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Relive Bruce McLaren's amazing story in new documentary

In the past few years, we've been privy to some excellent racing films, including the Senna documentary, and Ron Howard's Rush. It looks like the streak will continue with an upcoming documentary about Bruce McLaren, the man whose team still competes in F1 to this day. The film is directed by Roger Donaldson, who also directed The World's Fastest Indian. Based on the trailer for the film, we'll learn the story of McLaren's motorsports career from his humble beginnings to his fatal crash from the people he worked with. Woven among the period footage are words from his crew members, and, presumably, his family. Not only that, but famed racecar drivers Mario Andretti and Jackie Stewart have words about the man. It looks like the film will have more than just interview and period footage, as well. In the trailer are much more recent clips of a McLaren Can-Am racer, painted in the company's official orange color. The teaser is definitely worth a watch, and we eagerly await the release of the full documentary, whenever that may be. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

This is why the windshield-less McLaren Elva doesn't require goggles

Every Ultimate Series supercar McLaren makes has its own aerodynamic challenges. But while the P1's, Senna's, and Speedtail's aero missions were mainly focused on performance, the biggest aerodynamic challenge of the McLaren Elva was creating a "virtual canopy." Similar to the Bentley Mulliner Bacalar, the Aston Martin V12 Speedster, this unreleased Bugatti concept, and the Ferrari Monza SP1 and SP2, the Elva has no roof and no windshield. Although this creates a dramatic design and a pure open-air experience, the wind can be an annoyance without the proper gear such as a helmet and/or goggles. McLaren set out to solve that problem and make it so its drivers and passengers could drive the Elva without any gear whatsoever. To accomplish this task, McLaren came up with a fairly simple idea that requires complex execution. Essentially, the air that enters the lower intake on the front fascia is put through a J-shaped or hook-shaped duct and mitigates airflow that hits passengers. The duct curves the airflow toward the front of the car at high speeds and interrupts the air flow that is traveling over the hood. This interruption creates the aforementioned "virtual canopy" that protects those in the car from any air disturbances. The final piece of this technology is a "gurney" just in front of the hood vent that will pop up when traveling at higher speeds to create a bigger bubble. The host of the video, Director of Engineering Design Dan Parry-Williams, says that the bubble is so clearly defined that sticking a hand up into the air path feels like sticking a hand out the window. Parry-Williams explain how it all works in the video above. In other news, McLaren's motorsport division recently announced it has furloughed its staff and its F1 drivers have taken a pay cut during the pandemic and financial crisis. Read more about what actions McLaren is taking during these uncertain times.

F1 legend Mika Hakkinen to become McLaren's public face

Two-time Formula 1 World Champion Mika Hakkinen is back at McLaren. The manufacturer announced Hakkinen is taking up a PR position at McLaren, becoming a Partner Ambassador, and it was at McLaren Mercedes that Hakkinen scored his championships in the late 1990s. For Hakkinen, the ambassador position means joining members of the manufacturer's marketing arm, so it is likely he will be seen in prominent McLaren advertisements and business ventures. In its press release, McLaren mentions executive director Zak Brown and CEO Mike Flewitt as Hakkinen's future collaborators. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. As Hakkinen says: "I've always considered McLaren to be my home in Formula 1, and I still have an enormous place in my heart for everyone in the team. Of course, the past few years for McLaren haven't been easy, but I've always believed that it's only a matter of 'when' rather than 'if' McLaren will come good again – and I want to play my part in helping that happen. "Returning to McLaren was an easy decision for me – I've never really lost contact, and I still know a lot of the hard-working men and women there from my eight-and-a-bit seasons with the team." This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Hakkinen also says he drives a McLaren P1 supercar. "I'm looking forward to immersing myself in the exciting world of McLaren Automotive. I have a modern-day McLaren in my fleet of road cars, and it's a truly superb machine." Related Video: