Rhein-Pokalrennen

Hockenheim, 15 Jun 1969

All cars are 1.6-litre F2 unless noted.

Notes on the cars:

1. Brabham BT23C [12] (Brian Hart): New to Frank Williams' customer Corrado Manfredini and raced as a Scuderia Picchio Rosso entry in F2 from June onwards. Returned to Williams and entered by Frank Williams Racing Cars for Malcolm Guthrie in F2 in early 1969 but sold to Bob Gerard (Leicester) in May and entered for his drivers Robin Widdows and Brian Hart, each of who won a race that summer in the car. Advertised by Gerard Racing as a rolling chassis in August 1970. Sold to drag racer Gerry Tyack (Moreton-in-Marsh, Gloucestershire) in 1970 and used to set four national speed records at Elvington, and also to win the Brighton Speed Trials. Advertised by Tyack in November 1971. Its history thereafter is unclear but it reappeared in 1986 being raced by Adrian Thomas in HSCC events, then with Kelvin Lambeth (London) in 1988-89 and with Monte Shalett (Metairie, LA) in 1990. Advertised by Mark Leonard of Grand Prix Classics (La Jolla, CA) in 1998 and sold by him to Peter Ball who did not use it much, preferring his FJ. From Bull to Harindra de Silva (Palos Verdes Estates, CA) February 2008 and raced in 2008 and 2009. Then stored until run in the F1 Support Race at COTA in November 2013.
2. Lola T102 [F268/1] (Hubert Hahne): New for Jo Siffert to race in BMW's F2 team in 1968, first appearing in the Preis von Baden-Wurttemberg at Hockenheim in October. Raced by Siffert in the early races of 1969, until the team's new Dornier-built cars were ready. Retained by BMW's heritage division, first as BMW Mobile Tradition and later BMW Classic Collection.
3. Brabham BT30 [3] (Peter Westbury): New to Peter Westbury and used for a full season of European F2 in 1969, winning at Neubiberg in October. Sold to John Wingfield (London NW11) and used in libre and in selected F2 events in 1970 and 1971. In August 1971, Wingfield acquired a new BT36 and the BT30, still with its Felday-tuned FVA engine, was sold to Jim Charnock (Liverpool) for Formule Libre, starting at Rufforth in early September. Charnock won five races in the closing weeks of the 1971 season, then won three more in 1972, when he was a regular runner at Aintree. He continued with the car in 1973, when he competed at Aintree and in the BRDC Jaybrand Racewear Formule Libre series, and in 1974 and 1975 when he was mainly seen at Aintree. The car is then unknown until it was advertised by dealer Brian Classic (Bucklow Hill, Cheshire) as "chassis number 3" in June 1984. Sold to Chris Mann (UK) 1985 and then sold via Frank Sytner to Ray Delaney (Melbourne, Australia) in 1987. Raced by Delaney in east coast Australian historic events the next six years at Calder Raceway (Vic), Sandown Park (Vic), Oran Park (NSW), Amaroo Park (NSW), Winton Raceway (Vic) and the support races at the Australian Grand Prix in Adelaide (SA) in 1988 and 1989. Sold to Dick James in 1993. To Mike Carmody 2003 and sold by him to Tom Lee (Puyallup, WA) October 2005. Restored for 2007 to its original livery.
4. Brabham BT23C [17] (Xavier Perrot): New to Jorge Cupeiro to be used in the F2 Argentine Temporada in December 1968. Sold to Xavier Perrot (Zürich, Switzerland) for 1969 and raced in the Swiss championship and in selected F2 races as a Squadra Tartaruga entry. To Kurt Buess (Gelterkinden) for 1970 and raced in hillclimbs in Switerland and France. Note that this is not the car bearing the identity 'BT23C/17' that was imported into New Zealand by Baron Robertson in 1970. Buess was last seen racing this car at Neubiberg 25 Oct 1970. Subsequent history unknown but quite possibly the "BT23C" raced by Heinz Schulthess (Corcelles) at the Gurnigel hill climb in Switzerland in September 1971. Schulthess kept the car for some time, eventually selling it to an unknown Swiss owner. It was acquired by Hans Peter in 2018, and started restoration.
5. Lotus 59B [59-F2-20] (John Miles): One of three Lotus 59Bs built for Roy Winkelmann Racing in F2 in 1969. This was Graham Hill's usual car, winning at Albi in September, but was driven at other races by Roy Pike, John Miles, Hans Herrmann, and Andrea de Adamich. According to Richard Spelberg's research, this car was converted to Lotus 69 specification for 1970, as F2.69.5.
6. Brabham BT23C [5-2] (Graham Birrell): New to Winkelmann Racing for Jochen Rindt to race in F2 in 1968, winning four of his first seven races. Driven by Vic Elford at at Monza in June and crashed. The car was rebuilt on a new chassis and Rindt won two more races later that year. To Ecurie Ecosse and raced by Graham Birrell in F2 in 1969. Ecurie Ecosse and Birrell had a BT30 for 1970 but the BT23C was raced in a libre at Ingliston in May when it was crashed. Sold in July to Stanley Robinson who fitted the engine, gearbox and suspension to the Unipower GT Group 6 car he raced with John Blanckley. The BT23C chassis was repaired some time around 1972 and sold to Joe Applegarth (Houghton-le-Spring, County Durham) who built it up using parts from BT23C/16 and fitted a pushrod Ford engine for Monoposto racing. Raced by Applegarth from 1973 until the end of 1977, competing in around 130 events, and then retained after Applegarth retired. Sold by him to Joe Willenpart (Scheibbs, Austria) in 2010.
7. Lotus 59B [59-F2-19] (Roy Pike): New for 1969, and entered by Roy Winkelmann Racing for Jochen Rindt at Thruxton in April 1969, which the Austrian won. Driven by Alan Rollinson at Hockenheim, and then by Rindt again at Pau, which he also won. Rindt also won at Zolder and Tulln-Langenlebarn, and the car was driven at other races in 1969 by Rollinson, Roy Pike, Rolf Stommelen, and John Miles. According to Richard Spelberg's research, this car was converted to Lotus 69 specification for 1970, as F2.69.4.
8. Brabham BT23C [1] (Graham McRae): The prototype BT23C was used at the end of the 1967 season by Jack Brabham and Frank Gardner and then sold to Frank Williams for Picko Troberg to drive, but not start, at Hockenheim in April 1968. It was then used briefly in F3 by Harry Stiller but wasn't seen again until October 1968 when Piers Courage took it over for the Albi F2 race, his regular BT23C/07 having been "sold to Tasmania" (Autosport 25 Oct 1968 p14). Then to Laurence Brownlie (Kelso, South Island, New Zealand), possibly leased by Williams, and raced in the 1969 Tasman series before returning to Europe for Graham McRae to drive in the 1969 F2 series, entered by Williams again. Last raced in July 1969, then advertised by Alan Grant (Winkfield Row, Berkshire) in August and reappeared in April 1970 when advertised by Bobby Howlings. Sold to Rodney Seow in Singapore but never raced. Traded together with Seow's Brabham BT9 to Mike Truter by 1980 and sold on to Brian Wilson (Australia) about 1983. Wilson imported the cars to Australia, had the BT23C restored and raced it in historic racing for more than 20 years. Sold to Chad Parrish (Sydney, NSW, Australia) early 2014.
9. Brabham BT23C [2] (Don Godden): Early history unknown and possibly built for intended works team. Sold to Frank Lythgoe Racing in June 1968 for Peter Gethin to race in F2, replacing a Chevron B10. Reported to have gone to George Pitt in November 1968 but quickly found its way to John Whitmore and entered by Alan Mann Racing for Don Godden to drive in F2 in 1969, but his season was soon abandoned. Presumably the car advertised by Alan Mann Racing in 1970. Then unknown until raced by Maurice Ogier in sprints in 1972 when it had a Vegantune twin cam engine. Sold to Low Cost Racing at the end of 1972 and advertised by them in March 1973. Next seen when run by Vic Durman in Monosposto racing in 1974 and advertised from a London number at the end of that year. Advertised by Bobby Howlings' Cheshire Sports Cars in July 1976. To Dave Bishop (Suckley, Worcestershire) and raced in sprints later in 1976, and later in Monoposto in 1979 when it was loaned to Tim Cameron. Next seen when owned by Ian Webb of Northdown Racing (Ripley, Surrey) in 1982, and loaned to Mike Hartley for the Gates-Varley Monoposto Series. Then via Keith Norman (Slough, Berkshire) 1985, Hugo Studer (Berne, Switzerland) 1987, Sepp Mayer (Germany) 1997 and John Counsell (Coleby, Lincolnshire) 2005 to Andrew Fellowes (Benowa, Queensland, Australia) 2009. Sold by Fellowes to Garry Hancock April 2011 and raced by his son Damon from 2011 onwards.
10. Brabham BT23C [11] (Bill Ivy): New to Winkelmann Racing for Alan Rees to race in F2 in 1968 but also raced by Gerhard Mitter at Hockenheim in October. To Bill Ivey for 1969 and entered for him in F2 races by Paul Watson Racing Organisation (PWRO). To Brian Cullen (Limerick, County Limerick, Ireland) in August 1969 and he raced it in a F5000 race and in libre in 1969, in European F2 events in 1970, and at Bogotá in early 1971. Entered by Irish Racing Team for Lingard Goulding at Mondello Park in July 1971 and then maybe the BT23C raced by Ted Shanahan (Dublin) over the next two months and also possibly the BT23C raced by Roy Courtney (Lisburn, County Antrim, Northern Ireland) in local clubmans/club specials racing in 1972. To Harold McGarrity (Belfast) for 1973 and raced in Formula Ireland with a 1.6-litre Holbay engine. To Paddy Heron for 1974 and raced in clubmans and in Formula Atlantic. For sale from Glengormley in 1975 and entered by Belfast car dealer Noel Crymble for Chris Stanfield to race at Kirkistown a couple of times until the Holbay pushrod engine blew up. Next seen when bought from Ireland by Mark Raymont who still had it in the late 1980s with a Holbay engine and Hewland Mk 8 gearbox. Sold to Steve Worrad (Whitchurch, Shropshire) of Maverick Motorsport around 2002 and restored by him. For sale by Maverick in 2004 and sold the following year via the Bonhams auction at RAF Hendon to Joe Willenpart (Scheibbs, Austria).
11. Tecno 68/F2 [T00 286] (Roland Binder): New to Silvio Moser (Lugano, Switzerland) and raced in European F2 and Swiss Championship events in 1968, entered by Charles Vögele. Also taken to the Argentine Temporada at the end that year. Sold to Roland Binder (Esslingen, Germany) for F2 in 1969, but crashed badly at Hockenheim in June. Binder then acquired the sister car T00 284 from Tecno and raced that in F2 in late 1969, and then in 1970 and 1971. According to later owner Oliver Heschl-Gillespie, the ex-Moser Tecno went to Bernd Burger (Rüsselsheim, Germany) and was converted to a Group 7 sports car using a KMW body as the "Burger P3", still with its 1600cc Cosworth FVA. Burger ran a "Burger-Eigenbau" in 1970 and 1971, but that may have been based on a Lotus. He raced the "P3" in German national racing 1973 and 1974 after which the rolling chassis was sold to Karl Langjahr (Darmstadt, Germany) who fitted a Porsche engine and raced it in Interserie and national events as a Tecno-Porsche until 1980. Then to Bernd Becker (Idar-Oberstein, Germany) who only wanted the engine. The car continued via Kurt Henn (Idar-Oberstein, Germany) to Christina Berthold (Nürnberg, Germany) who raced it briefly with a new Porsche engine at which point it was sold to the Rosso Bianco Collection (Aschaffenburg, Germany). Sold by the museum in 1999, it passed via an Viennese Porsche dealer to Olivier Heschl-Gillespie (Vienna, Austria) who had it restored by Karl Langjahr to its 1974 specification.
12. Merlyn Mk 12A [109?] (Peter Gaydon): New for Bob Gerard's quasi-works F2 team in 1968, and raced early in the season by John Cardwell. This car was updated to MK 12A specification for 1969 and run alongside Gerard's Brabham BT23C for Robin Widdows and others. Advertised by Gerard Racing in January 1970 but not seen again until Pete Tester ran it in a libre race at Lydden in early 1973. Used by Peter Bull (London) in sprints that summer, by which time it had a BRM engine of some sort, and then advertised by Bull in September with a 1600cc Ford twin cam engine and FT200 gearbox. Bull bought a Brabham BT30 for 1974 and the later history of the Merlyn is unknown.
13. BMW F269 [F2 69-1] (Dieter Quester): The first F269 to appear is called "F2/4" by Autosport at Zolder but it seems evident from later events that it was F2-70-1. it was raced by Gerhard Mitter, Jo Siffert, Dieter Quester and Hubert Hahne before Hahne wrecked in in practice at Enna-Pergusa in August. It was not seen again.
14. Pygmée MDB12 [269] (Eric Offenstadt): New for Eric Offenstadt to drive in Formula 2 in 1969. Wrecked when Offenstadt cartwheeled off the track after a driveshaft broke at Tulln-Langenlebarn in July. Rebuilt and sold to Pierre Maublanc (Rillieux-la-Pape, Rhône-Alpes), who used it in French hillclimbs in late 1969. Retained for 1970 and fitted with a 1800cc Cosworth FVC. To Richard Daniel for 1971, still with the FVC, but crashed at Brides-Méribel in August, when according to reports, "la Pygmée est pulvérisée".
15. Tecno 68/F2 ["T00 400"] (Günther Huber): Swiss driver Max Büsch (Zürich) had a Tecno for 1968 which was described by Automobil Revue in May 1968 as being brand new. The engine was described as a 215 bhp Cosworth and judging by his impressive speed in the car, that must mean a F2 Cosworth FVA. The car was driven by Günther Huber (Vienna), also under the banner of BB Racing Team, twice in F2 events in 1969. At the second of these races, Motoring News gave its chassis number as 'T00 400' but that number appears much too late for a 1968 car. Sold by Büsch to Hans Obrist for 1970 but he only appeared rarely. Then to Freddy Amweg (Ammerswil) for 1971 and used in Swiss and German national events. Continued running in 1600cc Group 9 in Swiss and German events in 1972, after which Amweg acquired a Brabham BT38. Subsequent history unknown. .
16. Pygmée MDB12 [169] (Patrick Dal Bo): New for Patrick Dal Bo in Formula 2 in 1969. To Jean Lachaud (Sainte-Colombe, Rhône, France) for hillclimbs in 1970, still with its 1600cc Cosworth FVA engine. To Marc Pozet (Trévoux, Lyon, Ain) for hillclimbs in 1971. To Georges Détalante (Dijon, Burgundy) for 1972, fitted with a 1600cc Cosworth BDA and used in mainly regional hillclimbs in 1972 and 1973. Advertised by him in October 1974. Also advertised as "ex-Pozet" in May 1975. Identified by Gérard Gamand as the car of Bruno Sotty (Dijon, Burgundy) at Mont Dore in 1974. As Sotty and Détalante both lived in Dijon, Sotty may have borrowed the car. According to Gérard Gamand and Didier Martin's research, this is the car later owned by Etienne Maire and Thierry Parriaux, which was last in 1985 when it was advertised by Noël Faillace (Bastia, Corsica), when it was fitted with a 1300cc Renault Gordini engine. Subsequent history unknown, but in the late 1990s, a MDB12 with a Renault engine was acquired by Stephan Kupka of Mec Auto in Belgium, who initially thought it was a F/Renault. It was still with him, unrestored, in 2009.
17. Brabham BT23 [7] (Werner "Noddy" Lindermann): To Gerhard Mitter (Germany) and raced in selected F2 events in 1967. Then entered by Mitter Tuning for Werner Lindermann in 1968. Retained by Lindermann and entered by Montan Racing Team through the 1969 season, returning in 1970 for the team's second driver Helmut Gall. Last seen at Hockenheim on 12 April 1970 but believed to have been destroyed some time later.
18. Brabham BT23C [8] (Bernd Terbeck): New to Kurt Ahrens (Braunschweig, Germany) and raced by him in F2 in 1968 under the Caltex Racing banner. Sold to Bernd Terbeck (Hiltrup, Germany) and run as part of the Montan Racing Team in F2 in 1969 and 1970. Then unknown in 1971 and 1972. Former Mini racer Graham Cooper (Sedgley, Worcestershire) raced his "newly acquired Brabham BT23C" in a sprint at Curborough in March 1973. This car was sold by Cooper to Richard Churchley (Hampton-in-Arden, Warwickshire) and run by him in sprints in 1975 with a Ford twin cam and then in 1976 with a 1600cc Hart BDA. From Churchley to Bill Morris who wanted the engine for his Ensign and sold the rest of the car to Robin Darlington (Ruabon, Wales) in early 1977. Then to Les Aylott (Oakham, Rutland) and David Knowles, fitted with Aylott's turbcharged 1600cc BDA engine by by June 1977, and raced in 1977 and 1978. Advertised from Oakham in April 1981. Then unknown until raced by Peter Rogers (High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire) in the HSCC Bradburn & Wedge Pre-71 series in 1984 with a BDA engine. (Possibly the car raced by Jon Bradburn in late 1983.) Raced by Rogers until 1987. Sold by Rogers' father Sir John Rogers to David Brown (Ashford, Kent) in 1999 and raced by him in the HSCC Classic Racing Cars Championship. Raced regularly by David Brown (Ashford, Kent) in HSCC events until sold to Graham Adelman (Free Union, VA) in 2014.

Sources

Note that the identification of individual cars in these results is based on the material presented elsewhere in this site and may in some cases contradict the organisers' published results.

All comments, clarifications, corrections and additions are most welcome. Please email Allen (allen@oldracingcars.com) if you can help in any way with our research.

Individual sources for this event

Autosport (20 Jun 1970 pp10-11) mentions a few changes. Roy Pike was in Rindt's Lotus and John Miles in Hill's. Gunther Huber was in Max Busch's Tecno. Of the BMWs, Questor had the car that had appeared at the Nürburgring in April and Hahne had a new car, distinguished by a narrower cockpit, but this was replaced by a Lola T102 for the race.