Tyler Alexander, one of the founding members of the McLaren Formula 1 team, has died at the age of seventy-five.
The American joined team founder Bruce McLaren in the 1960s, and was an integral part of the team for many years, retiring at the end of the 2008 Formula 1 season after two lengthy spells with the outfit.
As well as the F1 project, Alexander worked on McLaren’s CanAm and USAC racing activities and was part of two winning Indianapolis 500 efforts. He returned to McLaren in 1989 after a seven-year spell away working on other projects, which included an IndyCar effort with Teddy Mayer as well as roles within the Beatrice F1 Team and BMW’s IMSA operation.
“Alongside Bruce McLaren, who founded the McLaren company in 1963, Tyler Alexander was one of the first pillars of our company, working hard alongside Bruce from the very earliest days,” said current McLaren CEO Ron Dennis.
“Bruce couldn’t have asked for a sturdier pair of shoulders upon which to help build the team’s reputation.
“Tyler’s expert yet practical expertise, coupled with his energetic and optimistic attitude, topped off by his infectiously dry and satirical sense of humour, made him both highly successful and hugely popular, whether he was overseeing car-builds in the team’s workshop, running race-winning CanAm and Indy 500 crews, or working with some of the world’s greatest drivers and engineers in Formula 1.
“Quite simply, Tyler lived and breathed McLaren – and, following his retirement in late 2008, during which season he attended every grand prix and played an important part in securing the team’s and Lewis Hamilton’s world championship success, he remained a much loved and greatly valued chum to many of us, regularly visiting our Woking factory to catch up with pals old and new.
“Tyler’s was a friendship that you could really rely upon; he was a man who would never let you down.
“In fact, Tyler was one of the finest of the old school: hardy, humble and wise, leaving a reputation and a legacy that will remain indelible in the history of international motorsport.
“So, on behalf of all at McLaren, I’d like to pay heartfelt tribute to one of our team’s founding fathers, and to offer our deepest condolences to his many friends and his ever-loving companion, Jane Nottage, who has always stood by him, valiant to the very end.”
