Hitachi Formula Atlantic Series Race

Mallory Park, 10 Aug 1980

All cars are 1.6-litre F/Atl unless noted.

Notes on the cars:

1. March 79B [782-6] (Phil Dowsett): Alex Ribeiro's Hart-engined car at Thruxton 27 Mar 1978 and presumably all season. Hired by Wolfgang Locher for Hockenheim 26 Sep. To Phil Dowsett (Maldon, Essex) for British Formula Atlantic in 1979, converted to 79B specification and supported by Pinch Plant and Martin the Newsagent. Retained by Dowsett for 1980, then unraced in 1981. Advertised by Dowsett as a 782/79B in September 1981. To Dave Hoban (Horncastle, Lincolnshire) for libre racing and British Formula Atlantic in 1982, then retained for libre racing in 1983 and in 1984.
2. Ralt RT1/78 [145] (David Duffield): New to Bernard Hunter (Edinburgh, Scotland) in December 1978, and raced in the 1979 British Formula Atlantic series. Also used extensively in libre racing in the north of England in Scotland. Sold to David Duffield for 1980 British Atlantic races and for libre at Ingliston. Then sold to Australian Charlie O'Brien and raced by him in the New Zealand Formula Pacific series in December 1980 and January 1981. Then raced by O'Brien in the National Panasonic Formula Pacific series in Australia later that year. To Ron Barnacle for the Australian Grand Prix in November 1981 and the Australian National F1 Championship in 1982. Subsequent history unknown. In 2011, Grant Martin (Auckland, New Zealand) advertised the ex-O'Brien RT1 No 145.
3. March 782/79B (Roger Orgee): Roger Orgee (Bristol) raced a March 782/79B in British Formula Atlantic, sponsored by Baric Computing Services (Modern Engineers) and using Richardson BDA engines. He recalled in 2023 that the car was built for him "by Paul Smith of BMTR using mainly Toleman spares and March supplied bits". He wrecked the car at Oulton Park on 28 June, and rebuilt it on a replacement monocoque acquired from Andy Barton. Subsequent history unknown.
4. March 78B (Tony Westwood): Tony Westwood (Cardiff/Caerphilly/Eaton Hastings) raced a March "78B" or March "79B" with Swindon engines in British Formula Atlantic in 1980 and early 1981. He was sponsored by Datamatic Limited ("Pacemakers in Continuous Print") and entered as #6 in 1980 and #2 in 1981. He was last seen in April 1981. Subsequent history unknown
5. March 77B [Bowtell] (John Bowtell): In September 1978, John Bright (Leicester) advertised a March "77P" which he described as being a F2 rolling chassis and "same as Giacomelli's". Bright had raced in F3 for Bob Gerard in 1977, so there is a distinct possibility that he ws advertising the Gerard/Gubelmann 778 F2 car. He also advertised his 773 Formula 3 car which had been rebuilt on a new monocoque in August 1978. Another possibility, therefore, is that this "77P" had been built using the 773's repaired original monocoque. The car was sold to John Bowtell (Witney, Oxfordshire), who fitted it with a 2-litre BDX bought from Ray Mallock and ran it in libre in 1979. He then fitted it with a 1600cc Swindon BDA and raced it in the British Formula Atlantic series in 1980. He then retired from racing, and advertised the car in January 1981. Subsequent history unknown.
6. Ralt RT1/77 [72] (Ian Briggs): New to Graham Eden Racing for Tony Rouff to race in the ShellSPORT Group 8 Championship in 1977, using Ford BDG engines and sponsored by Harrisons of Birmingham. Rouff won in this car at Thruxton in June. Retained by Eden for 1978, and raced by Mike Wilds in what was then the Aurora AFX British F1 Championship. Sold to Ian Briggs (Reading/Farnham) and fitted with a Swindon BDA for the British Formula Atlantic series in 1979 and 1980. Believed to be the car borrowed by Theodore Racing for Desiré Wilson to drive at Macau at the end of that season. This may have been one of the two Ralt RT1s advertised by Theodore Racing via Jack Kallay (Litchfield) in January 1981. One of these was said to be Geoff Lees, Macau GP winner (so RT1-9) so the other could be eitehr Desire Wilson's or Kevin Cogan's from Macau. Subsequent history unknown.

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.

The British race results have been compiled by Chris Townsend based on material in Autosport and Motoring News reports in the UK plus the information supplied by a wide range of contributors.

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.