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Aurora AFX British F1 Championship Round

Monza, 29 Jun 1980

ResultsLapsTime/Speed
1 Emilio de Villota Williams FW07 [3] - Cosworth DFV V8
#7 RAM Racing
28 48m 43.12s
124.26 mph
2 Guy Edwards Arrows A1 [2] - Cosworth DFV V8
#1 C. W. Clowes Racing
28 48m 43.75s
3 Giacomo Agostini Williams FW06 [001] - Cosworth DFV V8
#9 Team Agostini
28 49m 18.35s
4 Carlo Franchi ("Gimax") Williams FW06 [002] - Cosworth DFV V8
#22 Team Agostini
28 49m 45.02s
5 Val Musetti Fittipaldi F5A [3] - Cosworth DFV V8
#15 Val Musetti
28 49m 46.34s
6 Robin Smith Surtees TS19/TS20S [04] - Cosworth DFV V8
#12 Scotcircuits Ltd. (see note 1)
28 50m 30.73s
7 Guido Daccò (F2) 2-litre March 792 [6] - BMW M12/7
#17 Guido Dacco (see note 2)
27
8 Leon Walger Arrows A1 [4] - Cosworth DFV V8
#2 C. W. Clowes Racing
27
9 Brian Robinson (F2) 2-litre Chevron B42 [42-78-17] - Hart 420R
#19 A. G. Dean (Racing)
26
NC Roy Baker (F2) 2-litre Chevron B48 [48-79-05] - Hart 420R
#24 Roy Baker
24
R Eliseo Salazar Williams FW07 [1] - Cosworth DFV V8
#8 RAM Racing
22 accident
R Jim Crawford (F2) 2-litre Chevron B45 [45-78-04] - Ford BDX Swindon
#77 Plygrange Racing (see note 3)
19 distributor
R Alberto Colombo (F2) 2-litre March 782 [19] - BMW M12/7
#11 Sanremo Racing (see note 4)
17 fuel injection pump
R Ron Harper (F2) 2-litre Chevron B40 [40-77-08] - Hart 420R
#33 Harper High performance Motor Cars
(see note 5)
17 gear linkage
R Gianfranco Brancatelli Lotus 78 [1 JPS15] - Cosworth DFV V8
#10 Colin Bennett Racing
13 accident
R Renzo Zorzi Arrows A1 [3] - Cosworth DFV V8
#3 C. W. Clowes Racing
13 accident
R Kevin Cogan Wolf [WR3-2] - Cosworth DFV V8
#4 Theodore Racing
6 accident, suspension breakage
R Paul Gibson (F2) 2-litre March 792 [20] - Hart 420R
#44 John Gibson Ltd. (see note 6)
4 engine
R Warren Booth (F2) 2-litre Chevron B48 [48-79-01] - Hart 420R
#29 Warren Booth
1 suspension failure
DNS Gianfranco Trombetti (F2) 2-litre March 782 [18] - BMW M12/7
#35 Sanremo Racing (see note 7)
Did not start
(piston failure)
DNQ Piercarlo Ghinzani Dywa [01] - Cosworth DFV V8
#21 Dywa Cars
Did not qualify

All cars are 3-litre F1 unless noted.

Qualifying
1 Emilio de Villota (F1) 3-litre Williams FW07 [3] - Cosworth DFV V8 1:41.70
2 Giacomo Agostini (F1) 3-litre Williams FW06 [001] - Cosworth DFV V8 1:42.22
3 Eliseo Salazar (F1) 3-litre Williams FW07 [1] - Cosworth DFV V8 1:42.44
4 Kevin Cogan (F1) 3-litre Wolf [WR3-2] - Cosworth DFV V8 1:42.58
5 Guy Edwards (F1) 3-litre Arrows A1 [2] - Cosworth DFV V8 1:43.66
6 Gianfranco Brancatelli (F1) 3-litre Lotus 78 [1 JPS15] - Cosworth DFV V8 1:44.25
7 Alberto Colombo (F2) 2-litre March 782 [19] - BMW M12/7 1:44.35
8 Renzo Zorzi (F1) 3-litre Arrows A1 [3] - Cosworth DFV V8 1:44.62
9 Carlo Franchi ("Gimax") (F1) 3-litre Williams FW06 [002] - Cosworth DFV V8 1:45.04
10 Val Musetti (F1) 3-litre Fittipaldi F5A [3] - Cosworth DFV V8 1:45.11
11 Robin Smith (F1) 3-litre Surtees TS19/TS20S [04] - Cosworth DFV V8 1:46.48
12 Leon Walger (F1) 3-litre Arrows A1 [4] - Cosworth DFV V8 1:47.07
14 Guido Daccò (F2) 2-litre March 792 [6] - BMW M12/7 1:48.58
15 Jim Crawford (F2) 2-litre Chevron B45 [45-78-04] - Ford BDX Swindon 1:48.43
15 Gianfranco Trombetti * (F2) 2-litre March 782 [18] - BMW M12/7 1:48.89
16 Brian Robinson (F2) 2-litre Chevron B42 [42-78-17] - Hart 420R 1:50.70
17 Paul Gibson (F2) 2-litre March 792 [20] - Hart 420R 1:52.24
18 Warren Booth (F2) 2-litre Chevron B48 [48-79-01] - Hart 420R 1:52.55
19 Ron Harper (F2) 2-litre Chevron B40 [40-77-08] - Hart 420R 1:55.28
20 Roy Baker (F2) 2-litre Chevron B48 [48-79-05] - Hart 420R 1:56.80
21 Piercarlo Ghinzani * (F1) 3-litre Dywa [01] - Cosworth DFV V8 2:18.22
 
* Did not start

Notes on the cars:

  1. Surtees TS19/TS20S [04] (Robin Smith): Alan Jones received a new car, Surtees TS19/04, in time for the 1976 Austrian GP, and raced this for the rest of the season. It was raced by Vittorio Brambilla in the South American races at the start of 1977, before being sold to Olympus Cameras for Divina Galica to race in Shellsport Group 8. It was acquired by Alo Lawler in 1978, but was quickly sold to John Cooper, then to Robin Smith. Smith updated it to "TS20S" specification in 1980, and added sports car bodywork for a couple of Can-Am events in 1981. It was sold to Ken Moore and then Rod Tolhurst, both of whom ran it in HSCC F1 in 1983 for Willie Green and John Narcisi. Its next seven owners did not race it, but it returned to competition in TGP in 1999, then raced regularly until 2012. It returned for Monaco in 2016.
  2. March 792 [6] (Guido Daccò): New to San Remo Racing for Ariel Bakst in F2 in 1979, using BMW engines. Bakst only used it at the first race, after which San Remo Racing returned to their March 782s for the rest of the season. Maurizio Flammini hired what Autosport described as "one of Alberto Colombo's March 792s" for the Vallelunga race in mid-May. This car was also raced by Oscar Pedersoli at Enna-Pergusa in July and Donington Park in August, and by Riccardo Paletti at Misano. It was retained by the team and heavily revised by Bellasi for Guido Daccò to drive in 1980. Subsequent history unknown.
  3. Chevron B45 [45-78-04] (Jim Crawford): New to Fred Opert Racing for North American Formula Atlantic as a second car. Used as a spare by Keke Rosberg and as his race car at Lime Rock. Also raced by Eje Elgh and by Arturo Merzario at Trois-Rivières. Raced by Rosberg at Macau in November 1978. Advertised by Opert from ATS Engineering, where he had moved to become team manager, in March 1979 as a lightweight B45 with 1979 rear suspension and F2 fuel tanks. Then sold to Mike Peers and entered in the revived British series for Jim Crawford in 1979, winning five races and finishing second in the championship. Fitted with a BDX engine for 1980 and run by Plygrange Racing for Crawford in the F2 class of the Aurora series. Stayed with Plygrange for 1981 when raced by Vin Malkie (Northwich, Cheshire) in libre racing. Reappeared in 1983 when raced by Duncan Gray in the British Formula Atlantic series. It was entered by Peers himself in libre in 1984. Then to Steve Raine for Sprints, co-driven by Robin Boucher, and then hired to Bob Fearnley's RK Racing for Tiff Needell to drive in a pair of races in India in early 1985. Then reportedly to Stuart Ridge for 1986. To John Lloyd then to Simon Hadfield (Shepshed, Leicestershire) but damaged in an accident at Mallory Park. Restored with original Excita condoms bodywork and sold in 1998 to Jeff Wright, a Scotsman then living in Canada. Still with Wright (Wilmington, NC) in 2014 and raced regularly in vintage racing. By 2019, the car had moved to Scotland and was owned by George Coghill (Halkirk, Highland) and was prepared by Steve Worrad (Whitchurch, Shropshire) for sprints.
  4. March 782 [19] (Alberto Colombo): Alberto Colombo's car at Thruxton 27 Mar 1978 and for the next four seasons.
  5. Chevron B40 [40-77-08] (Ron Harper): New to Fred Opert Racing and used for guest drivers in Formula 2 in 1977, using Hart 420R engines. Its primary driver was to be Jacques Laffite, who drove it at Hockenheim, Pau and Nogaro. Alan Jones drove it the 'Ring, and then American Gregg Young hired the car for Mugello and a few other races. When Young was committed to a Formula Atlantic race, Maurizio Flammini took it over for the Rouen race with Gulf sponsorship. It was also driven by Alex Ribeiro at Misano, Eje Elgh at Estoril with Marlboro backing and Tiff Needell at Donington Park with Unipart support. Retained for 1978, and raced by Alan Prost at Pau in May. Sold to Paul Gibson later in 1978, and used in libre at Croft. Retained by Gibson for 1979, then to Ron Harper (Middlesbrough) for libre and Aurora in 1980, and for libre in 1981. Sold to Peter Himsworth (Ware, Hertfordshire) late 1981 but reportedly little used. Sold to Richard Ames (Cirencester, Gloucestershire) for sprints in 1984 and 1985, and again for 1986, when he used a 2.5-litre Hart engine. To David Keer (Woking, Surrey) for 1987 and used in speed events, mainly in South West England. Then to Chris Hill (Hertfordshire) for sprints in 1988, 1989 and 1990. Sold to Ray Rowan (Walsall, West Midlands) who used it at two events in 1992, in the new 2-litre class, and raced once by his nephew Martin O'Connell at Thruxton's 25th anniversary meeting in 1993. To John Crowson (Horsforth, Leeds, West Yorkshire) in 1998 and used in Historic F2 in 2003. Repainted to Opert's blue livery in 2007 and raced by Richard Evans at Oulton Park in August 2007, then by Crowson from 2008 to 2011. To Sandy Watson and raced by Martin O’Connell using a BDG engine from 2012 onwards.
  6. March 792 [20] (Paul Gibson): New to Norman Dickson (Perth, Scotland) and raced in the F2 section of the 1979 British F1 series, prepared by Colin Bennett. Due to be raced by Angelo Piccione at the Misano in August but he was too slow in testing. Sold to Paul Gibson in October 1979 and used mainly in libre racing at Croft but also appeared in rounds of the British series at Thruxton and Monza. Sold to Bob Leckie (Aberdeen, Scotland) for libre racing in 1981 but sold on in mid-season to John Bothamley who used it in the last few races of the Ingliston season. Taken to John Maguire in Coventry that winter who used the engine, gearbox, suspension, uprights, brakes and other components in the construction of a GT car for 1982, with Maguire's space frame chassis and Lotus Esprit bodywork. The tub, nose, rear wing, sidepods and rear bodywork were returned to Scotland and sold to Norrie Galbraith who planned to fit the running gear off his March 782 and put it in the 792 tub. Unfortunately Galbraith was killed in the 782 just weeks later. The 782 tub was scrapped but 792 tub and the remains of the 782 were sold to Bobby Howlings who eventually sold them to Willy Widar in Belgium. The 782 parts and 792 tub were evidently then built into a car which took the identity of 782-26. With its components scattered, the 792 has effectively ceased to exist.
  7. March 782 [18] (Gianfranco Trombetti): Piero Necchi's race car at Thruxton 27 Mar 1978 and assumed to be the car he raced for the rest of 1978.

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 results were compiled primarily from the race reports in Autosport during the season, with some additional information from the results section of Autocourse, and some details compiled by Jeremy Jackson from a variety of sources, including Autosport, Motoring News and the Formula One Register books. All the chassis identities were taken from research elsewhere on this site.

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 3 Jul 1980 pp32-33. Marcus Pye's report gave full practice times, chassis numbers (for all except Dacco's March 792 and the Dywa), all finishers and all retirements.