At 72, Stephen George is enjoying a quieter pace of life at Langdon House in Cambridge – a well-earned rest after decades spent at the cutting edge of motor racing.
A lifelong enthusiast of fast cars and the world of motorsport, Stephen’s journey into the racing world began with a job selling spare parts for cars. But it wasn’t long before his career took off – quite literally – and he trained as a mechanic. He joined Ciba-Geigy in Duxford, working on aircraft. It was there he spotted an advertisement for a position at Formula 1 team McLaren. He knew instantly: this was the job for him.
Stephen joined McLaren as a carbon laminator, quickly progressing through the ranks to become Head of Carbon – a vital role that saw him fitting carbon fibre components to the team’s high-performance race cars. His work brought him close to some of the most iconic drivers of the 1970s and 80s, including James Hunt, John Watson and Niki Lauda.
“We saw our role as supporting the drivers,” Stephen says. “Helping them succeed on the track – it was a big opportunity, and something we all took great pride in.”
Though his job was primarily factory-based, Stephen had the opportunity to witness the adrenaline-fuelled action firsthand at races across Europe. He fondly recalls standing trackside in Holland, Germany, France and Spain, watching the cars he helped build hurtle around the circuits.
Of all the drivers he worked with, one stands out. “If I had to pick a favourite, it would be Ayrton Senna,” he smiles. “When he signed with McLaren in 1988, he and Alain Prost won 15 out of 16 races that season. Senna was just such a nice guy – he always had time for the mechanics when he visited the factory.”
After leaving McLaren, Stephen took his talents across the Atlantic to work with Swift Engineering in the U.S., continuing his work in racing but in a different series. He spent several years living in America before eventually returning to Cambridge.
“You could say I’ve devoted my life to motor racing,” Stephen reflects. “It was exciting to be part of developing those cars and being involved in that high-speed world – even if just from the sidelines.”
An avid racing fan to this day, Stephen still follows every Formula 1 season closely. In his personal life, he’s enjoyed driving high-performance cars himself, once proudly owning a Maserati and a Lancia Delta. He admits, with a chuckle, that his last car was a Smart car – a gentler ride for his later years.
Now a resident at Langdon House since 2023, Stephen is embracing a slower, more relaxed chapter.
“It felt like the right time to slow down a bit and be looked after – and I can certainly say that I’m well looked after here.”
