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Non-championship F2 Race

Vallelunga, 13 Jun 1971

ResultsLapsTime/Speed
1 François Cevert Tecno TF71 [T00714] - Ford BDA
#1 Équipe ELF Tecno
70 1h 27m 24.6s
153.567 kph
2 Wilson Fittipaldi March 712M [17] - Cosworth FVA
#6 Team Bardahl (see note 1)
70 1h 27m 30.6s
3 Carlos Pace March 712M [20] - Cosworth FVA
#9 Frank Williams Racing
70 1h 27m 38.2s
4 John Cannon March 712M [15] - Cosworth FVA
#12 (see note 2)
70 1h 28m 11.2s
5 Claudio Francisci Tecno TF70 [T00808] - Cosworth FVA
#20 Racing Team IRIS
70 1h 28m 42.1s
6 Carlos Reutemann Brabham BT30 [18] - Cosworth FVA
#7 Automovil Club, Argentina (see note 3)
70 1h 28m 47.4s
7 Andrea de Adamich March 712M [4] - Cosworth FVA
#3 Frank Williams Racing (see note 4)
70 1h 28m 59.9s
8 John Watson Brabham BT30 [11] - Cosworth FVA
#16 (see note 5)
70 1h 29m 23.7s
9 Ernesto "Tino" Brambilla March 712M [18] - Cosworth FVA
#23 Scuderia Ala d'Oro (see note 6)
69
10 Tom Walkinshaw March 712M [8] - Cosworth FVA
#18 Ecurie Ecosse
69
11 Fredy Link March 712M [16] - Cosworth FVA
#11 (see note 7)
68
12 Patrick Dal Bo Pygmée MDB16 [MDB16-171] - Cosworth FVA
#15 Constructions Mech Pygmée (see note 8)
63 retired heat 1
13 Gian-Luigi Picchi March 712M [19] - Cosworth FVA
#22 Scuderia Ala d'Oro (see note 9)
61
14 Giovanni Salvati March 712M [1] - Cosworth FVA
#24 Scuderia Ala d'Oro (see note 10)
36 retired heat 2
NC Dieter Quester March 712M [14] - BMW M12/2
#4 Eifelland Wohnwagenbau (see note 11)
30 retired heat 1; DNS heat 2
NC Jürg Dubler Brabham BT30 [24] - Cosworth FVA
#10 Team Obrist (see note 12)
30 retired both heats
NC Carlos Ruesch Brabham BT30 [19] - Cosworth FVA
#8 Automovil Club, Argentina (see note 13)
6 retired heat 1; DNS heat 2
NC Lionel Noghès Brabham BT30 [9] - Cosworth FVA
#14 Écurie Monaco (see note 14)
4 retired heat 1; DNS heat 2
NC Arturo Merzario Tecno TF70 [T00806] - Cosworth FVA
#19 Racing Team IRIS
2 crashed heat 1; DNS heat 2
DNS Silvio Moser Brabham BT30 [17] - Cosworth FVA
#5 (see note 15)
Did not start
DNQ Spartaco Dini De Tomaso 103 [F2-00298] - Cosworth FVA
#21
Did not qualify
DNA TBA Tecno - Ford BDA
#2 Équipe ELF Tecno
Did not arrive

All cars are 1.6-litre F2 unless noted.

Heat 1 Laps Time Speed
1Wilson Fittipaldi350.43.46.1153.44 kph
2Carlos Pace350.43.50.0
3François Cevert350.43.53.7
4John Cannon350.44.18.4
5Carlos Reutemann350.44.21.0
6Gian-Luigi Picchi350.44.35.9
7Ernesto "Tino" Brambilla350.44.39.2
8Claudio Francisci350.44.40.1
9John Watson350.44.49.0
10Andrea de Adamich350.44.51.2
11Tom Walkinshaw350.45.01.6
12Fredy Link340.44.52.9
Dieter Quester30Gearbox
Patrick Dal Bo30Gearbox
Jürg Dubler28Suspension
Carlos Ruesch6Gearbox
Lionel Noghès4Valve
Arturo Merzario2Puncture, accident
Silvio Moser0DNS
Heat 2 Laps Time Speed
1François Cevert350.43.30.9154.236
2Wilson Fittipaldi350.43.44.5
3Carlos Pace350.43.45.2
4John Cannon350.43.53.1
5Claudio Francisci350.44.02.0
6Andrea de Adamich350.44.08.7
7Carlos Reutemann350.44.26.4
8John Watson350.44.34.7
9Ernesto "Tino" Brambilla34
10Tom Walkinshaw34
11Fredy Link34
12Patrick Dal Bo33
13Gian-Luigi Picchi26Fuel injection
Jürg Dubler2Exhaust manifold
Giovanni Salvati1Engine
Dieter QuesterDNS: Gearbox
Carlos RueschDNS: Gearbox
Lionel NoghèsDNS: Valve
Arturo MerzarioDNS
Qualifying
Qualifying information not available

Notes on the cars:

  1. March 712M [17] (Wilson Fittipaldi): New to Wilson Fittipaldi in May 1971, replacing the Lotus 69 with which he had started the European F2 season. Raced by Fittipaldi for the rest of the season as part of Team Bardahl. Retained for one F2 race in early 1972, then sold to Tate of Leeds (Racing) and converted to Formula Atlantic for Chris Meek to race in the British championship. Loaned to Sonny Rajah for the Brands Hatch Boxing Day race. Retained by Tate of Leeds for Malcolm Wayne in early 1973, then sold to visiting American Allen Karlberg (Seattle, WA) who took it back to the US. Entered by Karlberg for Monique Proulx at Watkins Glen in October 1974, by which time it had Falconer bodywork, and also taken to Trinidad for Formula Caribbean events where it was sold. By 1978 it was owned by David Kerr but it was "totally destroyed" in a towing incident at the "Love Bird International" meeting at Vernamfield Motorsport Park, Jamaica, in December 1978.
  2. March 712M [15] (John Cannon): New to John Cannon (Montreal, Quebec) for Formula 2 Europe, but he took it to the US in September for the Lime Rock Formula 5000 race where he ran it with a Cosworth FVC engine. In 1972, the car was converted by Joe Grimaldi's The Race Shop to Formula B specification with a carbureted Hart twin cam and sold to Warren G. Ogden III (North Andover, MA) to race in SCCA Nationals and Regionals. He won a Regional at Bridgehampton in May, finished fifth in the Thompson National in June and had a couple of other strong results in Regionals. Ogden advertised the car in February 1973 but then traded it to The Race Shop for a new March 73B. Subsequent history unknown.
  3. Brabham BT30 [18] (Carlos Reutemann): New to Automovil Club Argentina for Carlos Reutemann to race in F2 in 1970 and 1971. Last seen at Rouen June 1971, after which it was replaced by a BT36. It was then sent to Argentina to be used as a race school car but the details of its life remain unknown. Found and acquired by Richard Vignoles (Argentina) in 2008. To Carlos Lioni (Argentina) 2009.
  4. March 712M [4] (Andrea de Adamich): New to Frank Williams Racing, and raced in F2 in 1971 by Henri Pescarolo, Andrea de Adamich, and "Jean Max", who crashed heavily at Rouen in June. Suggestions that the car was replaced by a new car, 712M/25, after that accident appear to be unfounded. Used by Pescarolo for the remainder of the 1971 European season. At the Torneio Brasiliero, it was raced by Pescarolo in the first two races, then by Carlos Pace at Porte Allegre, and by local driver Nestor Garcia Veiga at Cordoba. This is almost certainly the "ex-Pescarolo" March sold to Tino Brambilla for 1972, and raced by brother Vittorio at several F2 events, using an 1800cc Novamotor BDA. According to later owner Fabio Montani, this is the car that went to Ettore Ricci and Scuderia Nettuno for 1973. A few modifications were made to the car, including fitting a 2-litre Armoroli BDA engine and a Hewland FG400 gearbox to replace the original FT200, and it was entered as a Somalita, but all the race reports, including Autosprint's, simply called it a March 712M. The last time the car was seen in F2 was at Vallelunga in October, when Fernando Spreafico drove it, but the Armoroli BDA engine broke on the warm-up lap. The car was then bought by Adriano Parlamento (Turin), so this would be the March "732" that Parlamento used in hillclimbs from 1974 onwards. Parlamento last raced it in 1979, and after a season racing small saloons, he acquired a March 75S sports car for the 1981 season. The March 712M/732 was acquired by Fabio Montani (Milan) and restored. It is hoped that photographs were taken of the car in Parlamento's distinctive bodywork to prove the identity of this car. It was advertised by Montani in December 1994, when it was said to have new skins and suspension, and a Richardson BDA engine, but with the old parts available.
  5. Brabham BT30 [11] (John Watson): Sold to John Watson (Craigavad, County Down, Northern Ireland) for F2 in 1970, replacing a Lola T100 that Watson had used with great success in Irish libre. Retained for F2 in 1971, during which time it was partly updated to BT36 specification. To Bob Howlings (Congleton, Cheshire) for libre 1972 and fitted with a 1800cc Cosworth FVC mid-season. Sold to Tony Dean (Leeds, West Yorkshire) in August so he would have a car for the Rothmans 50,000. To Phillip Guerola (Bickley, Kent) 1973 and raced in libre until the end of 1976. Advertised ("ex-Watson") as a rolling chassis from an Aylesbury number in January 1978 and bought by Barrie Dutnall (Medway, Kent) in 1979 or 1980 but not used. Advertised by Dutnall as a rolling chassis in June 1981. Said to have been owned by Jon Bradburn, David Rishworth (Leamington, Warwickshire) and Kelvin Lambeth before bought by David McLaughlin in or before 2003. To David Brown (Ashford, Kent) 2003. To Ian Gray (Mansfield, Nottinghamshire) 2004.
  6. March 712M [18] (Ernesto "Tino" Brambilla): New to Ernesto "Tino" Brambilla, and run for him by Scuderia Ala d'Oro in F2 in 1971. Retained for 1972, when it was first fitted with a Ferrari Dino V6 engine, and later with 1800cc Novamotor BDAs. Retained again for 1973, when it was in Beta livery and fitted with a Schnitzer BMW engine. Subsequent history unknown, but Fabio Montani told Philippe Demeyer that he believes it went to a "Diepoltz" in Switzerland.
  7. March 712M [16] (Fredy Link): New to Fredy Link, and run for him by Jolly Club in F2 in 1971. Also used in Formula 3 with a Renault Albert engine. To Peter Korda for 1972, and used in hillclimbs, German and Swiss national events, and occasional F2 races from 1972 to 1974. It appears that the car remained in Switzerland after Korda last used it. It went to Edmond Veigel (Lausanne, Switzerland) who dismantled the car and never used it. It was later acquired by Hans-Markus Huber (Berne, Switzerland), restored by him between 1989 and 1991, fitted with a BDA engine, and raced it in the European Historic Formula 2 Club series. Subsequent history unknown.
  8. Pygmée MDB16 [MDB16-171] (Patrick Dal Bo): A Constructions Mechanique Pygmée entry for Patrick Dal Bo at the start of the 1971 season. Raced up to June, after which Dal Bo took over the ex-Jean-Pierre Beltoise chassis 271. His original car was raced twice by Helmut Marko in August, then driven by "Jimmy" Mieusset at Albi, but DNQ. According to the research of Gérard Gamand, Editor of Autodiva, chassis 171 went to Richard Daniel for 1972. Daniel raced the car in courses de côte through 1972, and then photographs show that it was sold to Daniel Gache (Avignon, Provence, France) for French hillclimbs in 1973. His car was described as being fitted with a 1990cc Alan Smith Cosworth engine, the same as Daniel's engine in 1972. Gache's last known appearance in the Pygmée was at Mont Ventoux in early September 1973. Gache acquired a Chevron B21 for 1974, and the subsequent history of the Pygmée is unknown. Gérard Gamad lists this 171 as owned by André Bourjaillat in 2005, and being restored for him by Wasserman Racing Service in 2010.
  9. March 712M [19] (Gian-Luigi Picchi): New to Sandro Angeleri's Ala d'Oro team, and raced by Giovanni Salvati and Gian-Luigi Picchi in F2 in 1971. Taken out to the Torneio Brasiliero at the end of 1971, and Salvati was driving this car when he crashed and died at Porte Allegre in November. It is assumed that the car was written off, and that surviving components would have been used on the two other Scuderia Ala d'Oro 712Ms, 712M/1 and 712M/18.
  10. March 712M [1] (Giovanni Salvati): The prototype monocoque Formula 2 March 712M was completed in October 1970, and was extensively tested at Silverstone in the hands of Ronnie Peterson, Howden Ganley, Carlos Pace, Mike Beuttler, Colin Vandervell and others. It was also tested in mid-November by Simon Taylor, editor of Autosport, for a feature article. Once its test duties were complete, it was converted to Formula Atlantic and driven by David Morgan in a race at Brands Hatch in May. It was then returned to F2 spec and sold to Scuderia Ala d'Oro in June 1971, and raced by a variety of Italians in F2. This is believed to be the car rebodied in 1972 as the "Allegrini-SM", built by Alain Siccardi for Milan industrialist Giuseppe Allegrini. Alessandro Pesenti-Rossi was intended to drive this car, but it was crashed very early in its career, and no results have been found for it. According to later owner Fabio Montani (Milan, Italy), the damaged chassis was taken to Bellasi for repairs, but was never collected, and was bought by Montani in about 1992. It was advertised by Montani as a restoration project together with a March 713M in December 1994.
  11. March 712M [14] (Dieter Quester): Thanks to Dieter Quester's BMW connections, he was able to acquire BMW engines for a new March 712M in 1971 and was highly successful, winning at Monza in June and taking a further five second places that season. In November, the car was said to have been sold to Freddy Link but that deal fell through as Eifelland were reluctant to sell the March-BMW. It later became a test car for a planned Opel F2 engine in early 1972, and was next seen when used as the basis of Kurt Bergmann's Kaimann F2 car, equipped with an Apfelbeck-developed 2-litre 16-valve Opel engine. The car was used with some success in Austrian hillclimbs, finishing second at Dobratsch in 1973, driven by Helmut Koinigg, but the engine failed in practice when it appeared for its one F2 race, at Hockenheim in April 1974. Kurt Rieder drove the car at the Salzburgring F2 race in June 1974, but failed to qualify. The car was sold by Bergmann to Fritz Enn, who fitted a Ford engine and sold it to somebody in Köln (Cologne). Subsequent history unknown.
  12. Brabham BT30 [24] (Jürg Dubler): To Team Obrist and run by Motor Racing Enterprises in F2 in 1970 for Howden Ganley, Jean-Pierre Jaussaud and Richard Scott. Retained for 1971 and entered by Team Obrist for Jürg Dubler in F2 and also in some French and Swiss hillclimbs. Presumably the car driven by Albert Obrist at Lorentzweiler in April 1972. Then to Michel Pignard (Rillieux, France) for French hillclimbs in 1972 and early 1973 before being replaced with a 1971 Pygmée MDB16. Sold to Daniel Gache (Avignon, France) and advertised by him in December 1973. Gache recalls that he sold it to someone in the 'area of Lyon' and he believed that Gérard Gamand later bought the car from that same man. To Gamand (France) 1985 and retained to at least 1990. With Gerard Cerny (France) in 1994. Then unknown until raced by Laurent Fort (France) in 2009 and 2010. Sold to Ian Rimmer (Pavenham, Bedfordshire) in 2011 and restored by Peter Denty Racing. Sold by Rimmer in 2013 to Ray Stubber (Australia) who ran the car in a few HSCC Historic F2 and Derek Bell Trophy races between 2013 and 2015.
  13. Brabham BT30 [19] (Carlos Ruesch): New to Automovil Club Argentina for Benedicto Caldarella to race in F2 in 1970 but also raced once by Reutemann. Retained for Carlos Ruesch in 1971. Last seen at Rouen June 1971, after which it was replaced by a BT36. It was then sent to Argentina to be used as a race school car but the details of its life remain unknown. On display in the Automovil Club Argentino Museum in 2008.
  14. Brabham BT30 [9] (Lionel Noghès): Sold new to Rodney Bloor's Sports Motors (Manchester) Ltd and run for François Mazet in F2 in 1970. Raced also by Gerry Birrell once at the end of the season. Then to Monegasque Lionel Noghès and raced under the Écurie Monaco banner in F2 in 1971. Last mentioned in June 1972 when the gearbox was stolen from the car while it was in storage at Lenham Hurst (Folkestone, Kent). Subsequent history unknown. The Noghès family are closely connected to the ruling family of Monaco and it is possible that the car has remained in the principality as part of The Private Collection of Antique Cars of H.S.H. Prince Rainier III.
  15. Brabham BT30 [17] (Silvio Moser): New to John Coombs Racing and entered for Jackie Stewart and Jack Brabham in F2 in 1970. Fitted with a Cosworth FVC for Stewart to win the 1970 JAF GP. To Mike Goth September 1970 for three late-season F2 races. To Silvio Moser (Lugano, Switzerland) for F2 in 1971 up to Rouen in late June, after which Moser had a BT36. The next stages of this car's life are unknown but a 1996 Coys auction catalogue said that it had been used in hillclimbs until bought by the then current owner in 1976. The car was sold after the auction to Jay Galpin and then on to Bob Baker.

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

Few chassis numbers are given at Vallelunga but de Adamich has Pescarolo's regular March; Cannon has his 'regular' car; Pace had 712M-20; Picchi has the March 712M that Salvati used in England (i.e. 712M-19) and Salvati has 712M-1.