The McLaren M23 was a Formula One racing car designed by Gordon Coppuck, with input from John Barnard, and built by the McLaren team. It was a development of the McLaren M16 Indianapolis 500 car. A Ford Cosworth DFV engine was used, which was prepared by specialist tuning company Nicholson-McLaren Engines.

That car is the iconic M23. It’s the chassis that took both Emerson Fittipaldi and James Hunt to world championship success, and, unlike modern grand prix cars, which are re-designed every season, it was a Formula 1 mainstay for an incredible six seasons.

But his F1 career ended when his M23 landed badly on a jump at the Nurburgring and crashed heavily inflicting leg injuries. David Hobbs drove the car in Austria and Italy before upcoming German Jochen Mass left Surtees to take over the car for the two final races.

Mar 25, 2019 · The McLaren M23’s lifespan, much like many cars of the era, actually stretched across four years and continued to serve customer teams for another year still. It put drivers on the podium no fewer than 38 times and led to 16 victories, as the car was extensively modified throughout the early ’70s.

Oct 16, 2015 · At Paul Ricard — just his third GP — Scheckter found himself in Gordon Coppuck’s new M23, a car that would turn out to be one of the most successful in F1 history. In France, Jody led sensationally until 12 laps from the end, when Emerson Fittipaldi made a move and the pair ended up in the catch fencing.

McLaren M23/1 is credited as the first Formula One car equipped with a medical air supply plumbed to the driver's helmet and configured to automatically turn on in the event of an accident. It ran with a Graviner life support system at Zolder on May 20, 1973.

Making the most out of their unique situation, McLaren combined the monocoque of the 1972 Indy 500 winning M16B and the suspension of the M19 F1 racer to create one of the most successful F1 cars ever constructed.

Jan 22, 2025 · The McLaren M23 should be regarded as one of the all-time great Formula 1 cars. It has to be with three world titles - two drivers’ and one constructors’ — and 16 grand prix victories over a ...

Gordon Cuppock took the monocoque of the M16B, the car that won the Indy 500 in 1972, and adapted it to the M19 Formula One car to create the M23. McLaren began using the car in the third race of the 1973 season.

Aug 1, 2017 · During six years the McLaren M23, which never was the most technically advanced F1 car, raced in 83 Formula 1 Grand Prix races and recorded 16 wins, 14 pole positions and 10 fastest laps, winning two Drivers’ Championship titles and one Constructors’ Championship.