A breathing piece of F1 history leaves the sport
For all Formula 1's brashness and modernity, it is a sport that embraces its rich history.
Dotted around the paddock are a handful of stalwarts who have devoted their entire lives to F1, and who, by doing so, have become woven into the fabric of the sport.
One of those men is , one of the few members of the team to have worked alongside their founder .
Alexander has been at McLaren since 1963, before the team were even in F1. But no more - McLaren announced on Tuesday that Alexander is to retire this month.
Alexander could be a difficult person to deal with - even McLaren's media release described him as "irascible".
But the few who got to know him well found him warm and open with a dry sense of humour. Certainly, with his retirement, F1 has lost a key part of its heritage.
Alexander joined McLaren as a young American mechanic with a passion for motorsport. He was critical to the team's early years and soon became one of Bruce McLaren's most trusted aides.
He effectively ran the company's team in the 1970s before returning to F1 in 1979, and has been a part of the furniture at McLaren ever since - with a working role at Grands Prix.
McLaren chairman said: "While McLaren represents the cutting-edge of modernity, we also have huge pride and respect for our roots. Very few people embody the blend of both those worlds as well as Tyler Alexander, who began working with Bruce McLaren at the very beginning of our company's journey.
"That he has retained an important role on our race team until his leaving speaks volumes for both his passion for the sport and his vast experience, adaptability and intelligence.
"His is a legacy that has spanned every decade of this team's involvement in Formula 1 and one that we will continue to cherish while missing his day-to-day involvement with the team."
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