Racing expert Gordon Murray believes that clinching an F1 championship is simpler than securing a win at Le Mans.

      Gordon Murray Automotive

      There are not many individuals like Gordon Murray in the automotive industry. In fact, there never have been many like him. The former Formula 1 engineer and creator of the iconic McLaren F1 and GMA T.50 has accomplished it all. So, when Murray spoke with Top Gear about his lifetime achievement award, career, and forthcoming biography, he shared some intriguing insights, including the notion that winning Le Mans is even more challenging than securing an F1 championship.

      If anyone would be qualified to make that comparison, it’s Murray, as he has achieved both. As the technical director for the McLaren Formula 1 team, he claimed the constructor’s championship in 1988, coinciding with Ayrton Senna's first driver’s title. Then, in 1995, his McLaren F1 GTR clinched a surprising victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans against significantly faster prototypes. In Murray’s view, the latter triumph is even more remarkable, particularly because the F1 was never intended for racing.

      “Winning Le Mans is more challenging than winning the Formula One world championship,” he told Top Gear. “And it was an added bonus that we never planned to race that car.”

      Murray, primarily an engineer, doesn't reminisce about the F1 for its record-setting performance. Instead, he values it for its technical innovations and their significance at the time. “The world’s first carbon road car, the first to utilize ground effect, the carbon clutch… all of that. It was so unique,” Murray explained to TG. “Back then, the media concentrated on its ability to reach 240 mph. That never intrigued me. It still doesn’t.”

      Murray has not only developed championship-winning F1 cars and designed engines but also made aerodynamic advancements, created stunning supercars, and even explored architecture. He constructed his own home in Scotland, handling everything from the exterior to the plumbing and electrical systems, which, unsurprisingly, generates its own energy. What more does he excel at?

      Murray collects t-shirts, but not the regular kind like the $12 Volkswagen shirt I'm wearing. Instead, the prolific engineer maintains an assortment of rare and valuable rock band tees. “I expected to find a few hundred, but we counted them—there are 980! The Sex Pistols shirt is valued at £1,600, and there’s a satin Rolling Stones tour jacket that’s allegedly worth £10,000. It’s truly incredible.” I doubt I’ve owned a total of 980 pieces of clothing throughout my life.

      Murray is one of the most distinguished and intriguing individuals in automotive history, and he is aware of it. “We’re a dying breed. Engine, gearbox, aerodynamics, the fuel system, cooling, suspension, the setup … I think Mauro Forghieri [the legendary F1 technical director for Scuderia Ferrari during the ’60s and ’70s] was the only one capable of managing everything in the same way.”

      Is there anyone currently making a similar impact? “Mate Rimac makes things happen. He has the entrepreneurial spirit. I'm not sure how much he personally draws or designs, but he’s comparable to Ron Dennis or Enzo Ferrari. He has the vision.”

      If you have some spare time, consider watching this interview. But be cautious: You may find yourself diving deep into the rabbit hole of Gordon Murray interviews that could consume your evening.

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