B. McLaren wins race of thrills
Auckland's Bruce McLaren (2.7 litre Cooper-Climax) won the 150-mile ninth international Lady Wigram Trophy in 1hr 36min 4.7sec, beating Stirling Moss's 1962 race record. Jack Brabham finished 30.3sec behind after a pit stop for oil and set a new lap record. Tony Maggs was third, narrowly ahead of Angus Hyslop. It was McLaren's first major international race win in New Zealand.
Lady Wigram Trophy (71 laps, 150 miles)
| 1 | Bruce McLaren (Auckland) | Cooper-Climax 2.7 litre | 1:36:04.7 |
| 2 | Jack Brabham (Australia) | Brabham-Climax 2.7 litre | 30.3sec behind |
| 3 | Tony Maggs (South Africa) | Lola-Climax 2.7 litre | 70 laps |
| 4 | Angus Hyslop (Hastings) | Cooper-Climax 2.5 litre | 70 laps |
| 5 | John Histed (Auckland) | Lola 1500cc | 64 laps |
| 6 | Ian Green (Wellington) | Cooper-Climax 1.9 litre | 62 laps |
| retired | Innes Ireland (Scotland) | Ferguson-Climax | |
| retired | Tony Shelly | Lotus-Climax 2.5 litre | |
| retired | Chris Amon (Bulls) | Cooper-Climax 2.5 litre |
Lap times
- Jack Brabham (Brabham-Climax 2.7 litre): lap record
Facts
- Bruce McLaren won the 1963 Lady Wigram Trophy in 1hr 36min 4.7sec, bettering Stirling Moss's 1962 race record of 1hr 36min 38.7sec.
- The previous Wigram lap record of 1min 20.1sec, set by Moss and Surtees in 1962, was lowered at least three times in the 1963 Lady Wigram Trophy.
- Only McLaren and Brabham completed all 71 laps of the 1963 Lady Wigram Trophy; Maggs and Hyslop completed 70.
- McLaren's engine was running low on oil pressure at the end of the 1963 Lady Wigram Trophy and the car was bathed in oil when pushed into the paddock.
- All leading drivers used fast-wearing rain tyres in the 1963 Lady Wigram Trophy; Brabham's right rear tyre was completely worn out at the finish.
- Lead changes in the 1963 Lady Wigram Trophy: Surtees led lap 1, McLaren to lap 32, Brabham to lap 42, then McLaren; Brabham stopped for oil on lap 44.
- Bruce McLaren had made indifferent showings at Pukekohe and Levin before winning the 1963 Lady Wigram Trophy.
- The 1963 Lady Wigram Trophy was McLaren's first major international race win in New Zealand.
Photos
- Bulls driver C. A. Amon (Cooper) crashes through bales of straw during the ninth international Lady Wigram Trophy race.
- Bruce McLaren gets a kiss of congratulation from his wife Pat after winning the ninth international Lady Wigram Trophy race.
