The Anglo American Racers Eagle Mk1
No race car is more synonymous with the legacy of motorsport magnate Dan Gurney than the deep blue, cigar-shaped Eagle Mk 1 Formula 1 car.
Immersed in hot rod culture, Gurney began his racing career at the salt flats, then tried his hand at drag racing and amateur sports car championships. Eventually, professional teams came knocking at his door. Gurney went on to drive for Ferrari, BRM, Porsche, and Brabham before launching his own team.
After a few years of Stateside success with his burgeoning All American Racers outfit, Gurney shifted his focus to Formula 1 in 1966. He enlisted English designer Len Terry, the engineer behind the Indy-500-winning Lotus 38, to design a new F1 car. The result was AAR’s Gurney Eagle Mk 1.
In a Mk 1, Gurney won the 1967 Belgian Grand Prix, defeating legendary drivers like Jim Clark, Jackie Stewart, and Chris Amon. This victory was significant as it marked the first and only time an American driver won in an American team’s car. His Anglo-American Racers team, based in the UK, had made its debut in 1966.
AAR built only four Mk 1 race cars. While the first Eagle never crossed the chequered flag, the other three were driven by some of the most recognizable names in mid-century motorsports, including Bob Bondurant, Phil Hill, and, of course, Dan Gurney.
Chassis #104 was powered by a 3.0-liter V12 Weslake engine during the 1967 Belgian Grand Prix, while other Mk 1 cars were equipped with 2.7-liter Coventry Climax four-cylinder engines.
Photography by Gooding & Company and the Revs Institute.
