McLarens in the lead

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 32879, 30 March 1972, Page 14

McLarens in the lead

Denis Huhne, of New Zealand, is in first place in the 1972 quest for the world driving championship, and Team McLaren is a strong contender for the world constructor’s championship.

Team McLaren is in a stronger position in Formula I than it ever was in the days of the late Bruce McLaren. Hulme, who won this year’s South African Grand Prix on March 4 and finished second in the Argentine Grand Prix, on January 23, now leads in the drivers’ championship standings with 15 points.

Peter Revson, the United States McLaren driver, who finished third at South Africa, is tied for fourth place with Belgium’s Jacky Ickx. Both have four championship points, trailing

Scotland’s Jackie Stewart and Emerson Fittipaldi of Brazil, who have nine and six points, respectively. The performances of Hulme and Revson in this year’s first two races exceed the performances of all McLaren cars during 1971 except that of Mark Donohue, who took third place in the Canadian Grand Prix for the best McLaren finish of the year. What is making the difference? The combination of Revson and Hulme—so formidable in last year’s Can-Am series—is making its presence felt. These two drivers always have excelled as a team, and they are continuing the teamwork they displayed on the Can-Am trail.

However, ■ while teamwork and driving excellence play an important part, noone can ignore the fact that the McLaren Formula I cars, so frequently plagued with mechanical problems in the past, are much stronger this. year. Both cars showed exceptional stamina in the sweltering South African heat, which

claimed all but 15 of the 26 starters in that race. Last year, the Ferraris were touted as “the cars to beat.” But the Tyrrells proved the experts wrong. This year, it looked as if the Tyrrells had the cham-

pionship "sewn up” before the season started, but perhaps there will again be an upset. The photograph shows Huhne on his way to second place in the 1972 Argentine Grand Prix.