Marlboro British Formula 3 Championship Race

Thruxton, 12 Apr 1982

All cars are 2-litre F3 unless noted.

Notes on the cars:

1. Ralt RT3/81 [224] (Tommy Byrne): Sold new 9 Apr 1981 to Murray Taylor Racing. Used as spare car by Raul Boesel (see Autosport 16 Apr 1981 p8), became regular race car by mid season, replacing chassis 216. Retained 1981 and used by Tommy Byrne in early season in preference to new 1982 model, chassis 282. Autosport 11 Mar 1982 says that Byrne uses Taylor's older Ralt at the first round at Silverstone. Byrne went back to this car, rebuilt on a new tub, at Brands 11 Jul 1982.
2. Ralt RT3/82 [296] (Luiz Schaffer): Sold to Neil Trundle 24 Mar 1982. Used by Luis Schaffer from Thruxton 12 Apr, replacing his 81 spec chassis 222. Later used by Kees Nierop when Schaffer ran out of money. Probably the car run by Trundle for Allen Berg in 1983.
3. Ralt RT3/81 [250] (Dave Scott): Sold to Dave Scott 16 Jun 1981 and used by him in the latter part of the 1981 season. Used in first part of 1982 (1981 spec car with 82 front suspension Autosport 25 Feb 1982 p4). Sold to Mick Cook Racing ('ex-Scott 82 spec' Autosport 23 Sep 1982 p6) and run as rental car.
4. Ralt RT3/81 [217] (James Weaver): Sold to Eddie Jordan 22 Feb 1981 and used throughout 1981, mainly by David Sears. Autosport 25 Feb 1982 p4 advises that Jordan's 81 spec Ralt will be driven in 1982 by James Weaver. (A new 82 spec car - chassis 293 - had been purchased for Fernando Macedo to drive.) Used to win Donington Euro round 4 Apr 1982. Retained as spare car early 1983 and driven by Tommy Grunnah at first British round.
5. Ralt RT3/81 [207] (Richard Trott): Sold to Richard Trott 19 Jan 1981. Used throughout 1981 season, leased to Tassin at Cadwell Park. Retained 1982, rented to Martin Longmore for British GP support race.
6. Ralt RT3/81 [216] (Peter Argetsinger): Sold to Murray Taylor Racing 21 Jan 1981. Initially Raul Boesel's race car, then later used by Tim Lee-Davey (British GP support race) and Tommy Byrne. For sale Autosport 4 Feb 1982 p61 MTR offer 81 RT3 'as driven by Boesel, Byrne and Lee-Davey'. Sold to Peter Argetsinger (Autosport 25 Feb 1982 p5 says ex Boesel; Motoring News says ex-Lee Davey, so the older 1981 MTR car). Also rented to David Sears.
7. Ralt RT3/81 [225] (Alfonso Toledano): Sold to Hope Scott Garage and used by David Leslie in the 1981 season. Sold to Mike Reed (Ivens Lumar Racing) Autosport 3 Sep 1981 p3. Ivens Lumar ran Alfonso Toledano in the car in early 1981 (Autosport 21 Jan 1982 p6). Rebuilt on an 82 spec tub after accident at R3 (Motoring News 1 Apr 1982 p20; the car is described as 'new' by Autosport when it reappears at Thruxton on 12 Apr). Then run for Roberto Moreno from Mallory Park 25 Apr.
8. Ralt RT3/81 [237] (Juan-Carlos Abella): Sold to Neil Trundle 7 Apr 1981. Most probably therefore the car used by Thierry Tassin in 1981, as Trundle's other 1981 car (chassis 222) appears from the first round with Claus Schinkel driving. Sold to Galvani GRO team for Carlos Abella to use in 1982, run by Mick Cook. (Autosport 4 Mar 1982 p38 'ex-Tassin').
9. Ralt RT3/82 [298] (Tim Lee-Davey): Sold to Tim Lee-Davey 23 Feb 1982 and run by Christal Racing for early part of 1982 series. From Silverstone 31 May, run independently. When Lee-Davey went to Murray Taylor Racing the car went with him and was used by other MTR drivers, including Mike Rosen at Brands 11 Jul and Davy Jones at Brands 15 Aug. Retained by Lee-Davey for 1983.
10. Ralt RT3/82 [293] (Fernando Macedo): Sold to Eddie Jordan, 17 Feb 1982, initially for Fernando Macedo. Taken over by Phil Kempe at Silverstone 31 May. Raced by David Leslie at Cadwell when Kempe had glandular fever. Weaver finally got to drive the car at Oulton 7 Aug, then used by Paul Bishop a week later.
11. Ralt RT3/81 [236] (Enrique Benamo): Sold to Enrique Benamo 15 Apr 1981 and run by Rushen Green Racing throughout the season. Taken by Benamo to Docking Spitzley for 1982 and subsequently rented to Roy Steele when Benamo ran out of money. Sold to Martin Wood in Sep 1982 (Autosport 23 Sep 1982 p6). Retained by Wood 1983 (Autosport 3 Mar 1983 p37).
12. Ralt RT3/82 [294] (Martin Brundle): One of two cars delivered new to Dave Price Racing in late Feb and early March 1982. However, they may be distinguished by driver as one [294] is delivered with a VW engine, and the other [297] has a Toyota. The latter is, therefore, Petit's car for the French series. 294 was an early season car for Martin Brundle, used until completely destroyed in a French series round at Dijon on May 16 1982. Price was confident it could be rebuilt around a new tub [MN 27.5.82 p.20] and it was probably eventually used by Petit after 297 was sold to Bernard Santal in July 1982.
13. Ralt RT3/80 [198] (Enrique Mansilla): Sold to Project Four for Stefan Johansson 15 Aug 1980. Used to win 1980 championship. Sold to West Surrey Racing for Jonathan Palmer, 1981. Won 1981 championship. Retained by WSR and used by Enrique Mansilla in early 1982, then leased to Osamu Nakako [Motoring News 15 Jul 1982 p15). For sale Autosport 14 Oct 1982 p68 '1981 champ winning car' to Gerry Amato Autosport 18 Nov 1982 p13 'ex Johansson, Palmer'.
14. Ralt RT3/80 [183] (Tony Trevor): A works car finished July 1980 for Tommy Byrne to run at British GP support race. Sold to Tiga for Daniele Albertin to run. Used by James Weaver in 1981 and then sold to Mike O'Brien. To Tony Trevor for 1982 (Autosport 18 Feb 1982 p7; Motoring News 11 Mar 1982 p14 'ex O'Brien, Weaver') badly damaged at Thruxton in April and probably scrapped. Trevor only reappears at Silverstone 27 June in what Autosport (1 Jul 1982 p8) calls 'a replacement built up from a pile of bits, most bought from Dave Scott's team who had built up a new car during the close season'. These bits may, themselves, have come from the remains of RT3/192 which Scott may have destroyed in testing in 1980, plus surplus parts from RT3/250. We should presume that 183 ceases to exist after April 1980 unless observation of the plate can be found on Trevor's late 1982 car.
15. March 803 [16] (Tony Norton): Sold to Eddie Jordan 18 Jan 1980. Used in first part of 1980 season, then rented out, and for sale with chassis number (Autosport 5 Feb 1981 p47). To Roger Cowman (Belper, Derbyshire) for Ian Shaw then subsequently to Tony Norton. Retained 1982.

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.

These British Formula 3 results have been compiled by Chris Townsend using the main British magazines Autosport and Motoring News but also the US magazine On Track which carried surprisingly good coverage of the British series.

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.