Max Westland

Westland Driving in 1975, after signing for Shadow.

Bedford, England

**Max Westland** was an English racing driver who raced for Shadow and McLaren in the Formula One Championship. He is was the son of racing driver Peter Westland.

## Early Years

Max Westland was born on 8th June 1952, in the English town of Bedford.

## Racing Career

Max began driving as soon as his father allowed him, and soon began to spend all his spare time driving, tweaking and tinkering his car, with the knowledge he had gained from his younger years in the workshop.

Westland began his racing career driving in Formula Junior. He showed a great skill at driving, and soon progressed to Formula 3, finishing 3rd overall in 1970. During his time at formula three, he showed that he was a very capable driver, however he was still some time off the pace of the top 2 drivers. This did not prove a big issue on his overall career, however, as Shadow Racing put out a request for a driver in early 1974.

### **Formula One**

#### Shadow (1975 - 1977)

In late 1974, Westland signed with Shadow, and after showing remarkable skill at initial testing, was hired into the team alongside Waldemar Bauer. Max's debut season started with a disappointing race, finishing only tenth. However, Westland was happy to have finished the race despite sustaining serious damage to his front right steering arm, and team management was hopeful to have a capable driver in the car.

Westland's second race of the season started better, but he later retired due to a large crash with his teammate after Bauer span onto the middle of the track. Westland tried to slow, but could not avoid the accident. Lotus driver Nathan Meiri was also involved in the incident. Following the South African Grand Prix, Westland managed to get his first point at the Dutch Grand Prix and later scored his best finish with fifth at the Italian Grand Prix. Westland finished the season 11th overall, a great result for the first season of his career.

Westland had a better season in 1976 and won his first race at Zandvoort after the majority of the field retired due to heavy rain.

#### McLaren (1978)

Following Westland's good results in the '75-'77 seasons, McLaren offered Max a place on the team. After the first testing session at Buenos Aires, Max showed incredible skill in the McLaren, with a personal best of only four seconds off the leading pace.

## Death

Westland was running ahead of Jermaine Ashwood in the 1978 Canadian Grand Prix when Ashwood outbraked himself and ran into the back of Westland's McLaren at the hairpin. Ashwood's car submarined under the back of the McLaren and the rear wing struck him in the head, killing him instantly.

After recovering from the gravel trap, Westland rejoined the race and assumed that his car had minimal damage from the incident. Just moments later the car's right-rear suspension failed on the back straight, sending Westland straight into a barrier at high speed. Moments later, his car was collected by Richard Harford's Ligier. Westland survived the impact but his injuries were severe and he was placed into a coma. He eventually passed away on September 21st 1979, having failed to wake up from the coma.