Australian National F1 Championship Race

Sandown Park, 9 Sep 1984

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

Notes on the cars:

1. Ralt RT4/82 [81-274] (Lucio Cesario): Ralt sales record says sold to Graham Watson for Charlie O'Brien, delivered 29 Sep 81. O'Brien's car at Shah Alam GP 16-18 Oct 81 is described as 'new' by NZMA. Chassis number given for O'Brien's car in NZMA report of 1981 AGP [NZMA 23 Nov 81 p4].
2. Ralt RT4/81 [273] (Peter Hopwood): Ralt sales record says sold to Graham Watson/Bob Jane, without delivery date. [Tub no: 81/132; Gearbox FT1486; Fuel cell: JM37174 10/81] Chassis number given in NZMA report for the car of Jacques Laffite at the 1981 AGP, [NZMA 23 Nov 81 p4]. The car of Ray Hanger at 1982 AGP is described as 'ex Laffite 1981 AGP' [AMSYB-82 p166] and presumed to be the car used by Hanger earlier in the Australian Gold Star series. [CT]
3. Ralt RT4/81 [265] (Bruce Connolly): Ralt sales record says sold to Graham Watson/Pwee, no delivery date. [Tub no: 81/126; gearbox: FT1478; JM36735 6/81] "Pwee" is Gregg 'Peewee' Siddle, who ran the teams of first Nelson Piquet in F3, and then Roberto Moreno in all junior formulae. Chassis number noted in NZMA report on the car of Nelson Piquet at Australian GP 1981 [NZMA 23 Nov 81 p4]. Chassis number given for Moreno's car in NZMA report of the Bay Park race, 3 Jan 82, and presumed to be the car run by Moreno throughout the NZ series. Chassis number given for Phillip Revell's car at the 1982 AGP and presumed to be the car used by Revell in the 1982 Australian Gold Star series. Revell's car also described by AMSYB-82 p166 as 'ex Piquet 1981 AGP'. [CT]
4. Cheetah Mk8 [81-3] (Peter Macrow): Built to Formula Pacific (AF1) specification and delivered to Peter Macrow in February 1983. Macrow raced the car in Formula Pacific in 1983, 1984, 1985 and 1986. It was sold to Graham (Graeme?) Smith in 1986, then to Rod Anderson in 1989. The next owner is reported to be a James Sears in 1995. It was next owned by Geoff Turner in 1996, and then to Geoff Wiseman in 1998.
5. Cheetah Mk8 [81-2] (Brian Sampson): Built to Formula Pacific (AF1) specification and delivered to Brian Sampson in October 1982. Sampson raced the car in Formula Pacific in 1982, 1983, 1984 and 1985. Sold to Barry Johnson in August 1985, and raced by him in ANF1 series in 1986, and then in the ANF2 series in 1987 and 1988 using a VW engine. To Alan Watts in October 2003, and raced by him in Australian historic racing.
6. Ralt RT4/81 [256] (Terry Ryan): Ralt sales record says sold to Andrew Meidecke, without delivery date. [Tub no: 81/94; gearbox: FT1423; JM34732 11/80]. The car of Andrew Meidecke in the 1981 Australian season; chassis number given for Meidecke's car in NZMA report of 1981 AGP [NZMA 23 Nov 81 p4]; chassis number given for Meidecke's car at the Selangor GP 29 Nov 81 [NZMA 11 Jan 82 p3]. [CT]
7. Toleman TA860 [HU2] (Peter Williamson): Invoiced to Peter Williamson 16 Sep 1981. Fitted with a Toyota 2T-G Formula Pacific engine, and raced in Williamson in Australian F/Pacific and in some Southeast Asian F/Pacific events. In 1982 it was crashed heavily at Oran Park, and rebuilt on a new monocoque produced by Liston & Fisher. Williamson raced the car until the end of 1984 when he crashed the car during practice for the Australian Grand Prix, and abruplty announced his retirement from racing. The Toleman was sold to Ken Shirvington who raced it in 1985. Retained by Shirvington thereafter.
8. Ralt RT4/82 [81-277] (Geoff Nicol): Ralt sales record says sold to Rajah, without delivery date. [Tub no: 81/138; gearbox: FT1420; fuel cell: JM37200 10/81] Chassis number given for Sonny Rajah's car at Selangor GP 29 Nov 81 [NZMA 11 Jan 82 p3]. Chassis number given for the car of Geoff Nicol at the Malaysian GP, 29-30 May 82. [CT]
9. Ralt RT4/81 [264] (Ross Zampatti): Ralt sales record says sold to Graham Watson/Smith without delivery date. [Tub no: 81/122; gearbox: FT1475; fuel cell: JM36405 4/81]. The car of John Smith: chassis number given for Smith's car in NZMA report of 1981 AGP, [NZMA 23 Nov 81 p4]. Retained by Smith for the 1982 Gold Star season, but very badly damaged in testing before the Adelaide round. [A/S 15 Jul 82 p49; AMSYB-82 p152]. The car was rebuilt around a new Ralt tub. Chassis number given by AMSYB for Smith's car at 1982 AGP so presumably kept the plate. [CT]

Sources

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' original results.

The Australian race results have been provided by Chris Townsend based on material in Autosport and Motoring News reports 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.