Eoin Young, 1939-2014

Eoin Young interviews Steve McQueen before the 12-hour race at Sebring in 1970. (LAT archive)

Longtime Formula 1 columnist and automotive writer Eoin Young has passed away. The New Zealand-born motoring journalist was a columnist for Autocar magazine in the UK for some 30 years, starting in 1967, and also served as one of the founding contributors to RACER magazine.

Young got his start in motorsports when he worked with Denny Hulme for the Formula Junior series in Europe, and in 1962 he became Bruce McLaren's secretary. In 1976 he wrote "Against All Odds" with James Hunt, the story of the British Formula 1 driver's F1 championship that was recounted in Ron Howard's feature film, RUSH.

In 2003, he authored "Forza Amon!", a biography of Chris Amon. He wrote columns and articles for many publications since.

"Eoin was a truly great motorsport journalist, with a light touch and a ready wit," said McLaren Group chairman and CEO Ron Dennis said. "He was also involved with McLaren at the very start, as friend and secretary to our founder, Bruce McLaren.

"Eoin succumbed to his illness in his native and beloved New Zealand, and on behalf of all at McLaren I would like to take this opportunity to pay tribute to him, and also to offer our heartfelt condolences to his family and many friends."