Some cars write their place in history like none other. Be it their success, an iconic livery, or an inspired design. They are legacies – they have fandom. Imagine driving Richard “King” Petty’s number 43 or Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s Budweiser #8 It’s not just about the horsepower anymore. The pressure, the adrenaline, the piece of history you carry is worth the last buck.

Joe Gibbs’ grandson, Ty Gibbs, recently had the opportunity to drive an iconic F1 car. He drove a 1971 Yardley McLaren M19A, a car with a storied history to go along with groundbreaking engineering, and a lot of successful drivers.

Ty Gibbs has a drive to remember

The McLaren M19A, a Formula 1 car from 1971, has featured in 17 Grand Prix in the ’71 and ’72 seasons. It was created by Ralph Bellamy and piloted by legendary drivers like Jody Scheckter, Denny Hulme, and Mark Donohue. Additionally, the M19A flourished the most with the Yardley Team McLaren livery, and looking at it today sends waves of nostalgia for racing fans.

To understand how legendary this car is, it is important to know that it has been recognized as a key contributor to McLaren’s first dual World Championship victory in 1974. The M19A stands out as an influential and groundbreaking design from the early days of aerodynamics. Not to mention, the driver line-up for the car itself has been iconic – featuring about five Grand Prix champions, two World Champions, and a winner of the Indianapolis 500.

And, guess what? Just a day ago, Ty Gibbs, an American NASCAR racer had the opportunity to run the car at Bicester Heritage. Who could have anticipated that the driver who had never seen an F1 car, would get to drive a vintage version?

Rally TV Presenter and Classic Car Enthusiast Paul Woodford wrote his Facebook page, “One person I didn’t expect to see driving F1 cars in the build-up to the British Grand Prix, was NASCAR Cup Series driver Ty Gibbs. Before landing in the UK, the former Xfinity Champ hadn’t seen a Formula One car in the metal. Now he’s driven one, and there was a glint in his eye that made me think it wouldn’t be the last time!”

Despite never having driven an F1 car before, Gibbs had shown interest in the open-wheel motorsport after all. During an interview with Rubbin is Racing in March this year, the interviewer spoke about seeing Gibbs overseas and an excited Gibbs cut him short and said “Singapore!” This was Gibbs’ way of expressing that, while he was excited about races at rumored locations, Formula 1’s favorite Asian retreat will also serve as a fantastic international destination for racers.

Paul Woodford added

Ty Gibbs seemed to enjoy riding the car around London. However, the young driver is probably still getting over the experience of racing in this iconic McLaren, as not many have the honor of piloting the iconic ride of the 1970s.

The iconic car, its racers, and its ownership

At the British Grand Prix in 1972, Revson returned to the M19A-1, earning a commendable 3rd place. Notably, only Revson, winner Fittipaldi, and 2nd-placed Stewart finished on the lead lap. The M19A-1 continued to score valuable World Championship points in the latter half of the season. Here, it was highlighted by Brian Redman’s 5th place at Nürburgring and Scheckter’s impressive 9th place debut at Watkins Glen. Interestingly, they were ahead of notable names like Graham Hill and Chris Amon.

After McLaren introduced the M23 design in 1973, the M19A-1 was sold to Tony Kitchiner. He then fit it with a 5-liter Chevrolet engine for the 1974 European Championship. The car was driven by René Arnoux, Tony Trimmer, and Gordon Spice. It achieved the best finishes of 13th at Mugello and 12th at Monza with Trimmer behind the wheel.

In the early 1980s, the M19A-1 was acquired by historic racer John Foulston. He restored it to its original DFV-powered specification. Eventually, it took part in various Historic Formula 1 events before being purchased in 1997 by 1979 Formula 1 World Champion Jody Scheckter, where it remains in his private collection.

The 1971 M19A had one of the sport’s most iconic liveries – Yardley- and is a car that has stood the test of time after paving the way for so much success. Such vintage pieces remind one of how much the sport has evolved and to appreciate the beauty of vintage technology along with the simplicity that came with it.