MARCH 1, 2009

Gordon Murray still an innovator

Gordon Murray was one of the great innovators in Formula 1 in the 1970s and 1980s. He started his career as a design draughtsman under Ron Tauranac at Brabham. At the end of 1972 he was appointed chief designer by new owner Bernie Ecclestone and he pioneered innovations such as surface cooling, the fan car and the BT55 "skateboard". Nelson Piquet won two Drivers' World Championships with the team during Murray's reign. He moved to McLaren and after being involved in the F1 design was named as chief designer of the McLaren F1 road car, an exotic road car which went on to win Le Mans at its first attempt in 1995. He left McLaren in 2004 and worked on various automotive projects until 2007 when he set up Gordon Murray Design, with the plan being to build a car - called the T25 - with which he aims to revolutionise the automobile industry with a care that is half the size of a Mini which will be perfectly suited for urban living. The company has now launched the sale of licenses for the car.