McLaren is one of the most successful Formula 1 team in the sport's rich history. Although the Bruce McLaren founded team had competed in F1 from the second half of the 1960s, it was the M23 Cosworth introduced in 1973 that really got things going. Its Gordon Cuppock design was actually based on McLaren's Indy 500 winning M16, sharing the same overall wedge shape. Originally raced by Denny Hulme and Peter Revson during its debut season, it was driven to the World Championship by Emerson Fittipaldi in 1974. Virtually unaltered, with the exception of a revised airbox to meet the latest regulations, the M23 continued its winning ways into the 1976 season in the hands of James Hunt, who would become that year's World Champion. As the imminent replacement was slow (to arrive), the M23 soldiered into the 1977 season. With a career spanning nearly five years and winning two World Championships, the McLaren M23 remains as one of the all-time great F1 cars.
To mark the 40th anniversary of Emerson Fittipaldi winning the first World Championship for McLaren, we have taken a detailed look at the M23s he, and later James Hunt used to great effect. Our spectacular 144-shot gallery now includes images of nine different examples, each of which has a detailed chassis history. Fittipaldi himself is seen behind the wheel of two of the cars, including the chassis he drove to two victories in 1974, which is once again owned by McLaren.

Enjoy the links:

1973 - 1977 McLaren M23 Cosworth - Images, Specifications and Information