(autopics.com.au)

Bruce McLaren, Cooper T70 Climax, Australian Grand Prix, Sandown Park 1964…

Its an unusual angle, Bruce is thinking about brakes as he passes the end of the pit counter and heads towards the tight ‘Peters’ left-hander before the blast up the back straight- unusual in that the shot is taken from outside the circuit, between the Armco fence and access road, a prohibited area for spectators and ‘snappers for most of the tracks life.

Click here for the ‘first McLaren’ Cooper T70 story; https://primotipo.com/2016/11/18/tim-mayer-what-might-have-been/

(J Lay)

This one is also at Sandown but a year later, 1965, as the drivers listen intently to the Clerk of The Course before the off.

Roy Billington is on the rear wheel of Jack’s Brabham BT11A Climax- the winning car, then the tall Tyler Alexander, Bruce is in the ‘Persil’ white Firestone overalls, Bib Stillwell behind him, Jim Clark, Jack Brabham and David McKay playing with his iPhone. Jack won from Jim and Phil Hill’s Cooper T70.

Jack posing patiently for Paul Stephenson in his victorious BT11A- Sandown pitlane.

(P Stephenson)

(unattributed)

Back to the 1964 Sandown Australian Grand Prix.

Bruce takes a glimpse in his Cooper T70 mirror before lining up for the Shell Corner left hander, Jack Brabham in close attendance- Brabham BT7A Climax. Over to the right alongside the fence Jim Palmer is giving them plenty of room in his Cooper T53 Climax, he was sixth. Jack won whilst Bruce was out with engine problems.

Credits…

autopics.com.au, Jeffrey Lay, Paul Stephenson, Graham Rhodes in Australian Autosportsman

Tailpiece…

(Graham Rhodes photographer)

I chuckled when randomly coming across this photo because it is taken within 20 metres or so of the first one but is taken from under the Armco on the outside of Peters rather than the opening shot from outside Pit Straight towards the braking area into Peters.

Just to add to the date confusion, this one is the year before mind you- Bruce is in the Cooper T62 he raced that 1963 summer inclusive of the 1962 AGP at Caversham in November, Lex Davison acquired it at the end of that summer- lengthy piece on that car here; https://primotipo.com/2016/05/20/bruce-lex-and-rockys-cooper-t62-climax/

Finito…

Comments
  1. Terry Sullivan says:

    Did David McKay really have an iPhone in 1965?

  2. Bruce Rhodes says:

    Thanks for posting this copy of the autosportsman cover. I was very surprised to see this, as my father, the late Graham Rhodes, was the photographer. He was an active motorsport photographer in Victoria in the in the late 50s and early 60s and was published in a number of Australian publications and event programs.

    Yes he did take it from underneath, not the Armco, but I think were then wooden barriers. He told me that he was looking to add drama to the photo and lay on his stomach to take the photo. He had got the idea from some photos he’d seen out of Europe. He also told me he felt very exposed and there was only one photo taken from that point and he never again took photos from such exposed points.

    This photograph won first place in then ‘Peter Fox Camera Sore photo competition’ and a 400mm lens to go along with the award. Which was a massive lens for the early 60s.

    I don’t have that whole edition only the cover, but wondering if there were anymore of his photos of his from that event in the magazine?

    • markbisset says:

      Thanks for getting in touch Bruce,
      It’s a terrific shot- it caught my eye as soon as I spotted it, the competition win is not a surprise. I’m afraid I don’t have the magazine itself, it was one of those lucky Google finds. Let’s see if someone spots this and has the magazine, failing that it may be worth some online searches or a wanted on EBay. Best of luck with it- I’ve added Graham to the photo attribution and the credits list.
      Mark

  3. […] Bruce McLaren tips his Cooper T70 Climax into Shell corner at Sandown during the 1964 Tasman Cup round – the Australian Grand Prix – DNF engine in the race won by Jack Brabham. See here: https://primotipo.com/2020/04/20/mclaren-cooper-t70-sandown/ […]

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