Details of Cars

McLaren M21: Ralph Bellamy’s Formula Two car of 1972

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McLaren M21 at the Donington Grand Prix Collection
McLaren M21 at the Donington Grand Prix Collection. Photo by Morio, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons.

The McLaren M21 was an open-wheel racing car designed by the Australian Ralph Bellamy and built by McLaren for the 1972 European Formula Two Championship. It was lower, flatter and squarer than the car it replaced, and Jody Scheckter drove it to one victory.

McLaren M21 at a glance

McLaren M21 key facts
Type Formula Two racing car
Year 1972
Designer Ralph Bellamy
Driver Jody Scheckter
Engine Ford-Cosworth BDA 1.6-litre four, about 210 hp
Alternative engine Ford-Cosworth BDF 1.9-litre four, about 271 hp
Chassis monocoque
Suspension outboard at the front and rear
Win Crystal Palace, 1972
Championship 8th, 15 points

based on one source (English Wikipedia). The article is short because the source is short.

History of the McLaren M21

The M21 was designed for the 1972 European Formula Two Championship and was intended to be lower, flatter and squarer than its predecessor, with a more aggressive stance. It kept a monocoque chassis and conventional front and rear outboard suspension.

1972 McLaren M21
The 1972 McLaren M21. Photo by Ozzy Delaney, CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons.

It was powered by either a naturally aspirated 1.6-litre Ford-Cosworth BDA four-cylinder tuned to about 210 hp, or a bored-out 1.9-litre Ford-Cosworth BDF developing about 271 hp.

The South African Jody Scheckter drove the car in 1972. It won once, at Crystal Palace, and Scheckter finished eighth in the championship with 15 points. Further results were prevented by mechanical and technical problems, among them engine failures and handling difficulties.

Design and features

  • Ralph Bellamy design: a lower, flatter and squarer shape than the earlier Formula Two McLaren.
  • Cosworth BDA power: a 1.6-litre engine of about 210 hp, with a 1.9-litre BDF option of about 271 hp.
  • Monocoque with outboard suspension: a conventional layout that kept development simple.
  • One-off pace: a single win at Crystal Palace showed the design could be quick when it held together.

McLaren M21 versions

  • M21 with BDA engine (1.6 litres): the standard Formula Two specification with about 210 hp.
  • M21 with BDF engine (1.9 litres): the larger, bored-out version with about 271 hp.
  • Works entry 1972: the car raced by Jody Scheckter.

The M21 raced in the same years as McLaren’s Formula One M23 and the customer M12 sports car. More cars are in the McLaren collection.

Sources

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