Elfin MR5 car-by-car histories
John McCormack in his Elfin MR5 at Adelaide in October 1973. Copyright David Mellonie 2018. Used with permission.
A series of new Formula 5000 Elfins MR5s were built for the 1972 season, after CAMS finally committed the Australian Gold Star to Formula 5000.
Garrie Cooper's design for his new Formula 5000 Elfin comprised a low rectangular monocoque fabricated from sheet aluminium, with the fuel tanks positioned towards the back of the car's sidepods. The MR5's outboard suspension was entirely orthodox, and utilised Elfin 600D F2 uprights at the front and those of the ME5 sports car at the back. The main radiator was in the nose, and power came from a Repco-tuned 308 ci Holden V8 engine driving through a standard Hewland DG300 gearbox. Compared with the McLaren M10B, it looked a likely winner, but had the misfortune to appear just a few weeks after the debut of the Lola T300, which moved F5000 to a new level.
The first Elfin MR5 was ready for John McCormack to drive in the Australian Gold Star series from September 1971 onwards and he was immediately successful, taking pole at his second race, and winning from pole at his third. The second and third cars were produced for Max Stewart and Garrie Cooper, and made their debut at the New Zealand Grand Prix in January 1972. The fourth followed for Johnnie Walker after the 1972 Tasman series. McCormack was the most successful of the four drivers, winning three Tasman rounds over three seasons and placing second in another two rounds. He won the New Zealand Grand Prix in January 1973, the Adelaide '100' a month later, and the New Zealand GP again in 1974. McCormack was also highly successful in his MR5 in the Australian Gold Star: he won one race and finished fourth overall in 1971; won another race in 1972 while finishing third; and then won two races in 1973 and took the overall championship.
The other Elfin MR5 customers did not have McCormack's patience and quickly moved on, Walker buying a Matich A50 before his Elfin was even four months old, and Stewart buying the first production Lola T330 in December 1972. The four MR5s continued to race in Australia and New Zealand for over a decade, racking up a total of 170 starts in national and international races between them.
If you can add to our understanding of these cars, or have photographs that we can use, please email Allen at allen@oldracingcars.com.
John McCormack in his Elfin MR5 at Phillip Island in October 1973. Copyright Glenn Moulds 2005. Used with permission.
New to John McCormack in September 1971, and raced in Australian Gold Star, taking two second places and a win from three races. Raced by McCormack in the 1972 Tasman series, and the 1972 Australian Gold Star, where he won one race. Then raced in the 1973 Tasman series, where he won the NZ GP and the Adelaide '100', and in the 1973 Australian Gold Star, when he won two races and the championship. Raced again in the 1974 Tasman, again winning the NZ GP. Raced by Phil Moore in the 1974 Gold Star. Sold to Glen Nichols December 1975, and entered for the Rothmans Internationals, but did not start a race. History then unknown until bought from Les Swallow by Gavin Sala, and sold to John McCormack for restoration some time before 1992. Reportedly at K & A Engineering in April 2016, being rebuilt. At some point the car was acquired by Bob Anderson (South Australia). Still with Anderson in April 2025.
Driven by: John McCormack and Phil Moore. First race: Sandown Park (AGS R4), 12 Sep 1971. Total of 49 recorded races.
Baron Robertson in his Elfin MR5 at Sandown Park in 1974. Copyright Glenn Moulds 2005. Used with permission.
Max Pearson in his ex-Max Stewart Elfin MR5 at the Phillip Island Classic in 2018. Copyright Peter Knights 2021. Used with permission.
New to Australian Max Stewart in time for the start of the 1972 Tasman series. Also raced by Stewart in the 1972 Australian Gold Star. Entered by Stewart for John Leffler in a few raced in October/November 1973. Then sold to Baron Robertson and raced in the Tasman series in 1974 and 1975, and in the New Zealand and Australian Internationals in 1976. History then unknown until bought from David Davidson (Melbourne) by Gavin Sala. By 1994, this car was with Adrian Tweedle (Victoria). Subsequent history again unknown, but reported to be with Max Pearson (Queensland) by 2012. Raced by Pearson at the Phillip Island Classic in 2016 and 2018. After Pearson's death in 2022, the car was acquired by Bill Tymms (Victoria) in 2024. Still with Tymms in April 2025.
Driven by: Max Stewart, Baron Robertson and John Leffler. First race: Pukekohe (Tasman R1), 8 Jan 1972. Total of 42 recorded races.
John Edmonds in the much-modified Elfin MR5-B at Oran Park in February 1977. Copyright Glenn Moulds 2005. Used with permission.
Works Elfin Sports Cars entry for Garrie Cooper in the 1972 Tasman and Australian Gold Star, the 1973 Tasman and Australian Gold Star, the 1974 Tasman and Australian Gold Star, and the 1975 Tasman and Australian Gold Star. Rebuilt in August 1975 as the MR5-B. Sold to John Edmonds for the last race of the Australian Gold Star, then the 1976 New Zealand and Australian Internationals, the 1976 national season, and the 1977 Australian Internationals. Then to Phil Ward 1977, and then with Mike Pope from 1980 to 1986. History then unknown until bought from Geoff Munday by Gavin Sala. Sold by Sala to Ken Smith in New Zealand, and reportedly with Barrie Flett in 1994. The car is said to have spent time in a museum in NZ, before being bought by Smith again, and sold back to Geoff Munday some time before 2014. Run by Munday at Historic Sandown in November 2018. The more recent movements of this car are unclear. It was sold at auction in 2023 but has remained on display at the Lorbeck Auctions showroom in Mebourne.
Driven by: Garrie Cooper, John Edmonds and John McCormack. First race: Pukekohe (Tasman R1), 8 Jan 1972. Total of 64 recorded races.
Peter Middleton in his Elfin MR5 at Oran Park in February 1978. Copyright Glenn Moulds 2005. Used with permission.
New to John Walker 1972, but he quickly replaced it with a Matich A50. Sold to Stan Keen and fitted with a Ford V8 later in the 1972 season, but not raced after October 1973. Sold to Peter "Chris" Middleton 1977, and raced in the 1978 Australian Internationals, and in the 1978 and 1979 Australian national seasons. Sold to Tony Parkinson 1979, then to Mike Adams 1981. It was then rebodied by Elfin and renamed 815. It was raced in this form by Mike Trengove and by Adams in 1981 and 1982. Sold to Paul Trevethan, then to Peter Brennan (Melbourne, Victoria) in the mid-1980s who restored it to original specification, and fitted a flat plane crank Repco Holden engine. To David Doubtfire in 1991, then to Max Floreani in 1996, and raced by Tony Floreani in historics up to 2013. Run by at Tony Floreani at Historic Sandown in November 2013. The car was still owned by the Floreani family in April 2025.
Driven by: Johnnie Walker, Stan Keen, Peter "Chris" Middleton and Mike Trengove. First race: Adelaide International Raceway (Tasman R8), 27 Feb 1972. Total of 18 recorded races.
Acknowledgements
Much of the original knowledge of these cars' movements came from 'Australia's Elfin Sports And Racing Cars' by John Blanden and Barry Catford (Turton and Armstrong, 1997). My thanks to Bryan Millar, Andrew Fellowes and Bryan Sala for their help filling in the gaps in these cars' histories, and to Brian Lear for bringing the ownership up to date in 2025. Brian Lear and his colleagues Ian Hobbs and Barry Catford do a fabulous job at the Elfin Register preserving the history of these cars. Thanks also to Glenn Moulds and David Mellonie for the use of their photographs.
If you can add to our understanding of these cars, or have photographs that we can use, please email Allen at allen@oldracingcars.com.
These histories last updated on .