Gordon Murray Can't Slow Down

The automotive electrification, powerhouse on his favourite race cars and the value of getting your hands dirty.

- Viju Mathew

FOR OVER FIVE decades, automotive designer and engineer Gordon Murray has been one of the most influential forces advancing both motorsport and road cars. In charge of a Formula 1 team by the age of 27, Murray spent 20 years in the world’s premier race series and has five World Constructors’ Championship titles to his credit. And while the seminal 1992 McLaren F1 road car is widely regarded as his capstone, the 77-year-old creative is far from done. His latest, the T.50s Niki Lauda, made its US debut at the 2023 Monterey Car Week. Our conversation with the designer has been edited for length and clarity.

When did you realise that cars were going to be your passion?

I was five or six years old. My dad was a motor mechanic, and just after the war, people started building specials to go racing again. I would sit on the bench watching him assemble these. There wasn’t a month without us going to see some form of motorsport. I can remember never wanting to do anything else but be a racing driver.

What was your greatest lesson from Formula 1?

With Brabham and Bernie Ecclestone, we had a tiny budget compared to the big guys like McLaren, Ferrari and even Williams. That period taught me a lot about how to make a race-winning vehicle to beat the giants on a very low budget. You learn very quickly what makes a car go fast and doesn’t cost a lot of money.

Of all your race cars, which are you most proud of?