Inspired by the revolutionary Lotus 72 designed by Colin Chapman in 1970, the McLaren M23 brilliantly extended the ideas of the brilliant British engineer. Thanks to the accuracy of its design, it enjoyed unparalleled longevity and offered a world crown to Emerson Fittipaldi and James Hunt. But above all it allowed the McLaren team to reach the top of the hierarchy in F1 for the first time.
We remember the McLaren M23 for its incomparable track record, with the two world titles of Emerson Fittipaldi and James Hunt, as well as the first successes in F1 of Peter Revson or Jochen Mass.
This car with its legendary longevity also allowed Gilles Villeneuve or Bruno Giacomelli in 1977 (and even Nelson Piquet in 1978 on the private car of B&S Fabrications after a first race at Ensign) to start in the Grand Prix.

But it is often forgotten that it was behind the wheel, in the middle of summer 1973, that Jacky Ickx wrote one of the most beautiful pages of his history on the unforgettable grand circuit of the Nürburgring, when the circuit was still 22 km long, with no less than 170 turns. In cold with the Scuderia Ferrari, his employer for more than three years, due to the failure of the 312 B3, the Belgian champion decided to give up driving the red car on his own after the British Grand Prix where he had to settle for a mediocre 19th place on the grid. Commendatore Enzo Ferrari, aware that the B3 required significant development, decided to forfeit the next Grand Prix in Germany.

In order to restore his confidence and image, Ickx then looked for another steering wheel for the meeting that he would not have missed for anything in the world, that of the mythical Nürburgring where he had already won in 1969 (Brabham BT26) and 1972 (Ferrari 312 B2), without even mentioning his performances in the Road Marathon or in Formula 2. “I offered my services to McLaren because the M23 had just won at Silverstone with Revson,” recalls Jacky. A third car was operational since they had already lined up Jody Scheckter alongside Hulme and Revson. For obvious reasons, the tenured drivers did not see me arrive with a smile, but Teddy Mayer and Alistair Caldwell, McLaren’s managers, did not say no…”

Author of the best time from the first session, the Belgian immediately justified his reputation as “Ringmeister” in 7’09’7, a great time only improved by Stewart, Peterson and Cevert during the second session on Friday in which he unfortunately did not take part, engine broken on the third M23. Otherwise, one might wonder if Jacky would not have been the first man to break the 7-minute wall on lap…
The next day, in fact, the track was still wet in some places when he scored an impressive 7’10’3, while the rest of the practice session was disrupted by rain: no one improved the previous day’s times. Fourth on the starting grid behind Peterson’s two Tyrrells and his Lotus, Ickx preceded his team-mates Hulme and Revson by more than six seconds! Teddy Mayer insisted that the McLaren opt for hard tires, a tactical mistake that undoubtedly cost Jacky the victory.

After Peterson’s withdrawal in the first lap, Stewart and Cevert’s Tyrrells, shod with tender tyres, immediately widened a significant gap. Third at the finish, the Belgian could nevertheless be satisfied. His rating had risen and, for 1974, he entered into negotiations with McLaren, Tyrrell and Lotus. The great Ken, for whom he had excelled in F2, told him that Stewart was going to retire but Ickx felt linked to McLaren after his Ring exploit and refused to commit. However, by switching from Yardley perfumes to sponsoring Marlboro and Texaco the following season, McLaren preferred to hire Emerson Fittipaldi, who was also crowned World Champion. In the meantime, the Tyrrell steering wheels had been assigned to Scheckter and Depailler, also did Ickx put his suitcases at Lotus alongside Ronnie Peterson. It was also at the wheel of the old Lotus 72 that he won his last victory in F1, during the Champions Race held under the rain at Brands Hatch, in spring 1974.

Previously, the Belgian driver had made a punctual return to Ferrari during the 1973 Italian Grand Prix at the controls of a completely redesigned 312 B3 that the Scuderia had already entrusted to Merzario in Austria. But the trust was broken between Ickx and Enzo Ferrari whose long association, started in 1968 (the year of his first victory in Rouen), remained there. Jacky once again lined up on an Iso from Frank Williams’ small stable during a season-ending position at the USA Grand Prix in Watkins Glen, before joining the glorious Team Lotus for the following race, in January 1974 in Buenos Aires. Thus, in the space of six months, he flew for McLaren, Ferrari, Williams and Lotus in four Grands Prix that he competed consecutively! Who can say better? Other times, other customs…

Written by Phillip van Osten –  F1 Magazine
Copyright F1 Magazine 2002
Originally published on 15-11-2002