------ENTREPRENEURIAL WOMEN------------ Jan McLaren maintaining the McLaren Legacy IN A RECENT TRIP “ACROSS THE DITCH” I CAUGHT UP WITH JAN MCLAREN – YES THAT MCLAREN – TO CHAT ABOUT HER LIFELONG CONNECTION WITH NEW ZEALAND MOTORSPORT AND HER COMMITMENT TO MAINTAINING THE BRUCE MCLAREN LEGACY. Although her brother’s career is well first motorsport hill climb event aged documented, I asked Jan to take us around 3 or 4 years old. So, the first 2 back to where it all began for Bruce 5 years of my life was motorsport, and how he got into motorsport. She followed by another 25 years or so explained that Bruce was born into it. focused on raising a family.” “Our father, Les, competed in Jan’s passion for motorsport and motorbike racing at Muriwai Beach as the motoring industry, in all its different far back as 1919 before taking up car forms, is in her DNA, and is mixed with racing at club level. Bruce was always another family interest in history, around motorsport events – we even heritage and genealogy, which led her have photos of him as a two-year old to become the McLaren family at speedway tracks. It’s well spokesperson after Les died in 1985. documented that Bruce always ‘knew’ Shortly thereafter, in the early 1990s he would fulfil his dream of becoming Jan retired from a 15-year management a Formula 1 driver.” career in the banking sector. One of Bruce’s early challenges, of “Twenty-five years after Bruce’s course, was being diagnosed with death we organised a motorsport dinner Perthes disease, which left his left leg and over 200 people attended. This shorter than his right, and spending reignited the motoring passion for all two years at the (Lawson) Wilson things McLaren, and so with the family Home for Crippled Children. “To history, together with encouragement ‘distract’ him from these challenges from Sir Tom Clark and Ross Jensen, we once home, dad bought an Austin 7, decided to honour Bruce’s achievements which 14-year-old Bruce rebuilt with and the wonderful legacy he left his Dad’s help, and raced for the first behind.” The Bruce McLaren Trust was time in 1952. This was how it all began.” created and launched in 1997 and the As we are here to get to know Jan original Can-Am car, which had been McLaren, I asked her to take us back to allowed to fall into disrepair, was rebuilt the early years. Jan suggested that she over a 15-year period. too was someone born into a motoring When asked about her memories family – someone with petrol in her of her teenage years as Bruce was veins. “I usually open with ‘I’m Bruce’s conquering the world, she reminisces little sister’, but of course it goes fondly. “I remember in 1958 he won deeper than that. The family has been the ‘Driver to Europe’ and headed off involved in the motor industry for over overseas. Mum and dad followed him 100 years, with our grandfather being in 1959 and I was sent to the South involved with cars from the early Island to live with my sister. Bruce won 1900s, our father Les being involved his first Grand Prix that same year.” from around 1919 with petrol delivery Jan recalls her father and another trucks, and he then drove the first local parent, whose son was also Texaco tankers and entered his first doing great things around the world, motorsport event around the same casually chatting about the exploits of time, albeit on a motorbike. It was their sons. The other father was Percy inevitable therefore, that I went to my Hillary, Sir Edmund’s father. Jan also Jan McLaren. 28 –ENTREPRENEURIAL WOMEN ------ENTREPRENEURIAL WOMEN------------ recalls an annual procession of out and accepted it on our behalf. – Bruce’s memorial stone is at motoring identities, such as Tony Rebuilding the car was a major Goodwood, of course. This turned out Brooks, Jack Brabham, Stirling Moss project, but we also started a to be a reunion of sorts, with so many and many other notable drivers. supporter’s club, pulled together all old colleagues coming together for “Looking back, it sounds so surreal, but the memorabilia and even organised the first time in years to that’s just what we did. The big welcome events. It just took off and before we commemorate the 30th anniversary of home parades and celebrations became knew it, we had a tiger by the tail.” Bruce’s death. I look back and wonder the norm. As a teenage girl, I was Jan initially ran the Trust from where the last 19 years have gone!” developing other interests, but I must home, although they returned to Les’ I reminded Jan that when we first admit I had notebooks with all the original service station office as they met, she shared a story about a trip to circuits in them and scrapbooks of built momentum and the growth McLaren in the UK. “Ah, yes. We were Bruce’s achievements. Dad, of course, accelerated. They even got involved on a trip through Europe visiting had a much better understanding of in international events, the first one numerous German and Italian what it all meant.” being a fuel economy challenge marques when we finally got to where Jan points out that New around Britain in 2000. “We were very I really wanted to be – the new Zealanders tend to be casual about well received in Britain and Lord March McLaren premises in Woking. I said: big achievements, probably because, opened the doors of Goodwood for us ‘Good morning, my name is Jan as a small country, they have punched above their weight for as long as anyone can remember. World record holders such as John Walker in athletics, Ivan Mauger in speedway and Burt Munroe at Bonneville all come to mind, but the country seemed to take all this in its stride – it seems to be the Kiwi way. We returned to the Bruce McLaren Trust and how it was funded it in the early years. Jan reminds us that the initial objective was to build a memorial, so they had to do several things to get the ball rolling. “We were able to have the Can-Am car donated to the Trust and Stirling Moss came Jan with Sir Jackie Stewart - Dave Williamson. Laguna Seca in 2013. The National Collision Repairer – 29 ------ENTREPRENEURIAL WOMEN------------ McLaren and we have an appointment.’ was set up. However, they ultimately older, we must reach out to the next The young man looked up and said: decided on an industrial building down generation to ensure our survival. If this ‘And how do you spell that?’, to which I at Hampton Downs Motorsport Park. means we need to engage and interact replied, rather indignantly, ‘Well, the “I’m still very much involved as a differently and breathe new life into the same way that you do!’ As I look back, trustee, but I stepped back when we museum, then that’s what we will do. it’s clear they were just not used to any moved down there and we put in a Marketing a static museum is always a ‘McLarens’ visiting, as back then there new manager. The museum is very challenge, but it is an essential element. was just my sister-in-law Patty successful and attracts a steady stream We must always look to be self-funding McLaren and myself. Today of course, of both local and international visitors, along with grant funding and raising Bruce’s daughter Amanda is an many of whom are car clubs and monies from special events. McLaren ambassador for McLaren cars, which motorsport fanatics.” family involvement is a special and unique is really very special.” As with all great historic part of our business and a succession plan Jan was happy to explain the initiatives, the question of how to that always sees family involved is connections with McLaren Racing today. ensure the legacy continues is always imperative, along with good management She said that when Bruce died the rest a tough one. Being sustainable in and, of course, good marketing.” of the team carried on, even winning today’s environment is hugely When asked to explain the world championships in the mid-70s, challenging, especially for small importance of Bruce’s legacy to New although by the late-70s they had museums. The Trust has survived for Zealand, Jan has no hesitation. “I can plateaued, which is not unusual in over 20 years by going out to the sum it all up in a single phrase: ‘dream, motorsport. She also recalls that at the market, attending events, working believe, achieve’. This is not just in same time Ron Dennis had his own small with youth such as Kartsport and SAE motorsport, but in everything we company called Project 4, although engineering students, promoting Kiwis set out to do, and there are so neither of them was doing very well. In special occasions, and networking many of us who have performed on short, Marlboro, the sponsor of both around the world. “However, we the world stage. Bruce was one of so teams decided they were not going to recognise that as the fan base gets many other great New Zealanders.” continue to sponsor them both and, seeing talent in both camps, suggested a merger. The new company became McLaren Racing and the cars were re- named MP4 – there is still some conjecture as to whether this was McLaren Project 4 or Marlboro Project 4, but the terminology continued for many years thereafter.