobble onto the plane with them and we come out
00:26:45
here and towards the end of the 6 week holiday I said to mom I'm going to stay
00:26:49
for 6 months. 6 months came and went. 6 years came and went. 26 years came and went. In the meantime met and married a
00:26:58
New Zealander. Um moved down to Wellington where Steven my husband was based at the police college and
00:27:06
we've been here ever since. Well, I say ever since 2013, we went back to the UK
00:27:14
to the Goodwood Festival of Speed and met Mike Fluitt who was the then CEO of McLaren Automotive
00:27:21
and he told us of his plans to open the 50th retailer 50 years after dad established the
00:27:30
company in dad's hometown in Oakland, New Zealand. And that of course is McLaren Oakland.
00:27:34
>> Wow. And the interest from New Zealand, albeit a very small country with a small
00:27:41
population, was so great that for the first time they held that opening over two nights, not the usual one.
00:27:49
Back in the hotel after the opening, Mike and Steven are talking and Steven was being made redundant from his role
00:27:56
with the New Zealand Olympic Committee and Mike offered us jobs to work for McLaren in the UK. So we thought about
00:28:05
it for a little while. We'd set up a farm in Upper Hut just outside of Wellington. We had two goats called
00:28:12
Lewis and Fernando after Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonzo who were the Mlown drivers at the time. We had horses. Um I
00:28:19
had two horses and we had Grazers deliveries. Um and it was a beautiful home and we'd
00:28:27
spent a lot of time and money on it. But we also thought gosh what an opportunity
00:28:32
to go and work for the company that my father founded but automotive at that point only 3 years
00:28:41
old um bringing to market P1 which in my mind is the most incredible achievement
00:28:47
and very similar to what it was my father had achieved in such a short time. So Steven and I packed up, went to
00:28:54
the UK. Back home for me, we lived very close to Won's where my mother and stepfather still were. And
00:29:02
spent some amazing years there until the pandemic struck. And half our job was guests and visitors at the McLaren
00:29:12
Technology Center, showing them around, telling the story. And the other half of
00:29:16
our job was traveling nationally and internationally to various events and hosting guests and visitors and again
00:29:23
telling dad's story. So we were at home, we were furoughed. I was able to ride my
00:29:28
horse. Um, so I spent lockdown out with my horse. But Steven had children and grandchildren in New Zealand. And we had
00:29:37
always maintained that once both my mother and stepfather passed away, we would come back to New Zealand. And my
00:29:46
stepfather was was the last one, he died at the end of 2020. And so we told both racing and
00:29:53
automotive we were going to give them a year and then come back to New Zealand. And that's when they said, "Well, okay,
00:30:00
sorry to see you go, but would you like to be honorary brand ambassadors?" So,
00:30:04
we said, "Yes, okay, we'll continue to do that." And then we had to apply
00:30:08
through the MIQ process, which I know a lot of people will understand our suffering through that process. Um, but
00:30:14
we got back into the country. We now live in Tapuna, just outside of Turanga, and absolutely loving being back. Still
00:30:23
travel a lot. We're back to the UK twice before the end of the year for um a
00:30:28
conference with McLaren Automotive and then spending some time with racing and then to Suzuka on the way home next
00:30:36
year. So, love doing what we're doing. Um but it's pretty full on. >> I'm going to have to blow my nose.
00:30:43
Sorry. >> Yeah. No, you go ahead. We got some tissues here for you. >> Oh, okay. Sorry. [laughter]
00:30:51
>> That's cool. got the the air con and airplanes will do this to you.
00:30:54
>> Oh, I I picked up a little bit of a luggy on the way out to Singapore and
00:30:57
and >> it's um >> it's much better than it was. I mean, the hacking cough I had a couple of days
00:31:02
I thought I thought, god, this is going to be dreadful, but it's not too bad.
00:31:06
So that that must have been a really nice um opportunity to get that um that call up from McLaren to become involved
00:31:12
because I'm guessing for a number of years you were just just getting along with your life sort of under the radar
00:31:16
largely as like a a civilian just a nurse um with this this this you know hole in your heart you know being Bruce
00:31:24
McLaren's daughter but you know not having any sort of connection to the company.
00:31:29
>> Absolutely right. I mean my mother was a a original director of the company um
00:31:34
which she retained through until the mid-70s when she was actually asked if she she would sell her shares which she
00:31:40
did. Whether or not she regretted it, I think she did um subsequently. But while
00:31:47
we went to to some races sort of as guests of McLaren, it was as guests. The family had nothing to do
00:31:55
with with the company. So yes, I became a registered nurse. Um, and on my badge it said, "Amanda, nobody
00:32:04
knew." >> And so every time we used to go back to the McLaren Technology Center, I mean,
00:32:10
prior to that, we went to the the various um factories they had, but especially the McLaren Technology
00:32:16
Center, I mean, just an incredible building in its own right, let alone what it is they do inside.
00:32:22
But the time before we were there, before we were offered the roles, I remember walking through thinking, I
00:32:30
wonder what it would be like to work here. [snorts] And then subsequently, we did. And I
00:32:35
have to say, for some people that work in that building, they say that they sort of get a bit used to it.
00:32:44
For Steven and I, maybe every other day on average, we'd meet a guest who'd been driven around
00:32:52
the lake and then to what they called Hlocks, the big doors would open and they'd come in and you'd see their eyes
00:33:01
out on stalks as they looked down the boulevard and saw this immense space full of the history and the heritage and
00:33:08
the cars. And we see it through their eyes. And as we talked them through it and walked
00:33:14
down the boulevard and through to McLaren Production Center, we would just realize how special it was. And for me,
00:33:23
it was just the icing on the cake because dad's name's still on the building. You know, it is the McLaren
00:33:29
Technology Center and every car that comes out of there has dad's name on it.
00:33:34
And so just that little extra bit of pride, but it also caused some some some, you know, Matthew, you'd phone up
00:33:43
it because it is the McLaren Technology Center, but we still have problems with it occasionally. And they'd say, you
00:33:50
know, what's your name? Amanda McLaren. Yes. No, no, not the emails.com McLaren. What's your surname? Amanda
00:33:59
McLaren. And there'd be this pause and then they'd go, "Is that a coincidence?" I'm like, "No,
00:34:08
no, no, no, no. Dad founded the team, big pause." And suddenly there'd be a
00:34:13
bit of scurrying sometimes. And then I get kind of their boss on the phone saying, "What can we do to help this,
00:34:17
Amanda?" [laughter] And other times they'd be just like, "Oh my god,
00:34:20
really?" And oh wow. and and you kind of hear it through their eyes again and and
00:34:25
with their voice and and so yeah, working there was so special to be part of of of the company that my dad founded
00:34:35
to have it. It was a really interesting cuz we were staff and we told them to treat us as staff,
00:34:42
but a lot of them didn't and we got little perks and my ID card. Everyone else had the sort of passport photo
00:34:48
picture on it for me. They put the picture of me in my dad's N6 GT, the prototype road car when I was four years
00:34:56
old. That was my picture. And and just really sweet things like that used to happen.
00:35:02
>> Um but yeah, to to see automotive grow from being a tiny little company when we
00:35:08
started through to to what they were doing when we left was just a phenomenal thing to be a part of and to experience.
00:35:15
Um really was special. >> Yeah. this uh technology center that you're talking about. I've seen um
00:35:20
photos of that online and some uh YouTube videos. It looks impressive. >> It it it really is to the extent you
00:35:27
know when some of these these films I mean it was used in in the F1 film. Um but previously there was a a sci-fi and
00:35:36
sci-fi is not my thing and I apologize I cannot remember the the name of the film
00:35:40
but they use that as the headquarters. Um and and it it is the most incredible piece of design and engineering and the
00:35:49
Formula 1 team actually helped make some of the the structure of it, the loadbearing um parts of it because that
00:35:57
is part of their expertise in terms of building a Formula 1 car and it really is quite spectacular and and it was Ron
00:36:04
Dennis's baby, his concept and what what a legacy to leave. Um, he says he was a
00:36:11
chapter of of of McLaren, dad the first, he really the second, Zach and and Automotive now the third. But yeah, just
00:36:19
a a fantastic building. It really is. >> So cool. When did you when did you lose
00:36:26
your mom? When did she pass away? >> So, I hope you weren't going to ask me
00:36:31
that. Steven, what year did mom die? >> Nope. He said 2016. >> Thank you. Um,
00:36:42
so we lost mom in 2016. Um, I was in the UK. I'd been there for 2 years. She'd
00:36:50
about 5 years previously been diagnosed with stage 4 ovarian cancer and had been
00:36:55
given 6 months without chemo and 18 months with chemo. And I said before a very strong, tough, feisty lady. She had
00:37:04
the chemo. While she lost her hair, it didn't make her feel unwell. We still
00:37:10
had our pub lunches and our wine. My mom loved her wine. For anybody that knew mom who might be listening to this, yes,
00:37:16
she loved her wine. Um, and we had a very special two years knowing that she was ill, but at the
00:37:27
time still still having the time of our life. And so we go out on a Monday night with what
00:37:33
she called her Monday night girls and and I'm still closely in touch with them
00:37:37
and see them every time I'm back in the UK. And then Tuesday I take her shopping. We have mother daughter lunch.
00:37:44
And McLaren Automotive wanted me to talk to her and get the stories that only she
00:37:51
knew. And so I was able to spend that that time and and you know actually get paid to talk to your mother which was
00:37:58
was quite surreal. But we we had some lovely moments and I did learn quite a lot of things that previously sort of I
00:38:06
didn't know. >> Yeah. >> And it was just wonderful to spend that
00:38:09
time together. >> Um and she was great really until unfortunately she fell and broke her hip
00:38:16
which is what you know is the beginning of the end for a lot of the elderly. >> Yeah. Having a fall
00:38:22
>> um having a fall is is never good. And um while she was still able she she got
00:38:26
around in a wheelchair after that. um and just sort of walk the short distances from the the um flat that they
00:38:33
had to the car and then from the car to the pub. Um we still managed to have some amazing times and then she was
00:38:40
admitted to hospital and thankfully within 4 days she'd passed. So yeah, but
00:38:46
just so good to have been there and not got the phone call from my stepfather um
00:38:51
from the UK and and had to kind of maybe go backwards and forwards a few times sort of thinking, god, am I going to get
00:38:57
there in time? So, it was it was fantastic to be there um and spend that time with her.
00:39:03
>> Can you remember any of those stories that you got from your mom that surprised you while you were curating
00:39:08
your dad's life? >> Well, yes. I mean, it wasn't until then that I learned that she was carrying a
00:39:14
child when she lost my dad, >> but also um the color of the house, Murray. So, it was painted white, brick
00:39:25
painted white with blue front door, garage door, and blue shutters in the Georgian style. And I said to her, why?
00:39:35
And she said, and and this surprised me slightly because I my mother, she was a little bit superstitious, but I didn't
00:39:43
think she was was um quite as superstitious as this, but she said, I was at a party and there was a
00:39:51
fortune teller there and she read my palm and she said, "You will have two children and you will live in a large
00:39:58
white house with blue." and she said, "I always kind of wanted a White House with Blue." And I said,
00:40:05
"Yes, but you didn't have two children." And she said, "Yes, I did." And that's
00:40:08
when she told me that she'd lost a second baby. So, um, that those were sort of the two things. And I have to
00:40:14
say, I took that afternoon off. I didn't go back into work >> because I I was quite sort of surprised,
00:40:20
stunned, and very sorry for mom because I rise then she'd not only lost my dad,
00:40:25
she'd lost a child as well. [snorts] >> Yeah. It must have been impossibly
00:40:30
difficult for your mom at that time, right? >> Mhm. I It was I mean, she she didn't
00:40:36
have any family over there in the UK. She had a lot of friends and I think they rallied around and looked after
00:40:43
her, which I think was was again those women were part of the doghouse club. They'd seen so many of the husbands and
00:40:52
and boyfriends killed that they kind of knew what to do for each other, I think,
00:40:57
which was dreadful in one way, but at least they had each other. Um, and some some good neighbors as well
00:41:07
that that certainly spent a lot of time looking after me. Um, so I remember going to Portugal um with our neighbors
00:41:14
who were very very good friends I think just to give mom a break so she could have some time and then she came out to
00:41:20
out here for dad's funeral um but again you know very much on her own um but you
00:41:27
know the strong strong lady um very strong and you know she she she talked about it. It was always a little bit
00:41:36
upsetting for her, but she'd always pick herself up and dust herself off and
00:41:40
carry on. And yeah, very very I I think the pair of them were quite formidable. Um, in terms of not being frightening
00:41:49
people, but very determined people and if they wanted something and I think that's what made dad so good at doing
00:41:57
what he was doing and, you know, got mom through those those years. >> Yeah. What what traits do do you have
00:42:04
that come from your mom that you'd know firsthand and what traits from your dad?
00:42:08
Maybe your mom said over the years, "Oh, you know, your your father would say
00:42:11
that or your father would do that." >> I think [laughter] I got my dad's short,
00:42:14
stumpy little legs. Um, [snorts] >> I definitely look very much like him in
00:42:20
in that I hadn't seen Chrison for maybe 15 years. and we went to visit him in
00:42:27
balls and I walked into his lounge and he looked at me and he went white >> and he said, "Oh my god, it's Bruce."
00:42:33
>> Um, I don't have my father's stamina how he managed to do all he did and he could
00:42:43
sleep anywhere apparently. Now I can sleep anywhere but if I don't get 8 hours I get very tired and when I'm
00:42:51
tired I get grumpy. And yet people say they never heard my dad speak a short word to anybody.
00:42:57
>> Wow. >> He never lost it. He never to tossed his toys out of the cot.
00:43:01
>> How he managed to do that and when I'm sort of thinking I think be more dad, be
00:43:06
more Bruce. >> Um, mom managed to sort of smile at everybody and carry on. And sometimes you see her
00:43:16
gritting her teeth and I think, you know, I'm sure sometimes people can see me grit my teeth. Um, but I think they
00:43:24
were both people people. And while I'm an introvert by nature, when I have to
00:43:31
be sort of out there, um, I'm sort of a combination of Bruce and Patty. And I I
00:43:36
draw on that sort of strength to be able to do things maybe you don't necessarily
00:43:42
choose to do um or want to be doing at that moment but that I mean McLaren and mom's maiden name was broad um that
00:43:53
spirit and just yeah you know mom bought me up with manners and with you know be
00:44:02
nice to people and I think that's a very good lesson for kid. >> Um, >> and so I I'm grateful to both of them
00:44:11
for what it was they they did. >> Was it hard for you growing up without a
00:44:16
father? >> I think for quite a while because it was a gradual realization in that
00:44:25
sense. No. um in that mom had a lot of male friends and and not taking this the wrong way at my age. Everybody
00:44:37
who was older than me was either aunt or uncle. So, I had a number of uncles that
00:44:42
that were very good to me and sort of did, you know, one put me on the back of his motorbike and and would do that sort
00:44:49
of a thing and and and [snorts] um and then my mother had a long-term steady boyfriend for a long time who I
00:44:55
grew up who really was quite a father figure to me. And then she remarried when I was 15. And Douglas, my
00:45:03
stepfather, um for a man who hadn't had any children and kind of took on me at
00:45:10
the age of 15, um he did incredibly well and over the years our relationship grew
00:45:16
stronger and stronger. Um which is why Steven and I decided we would stay in the UK while he was still alive. Um
00:45:25
and so that there were good strong male figures in my life as I grew up which I think certainly helped.
00:45:32
>> Yeah. Filled the void a bit. >> It well it did. But I also think you
00:45:35
know growing up without a parent and especially because of a a traumatic death that seriously affected the um the
00:45:47
remaining spouse obviously has an effect on a child. And I think over the years,
00:45:51
sort of looking back at the personality, maybe I developed um as a shield to some
00:45:58
of my mother's trauma that I wasn't aware of. Um I've done a lot of reading
00:46:04
about fatherless children and also mom tried her best, but sometimes was quite emotionally absent and that certainly
00:46:14
has effect on children >> for sure. >> Can you remember? Yeah. Can you remember
00:46:20
your mom telling you about how your father passed away? Like what age you were or was it something that just sort
00:46:24
of gradually said? >> She never really did. She spoke about the accident, but that was sort of in
00:46:30
general terms never about how your father died. >> So I was never actually told. What I
00:46:35
what I did learn was through books and film. >> So you just sort of slowly pieced it
00:46:40
together as you were old enough to absorb the information. >> Yes. Yes. M >> which I think you know which is better
00:46:47
or worse I can't say because I was never told directly. There was never that
00:46:53
sharp emotional shock. But sort of layer upon layer perhaps sort of grew upon me
00:46:59
over the years. But what happened happened and and I've come out reasonably okay the other end.
00:47:05
>> Well, it's just how how parenting was at the time. It was very secretive. E like
00:47:09
>> it was very very different. you know, children should be seen and not heard.
00:47:12
And and you know, it took me >> 25 years to learn to talk to somebody older than myself because it just wasn't
00:47:18
how it was back then. And and you know, children didn't go to dinners. They didn't go to funerals. They didn't go to
00:47:26
adult things. And that was the time they were the age they were um when they had
00:47:32
me and and how they'd been brought up. And so, you know, I don't blame my mom
00:47:38
for the way she did it. She did the best she could. >> You know, yes, with hindsight, some of
00:47:44
it was definitely lacking, >> but that was she didn't have a good role
00:47:48
model as she grew up. Her mother had died when she was very young, and she didn't particularly get on with her
00:47:54
stepmother, and so, you know, she did the best she could with the tools she had >> and um Yeah.
00:48:01
>> Yeah. So, just how parenting was at the time, even with ad adoptions back then,
00:48:05
it was all closed and shroud and sort of secretive. It was just how it was. What
00:48:09
What kind of stories did your mom or others share about Bruce as a husband and a father and a man as you were
00:48:14
growing up? >> Well, I look back at the pictures of me and a lot of them with with them with
00:48:19
him. A lot of them are quite staged in that they were often promotional shots. He was at home. They wanted the family
00:48:26
photos, but he's playing with me on this. We had a little swing slide set at
00:48:32
home in the garden at Murray and he's out there with me and he's always just
00:48:36
got this beaming smile on his face and he's really engaging with me. And then
00:48:40
there's other pictures of me sitting on a tree stump in in a big park outside of
00:48:45
London where we used to go because I love anything with four legs. I say it's
00:48:49
got to have four legs or four wheels. [laughter] And there were deer in this park and
00:48:54
there were horses and and one of my first words apparently was pony. and I never grew out of of of loving ponies
00:49:01
and horses. Um, and he'd take me there and just that just the look on his face when he's
00:49:07
interacting with me. I think he was a really doting father and he just loved spending time with me when he could. And
00:49:14
people say what a lovely man he was. >> The afternoon he was killed, everybody
00:49:21
who was at the factory was told to take that day and the following day off as a mark of respect for him. and they all
00:49:28
defied orders and went back in. They said, "Bruce wouldn't expect us to take
00:49:33
the day off. We want to build cars and win races just as he was wanting to do and we all back here for Bruce." And
00:49:41
there are still some alive today who worked with him. And they say, "We didn't actually work for Bruce, we
00:49:47
worked with Bruce." And Hen Gandley, New Zealander, who was one of dad's early mechanics, great family
00:49:56
friend, said, "You know, if Bruce had asked us to down our tools and go out to
00:50:00
the desert to build a brick wall, we all would have done that. No question asked." He had this innate ability to
00:50:06
inspire people and be a great leader. And I I mean, I did a master of nursing leadership. um learned some tools and
00:50:14
things like that through that course, but he did it without any formal instruction or or
00:50:21
people telling him what to do. It was just an incredible ability he had. And I think that's sort of the the person as I
00:50:29
grew up. I wish I'd known him better >> and and learned some more of those
00:50:33
skills and traits from him >> for sure. Do you remember um what age you were when you realized your dad was
00:50:40
this, you know, special larger than life character, not just dad, [laughter] like
00:50:44
your dad was like a VIP? >> And I do. And the reason I'm laughing, so as I growing up, we used to go to the
00:50:52
British Grand Prix and I'll be honest, I would run around the pits pretending to
00:50:57
be pony jumping over piles of tires. I mean that would not happen today because one you just can't get out to the into
00:51:03
the pits and two it's far too dangerous for kids to be doing that sort of thing.
00:51:07
But [laughter] that is what I did >> and really you know there's a few
00:51:10
pictures of me with sort of Emerson Feraldi and various drivers but 1976 comes along and
00:51:19
a driver called James Hunt signs for McLaren and James Hunt's quite the pinup
00:51:25
boy. James Hunt's really rather gorgeous and a lot of young women had him on
00:51:30
their bedroom wall as their pinup. Not because he was a racing driver, just because he was really rather
00:51:36
good-looking. And so I go to the British Grand Prix in 1976 and I get to meet James and big
00:51:44
wide eyes and like wow. Um, >> so how old are you at the time? >> So I'm 10.
00:51:48
>> Yeah. So I go back to school the following morning and we're doing the
00:51:53
what did you do over the weekend and I tell you if you want to go to zero from zero to hero in the popularity stakes
00:52:00
you know if anyone met Oscar Orlando over the weekend and they're 10 years old and they go back to school and they
00:52:05
tell their classmates similar sort of thing all these girls turn and pivot and look at me and say you did what? And I
00:52:15
said, "I met James." And they said, "Because up, you was Amanda. They were Susan and Tina and
00:52:23
Natasha and Sally." And again, we did. We just ignored each other's surnames
00:52:27
cuz they weren't important. And so they're like, "Well, how did you
00:52:31
get to meet James Hunt?" And I sort of drew myself up really proudly and said,
00:52:36
"Well, he drives for the team that my father founded." And so they look at me
00:52:41
and they started asking me questions and I couldn't answer any of the questions.
00:52:45
Oh well your dad came from New Zealand. When did he found the team? No idea. So I went home
00:52:52
and I thought mom gets motoring news every week. She gets motorsport. She gets these magazines. She and I kind of
00:52:59
had a look at them but I wasn't particularly interested. And then I had a look at all the books in her
00:53:05
bookshelf. They had big trophy cabinet and bookshelf underneath that had been made. And I'm like,
00:53:12
Denny Holm, but that's the man's who bonfire night thing we went to. And
00:53:18
Chris and and and Jackie Stewart and Graeme Hill and Jack Brabam and these are all mom's friends. So I'm like, so I
00:53:27
start reading and I start asking a few questions and and then I start keeping a big scrapbook and I wish I had it. I I
00:53:34
don't know what happened to it. of the rest of the season between 1976, James
00:53:38
Hunt, Nikki Lauder, McLaren versus Ferrari, the good old rivalry. Um, and it was really from then on that I
00:53:47
started reading and following Formula 1, following the M McLaren team. And it was
00:53:55
a real Yeah. penny drop, light bulb moment. Um, my school friends asking me about James.
00:54:02
Oh, >> that's so cute. [laughter] That's the greatest story ever. How cool. Um I've
00:54:08
heard um in what I've read about your dad, he's been described as like humble
00:54:11
and brilliant. Um yeah. How did how did your mom and family describe him to you?
00:54:18
>> Similar, I think. I mean, everybody says he was just the nicest person. Um,
00:54:26
you know, he just was innately nice, which I think is is a fantab fabulous thing for a child to have in a father.
00:54:37
Um, and it it it still continues on to this day. You know, you've got men who
00:54:47
went through the war, the Blitz, went through seeing people killed regularly in motor racing. And yet they all and
00:54:58
and and boys don't cry. The stiff upper lip, especially for the British um and
00:55:02
and talk about sort of, you know, parental upbringing in generations, boys do not show tears. um especially from
00:55:09
that that um generation, they all cry when they talk about June 2nd, 1970. My dad had such an effect on them and his
00:55:17
death still does >> and and so you just think gosh and and you try to nail it down what exactly it was and
00:55:26
they're lost for words. >> They can't explain what it is that actually
00:55:33
had that huge effect, but he did. And so again to see that and just think, you know, he must have been incredible. Not
00:55:40
just what he did on paper or on the circuit or forming the team, but the man he was underneath that.
00:55:48
>> Yeah. Knowing that, does that make it even more bittersweet for you growing up
00:55:51
without him? You knowing that he was such a nice man? >> I I think it does. I mean, you know, had
00:55:57
everyone said, "Oh, he's a grumpy old so and so." And you probably [laughter]
00:56:00
it would have been maybe easier, >> but you know, you can't undo what happened.
00:56:05
>> No. Um, no point looking back. The legacy lives on. You know, I'm really
00:56:10
proud to sort of be a part of that, to see McLaren still out there, you know, backto-back constructive champions last
00:56:16
year and this year. >> Um, so, you know, if we can't have dad, we've got the second best thing.
00:56:23
>> Yeah. And you you your mom did an incredible job and now you're doing an
00:56:26
incredible job. Um, yeah. Keeping this name alive, which I think it's really
00:56:30
cool. So, not just the name on the car, but the Yeah, the Bruce part as well. Well, my husband and I are two of the
00:56:36
four trustees of the Bruce McLaren Trust here in New Zealand. Um, it is a New Zealand based charity with the aim of
00:56:44
perpetuating the legacy and the history of dad. We are supporting two scholarships for students from the
00:56:52
faculty of engineering at Oakland University. When my father started his undergrad degree, he never actually
00:56:59
finished it, but he started it. Um and they the students go to the UK every year, one to McLaren Automotive, one to
00:57:07
McLaren Racing. Um we also support their Formula SAE team and the launch of their
00:57:13
2025 26 car is tonight. So we're going to that um and also the Bruce Mlan Intermediate School in Henderson. Um and
00:57:21
it's a low desile school, but we would like to offer children there some opportunities that maybe they wouldn't
00:57:28
have had before. So again, students from their STEM program, go to the University
00:57:33
of Oakland and have a look and see what it is they do over there. >> So that that's wonderful for us and and
00:57:39
despite the fact that dad didn't finish his undergrad degree, um the university,
00:57:44
not last year, the year before, sorry, 2023, awarded dad its first postumous honorary
00:57:52
doctorate and I accepted the award on his behalf. And so our links with the university and and what they're doing
00:57:59
over there, they're working on an exciting new project which unfortunately I'm not able to um give any more
00:58:05
information about yet, but something that will have dad's name attached to it, which is just going to be fantastic.
00:58:13
And so we're actively sort of promoting that at the moment. And that the trust
00:58:18
is is doing more work with McLaren UK. Zack Brown, CEO of Racing, is one of our patrons. And so, just making that that
00:58:30
history and and and legacy stronger. As you mentioned earlier, not everybody knows that Bruce was a Kiwi boy from
00:58:38
Remya. Um, so we're trying to sort of address that more with our social media
00:58:43
presence and we put out a newsletter. Um, and so yeah, McLaren are are doing great and it's wonderful to be a part of
00:58:54
that story >> for sure. Well, you're the perfect You're the only person that can do it.
00:58:59
[laughter] It's on you. >> Other people could do it, but they just wouldn't be able to say they were the
00:59:04
daughter. But, you know, yeah. Yeah. I mean, in the future, you know, I'm not
00:59:08
going to be here forever that the trust will hopefully live on. We'll have new
00:59:12
trustees coming on board. But what we're trying to do is put in place things that
00:59:17
will just continue fairly easily like the scholarships and so on. Um and Longman McLaren Automotive and Racing
00:59:24
last for sure. If >> if Bruce McLaren was here today, how do you think he'd feel about the team, the
00:59:28
brand, and yeah, just the the state of F1 and motorsport in general? >> I think firstly, he'd be so proud that
00:59:37
the team has continued on in in motor racing. As I said earlier, second oldest Formula 1 team in the history of the
00:59:44
sport. >> You know, they could have had a name change over the years for a while there.
00:59:48
There was a single owner of the team who could have named it after himself, but didn't um and be doing road cars now as
00:59:56
well. You know, that was the next big plan for Bruce McLaren Motor Racing had he not been killed. Road cars. So,
01:00:03
automotive are doing what he was would be wanting to do. Um Formula 1. I think my dad was very much an innovator.
01:00:12
Created first nostrils on a a Formula 1 car. >> They use now widely across the sport.
01:00:20
>> Wanted to use something lighter and stronger to build the cars off. So took
01:00:24
Malite from the aerospace industry. Now they're using carbon fiber. Um he would love the technology. He'd be
01:00:33
amazed by, I think, the the progress and and how quick things have changed, the access to new materials, so things like
01:00:41
3D printing. Um, but he would just be so immersed in it and just looking for the
01:00:49
next best thing that would enable him to build lighter, quicker, stronger racing
01:00:54
cars and road cars. >> Do you reckon he'd be a fan of Drive to Survive? Are you a fan of Drive to
01:00:59
Survive? [laughter] I mean, it's a little bit contrived and and and and they did, you know, who's
01:01:05
the goodie, who's the baddie, but I think it has been absolutely brilliant for the sport. Yes.
01:01:12
>> In terms of getting young fans and especially young females interested.
01:01:18
We've met so many women >> who are now following Formula 1 because of that series. I think it's done an
01:01:24
absolutely brilliant job. >> What about um the F1 movie? I I had Greg Murphy on the the podcast recently and
01:01:31
he refuses to watch it. He said, "No, I'm not watching the Brad Pit movie.
01:01:34
It's ridiculous." [laughter] >> I I'll be honest, I went with a degree
01:01:39
of skepticism. You know, how can you have this sort of 50some year old Formula 1 driver?
01:01:46
However, I came away quite impressed. One, Brad's not bad for an old guy. [laughter]
01:01:51
and two >> um they do >> make a joke about the age of him in the movie, you know, how can you be a
01:02:01
Formula 1 driver at your age sort of thing. So, they address it really quite well. And I have to say some of the
01:02:06
racing scenes are spectacular. The seamlessness between the real thing and Brad and and his co-driver and what
01:02:17
wasn't real, you can't tell. And I actually think again in terms of fan engagements and just a a little bit of
01:02:25
what's behind the scene. I mean, yes, it was probably a little bit sort of more
01:02:29
contrived than in real life. However, um I really enjoyed it. I really enjoyed it. So, Greg, I mean, he's one of our
01:02:36
patrons, too. Um go watch the movie if you're listening to this. He's probably
01:02:40
not. He's doing his thing. But, um it it's worth seeing it. It It's a bit of
01:02:44
fun, and it is a Hollywood. It's not a documentary. And it's the same with Ford
01:02:48
versus Ferrari. You know, it was a Hollywood. It's not a documentary. So, you know, the the
01:02:56
>> differences are there. Um, and on that note, we are actually going to make a
01:02:59
Hollywood about my my father. I'm working with a company who are doing that. But, um, we're going to make sure
01:03:05
it's not quite so contrived. What we're going to do is explore the relationship
01:03:09
between my father and Teddy May, who was his business partner. Um, two very, very
01:03:15
different characters, but one of the greatest pairings in Formula 1 history to create Bruce McLaren Motor Racing and
01:03:23
and what it became. And so, um, yeah. Yeah. Hollywood films, I mean, Hollywood and inverted commas, but they're not
01:03:31
always bad. >> No, no. Well, there's a bit of creative license, isn't there?
01:03:35
>> Absolutely. Absolutely. >> Wow. Who's going to play your dad?
01:03:38
>> Absolutely. We're not quite at that point yet. And the interesting thing is,
01:03:42
you know, it's got to be a fairly young actor because, as you say, he was in his
01:03:46
20s when it all happened. >> So, um, yeah, we're not quite at that stage yet.
01:03:52
>> Yeah. Um, yeah. Another guest I've had on the podcast, Sir Peter Beck. Um, do
01:03:56
you know who Sir Peter Beck is from? Started a company called Rocket Lab. >> Rocket Lab. Yeah.
01:04:02
>> There's actually, yeah, there's I mean, completely different sort of um things,
01:04:05
but I can see parallels between them. like Sir Peter Beck, kid from Invagle, never went to university, couldn't get a
01:04:11
job at NASA, so thought he'd build rockets himself. Just in terms of the um the innovation perspective and punching
01:04:17
above your weight, there's um definite parallels between um Sir Peter and your
01:04:20
dad. >> Absolutely. Absolutely. Yeah, I mean in terms of almost everything, New Zealand
01:04:24
punches way above its weight, >> whether it be in the arts or sport or [gasps]
01:04:28
>> but I think a lot of that comes from the fact that back in in the days of of Spa
01:04:34
and my dad, >> if you wanted to do something, you kind of had to do it yourself.
01:04:39
>> You couldn't get it on Amazon or eBay or the internet or get on YouTube and kind
01:04:45
of see how to do it. >> Um and and that made Kiwis very ingenious. M >> and and you know the number eight piece
01:04:54
of number eight fencing wire mentality but you know that that real entrepreneurial sort of spirit and that
01:05:00
again is something the university's going to be working closely on um with this project that that we're involved
01:05:08
with and and just creating leaders for the future um with that that Bruce Kiwi spirit.
01:05:16
>> Yeah. As um the trustee, what project has meant meant the most to you personally?
01:05:22
Is there a standout? >> Um, probably getting the the university students to McLaren racing. Um,
01:05:30
automotive had had been set up when we were still in the UK and and was happening, but um I think racing saw
01:05:39
the benefit to automotive and the trust wasn't um supporting the the scholarship at that point. But for a
01:05:49
young student to have the ability to go over and and for a long time, I think everybody thought it would be a one-way
01:05:56
street from racing or automotive to the student, but no. One of the last students that went over working with
01:06:02
racing, they were talking about a problem that they had. And this student said, "I think I can help you with
01:06:09
that." And he came up with a solution. >> And racing were just absolutely blown
01:06:14
away by the the creative thinking. And I think that's the thing with young children these days or young children,
01:06:19
young students, um the ability to not be constrained by sort of the ideas and the
01:06:25
the the environment that they've been in. They think outside the square, way
01:06:29
outside the square, and come up with all these ideas. And for the trust now to be
01:06:35
supporting that with the New Zealand UK Link Foundation, um is I think a wonderful thing for us to be doing with
01:06:44
dad's name attached to it. Um and and it's just such a a wonderful relationship and a number of the
01:06:50
students who went over with the internship are now working for racing or for automotive andor some of the other
01:06:59
Formula 1 teams or other similar type industries. Um so they're really having
01:07:04
a wonderful experience and that they're all so thrilled to get the the internship. We've met a lot of young
01:07:14
students who were looking at other universities around New Zealand and said can we have it at Wo and we're like
01:07:21
sorry this is the University of Oakland because it's dad's alma m but um they
01:07:28
choose to come to Aland >> and the school of engineering for that reason so that they're eligible to apply
01:07:34
for the internship. M obviously you you feel a huge sense of pride when you see um your name and your family name on on
01:07:42
cars or you see glimpse of of it in the F1 movie or whatever it happens to be. But do you ever um are there ever
01:07:48
moments where you sort of feel his presence? Do you think? Um, [snorts] I'd like to
01:08:02
I I think I I don't know. It's there's a hard question. Um, and it sometimes, you
01:08:10
know, he's all around because you walk into McLaren Pits and there's a huge
01:08:14
photo of him and you walk into the paddock and there's a huge photo of him. So, he is kind of there. So whether it's
01:08:21
through the pictures or just the name or the feeling or I don't know but I I
01:08:27
would like to think he is there sort of supporting everybody and giving them a little push sometimes and yeah. Yeah.
01:08:34
Interesting question. >> Thanks for that answer. That's such an honest answer cuz I think anyone that's
01:08:38
lost a loved one um you you'd like to you'd like to think there's something
01:08:43
>> but maybe there just isn't. You know it's maybe it's just the memory.
01:08:46
>> Yeah. Yeah. I mean, I I don't I'm not religious. >> Um, however, I know a lot of people do
01:08:56
believe that spirits live on. I don't know. Um, but in terms of just sort of carrying
01:09:07
forward the DNA of mom and dad and and their moms and dads and and their grandparents
01:09:14
and I think that there's a little bit of everybody in us. >> Um, so in that sense sort of I feel there's
01:09:22
a bit of dad with me. So he's kind of with us all the time. But um, yeah, it's
01:09:29
it's It's something I I really don't know the answer to. >> What's been your proudest moment as his
01:09:35
daughter? >> Oh my goodness. Um, proudest moment. I I think in terms of receiving something on his behalf or him
01:10:02
being acknowledged, the honorary doctorate would be up there [snorts] >> in that he was recognized
01:10:11
as an engineer. Most people think of him as a racing driver or the founder of the
01:10:15
team, but for the university to recognize his contribution to engineering, I think was was wonderful.
01:10:22
and for it to be the first honorary doctorate. Until that point, the university had never rewarded an
01:10:28
honorary drug doctorate. And they changed the rules um for dad to be able to receive that. So what they did and
01:10:38
how special they must have thought dad was to be deserving of it was incredibly heartwarming. Um and we had a wonderful
01:10:48
ceremony and they gave me that. So that that's probably be one of my proudest
01:10:52
moments. >> And when people think of Bruce McLaren, what's the one thing you hope they
01:10:55
remember most? >> I think everybody will remember something different, >> but I think the people that knew him
01:11:06
actually really knew him remember the great person he was and the lovely person he was. And they tell me stories
01:11:12
of, you know, dad paid for one of his mechanics to go on honeymoon in Fiji. Team was doing well and he had the money
01:11:18
and they didn't. So he he paid for that. Um just a a lovely, generous, kind-spirited sort of man. Others
01:11:25
remember him as a creating the race team and and how fantastic that was winning Can-Am, you know, the the the
01:11:36
five championships back to back, being so dominant, creating the cars that achieved that. Um, so different people
01:11:43
remember him for different reasons, >> but yeah, I I I like to think the people
01:11:47
that really knew him remember him for the sort of person he was. >> Yeah, that's so special. And what about
01:11:53
you? When people think of Amanda McLaren, what do you want your legacy to [laughter] be?
01:11:58
>> What they think of me is is probably something different. >> I mean, I think that that's twofold. Um,
01:12:07
I mean, I was a registered nurse and you know, at times you're there at a really
01:12:13
low point in somebody's life and if I made a difference for some people in that part of my life through that
01:12:22
journey as a nurse, then that is incredibly special. Mhm. >> Um, completely different life now as
01:12:30
honorary brand ambassador and trustee and sort of perpetuating dad's legacy.
01:12:37
But I think the things that the trust has set up and that's not just me, that's my husband and our other two
01:12:42
trustees, Michael Clark and Warick Mortimer. Um, but the things we've been able to do, I think a a great part of my
01:12:51
dad's legacy and and so to be a a quarter of that. um has been incredibly special. So, it it depends what part of
01:13:00
my life um we're talking about. >> Your dad never got to know the the woman
01:13:05
that's sitting in front of me today, but yeah, what do you think he'd make of
01:13:08
her? >> I hope he'd be proud. >> Um you know, I I I try to live by the
01:13:16
four agreements. Um you know, and and one of them is just do your best. Mhm. >> And
01:13:24
sometimes it's not as good as it could be because I'm tired or I'm not feeling
01:13:28
well or but always just do your best. Be nice to people. You know, you sit in a restaurant or you sit on the plane and
01:13:38
you hear some people being really rude to the staff and you know, people say, you know, the measure of a man is how he
01:13:46
speaks to the waiting staff. And it's like, yeah. Um, and so I I I think, you know, I'd like
01:13:53
to think dad would pat me on the shoulder and say, you know, good job. >> Yeah.
01:13:58
>> Yeah. >> That's nice. I think that's a good place to end it. Oh, one more thing. If you're
01:14:04
watching um Yeah. F1 on TV and no one else is around, do you ever like root for Liam Lawson? [laughter]
01:14:11
>> He doesn't drive for McLaren. Um >> I know. I mean, >> but you're a Kiwi.
01:14:15
>> I'm a Kiwi. I mean what I said before this weekend was that McLaren first and
01:14:20
second so we absolutely clinch the championship and Liam can be third. [laughter] Um you know once the the
01:14:26
driver championship is sorted at McLaren um you know maybe Liam can be second you
01:14:32
know it is lovely to see a Kiwi driving in Formula 1 again. Um and so yeah I I wish Liam all the best and and for his
01:14:41
future career um whatever happens next year. But it is lovely to see a Kiwi out there.
01:14:46
>> Yeah. Well, Amanda McLaren, thank you so much for coming in and being on my
01:14:49
podcast today. I really appreciate it. It's been really nice to meet you and
01:14:53
really nice to um yeah, get these uh little insights and learn more about um your dad and the amazing um your man
01:15:00
that he was. >> Well, it's been fantastic, Dom, and thank you for having me here. I've
01:15:03
really enjoyed talking with you.