Hitachi Grand Prix

Mantorp Park, 6 Aug 1972

All cars are 2-litre F2 unless noted.

Notes on the cars:

1. Surtees TS10 [01] (Mike Hailwood): New for Mike Hailwood to race as a works entry in the 1972 F2 series as a works Team Surtees entry. Hailwood won at Mantorp Park and Salzburgring in this car, and also finished second at Crystal Palace, Rouen, the Österreichring and Hockenheim in October to secure a deserved championship. He also won one race at Interlagos in November during the Torneio do Brasil, The car was not seen in 1973, but reappeared in 1974 with Richard Jones (Stroud, Gloucestershire) for hillclimbs. Raced regularly by Jones in 1975 and 1976 with a 2-litre Hart engine, and then in 1977 with a turbocharged Hart, although he soon returned to a regular engine. To Channel Islander Maurice Ogier for 1978, and used in the 1600cc class of French hillclimbs. Then to Dave Allen (Crewe, Cheshire), and raced in British Formula Atlantic in 1979. Next seen hillclimbed by Peter Bromage in the 1980s, then sold to Don Wood, and seen again shortly after when sold by dealer Straight Six to the US in 1991. Raced by Gil Nickel (Oakville, CA) in US historic events between 1994 and 2002. Nickel died in 2003, but the car has been retained by his family in the car collection at Nickel's Far Niente Winery in Oakville.
2. March 722 [4] (Jean-Pierre Jabouille): New to the ELF Coombs Racing team for 1972, and raced in F2 by Jean-Pierre Jabouille and François Cevert. Sold to Roy Courtney (Lisburn, County Antrim, Northern Ireland) for 1973 and fitted with a 1600cc Cosworth BDA, but only seen rarely in Irish racing. To Tony Martin (Dun Laoire, County Dublin, Ireland) for 1974, and raced in Irish Formula Atlantic until crashed heavily at Mondello Park in August. According to Eddie Fitzgerald, the car went to Austin Kinsella (Blessington, County Wicklow) for another couple of seasons of Atlantic, and was then sold to Cyril Lynch (Terenure, Dublin) who used it mainly in hillclimbs from 1978 to 1979. While Lynch owned it, it was also raced by Vivien Candy at Mondello Park in 1979. It left Ireland when sold via AW 'Monkey' Brown to Mike Gue, then to Lew Wright, and then to Peter Denty (Thetford, Norfolk) by 1984. Denty sold it via Ted Walker to Mike Jones, who ran it in Sprints in the north of England in the early 1990s. Jones died in 2004, and the car was sold by his Estate to Todd Willing (Melbourne, Australia) in 2006.
3. Brabham BT38 [‘33’ as 18-2] (Jean-Pierre Jaussaud): A "new chassis" replacing the ASCA team's Brabham BT38 wrecked by Jean-Pierre Jaussaud at Rouen. It was raced by teammate Adam Potocki at Imola, where Potocki failed to qualify, and was then Jaussaud's car for the rest of the season. ASCA entered Jaussaud in the Brazilian F2 Torneio, but he was involved in the startline accident at the second Interlagos race, and the Brabham was badly damaged. According to Chris Townsend's research, this car was acquired by Fred Opert Racing and raced by Héctor Rebaque in the Caracas Formula B race in March 1973, then by Brian Robertson in the JAF Grand Prix in May 1973. It is not clear what else Opert used it for in 1973, but in January 1974, he sold it to John Bernadine (Tulsa, OK) for SCCA Formula B. Then to Warren Pauge (Hacienda Heights, CA) in August 1975, replacing his well-used Brabham BT21. Pauge retained the BT38 for many years, even running it as a Can-Am car once in 1982. After he finally stopped racing it in 1988, he sold it to Marc Bahner, then it went to George Steven in 1992, Tom Stapleton about 2008, and Paul Skilowitz (Stuart, FL) in 2016.
4. March 722 [11] (Brett Lunger): New to Brett Lunger, and entered by Space Racing for him in F2 in 1972. Bob Sparshott's partner John 'Ace' Woodington was in charge of the F1 team, with ex-Surtees mechanic Roger Flynn. Lunger also raced the car in the Torneio do Brasil in October and November 1972. March records show that this car was sold to Guy Tunmer in December 1972, although press reports at the time said Tunmer had bought the ex-Ronnie Peterson car. Tunmer (Sandton, South Africa) had acquired the 722 for the new "F2" class of the South African national championship, and had it fitted with an 1800cc Cosworth FVC and raced it through 1973. The car was not seen in 1974, but is believed to have been kept as a spare to Tunmer's new Chevron. In 1975, it was sold to André Verwey (Johannesburg, South Africa) who planned to rebuild it with a BMW F2 engine and Hewland FG400 gearbox, but when Formula Atlantic was announced, he updated it with 74B bodywork and Nicholson BDA engine. Used in this form by Verwey in two races late 1975, and then into 1976. Sold back to the Tunmers in mid-1976 for Mervyn Tunmer to use. Unused in 1977, but then sold to Andrew Thompson in 1978, converted to a Ford V6 engine for the new formula, and raced in that form by Bobby Scott in 1979. To Mel Lahner and raced by Derek Ziman and John McNicol in Lahner's Rackrite team in 1980. Used again by Rackrite in 1981, when it was entered for McNicol, Ziman and Lahner, then raced by Bernard Tilanus for a few races before he left the team, then by his replacement Trevor van Rooyen, and finally McNicol took it over again. Both Tilanus and van Rooyen won races in it that season. It was retained again for 1982, when Lahner's son Wayne drove it. It was retained by the Lahner family until 2004, when it was sold back to Andrew and Stuart Thompson.
5. Surtees TS10 [05] (Carlos Ruesch): A new car built to replace the TS10/03 wrecked by Carlos Reusch at Pau in May, and raced by him as a Team Surtees entry during the 1972 F2 season. Reusch retired after two races of the Torneio do Brasil, and Jean-Pierre Jaussaud drove the car in the final Interlagos race. Sold to Geoff Friswell for 1973, and converted to Formula Atlantic specification, but the Clubmen's expert had a poor run of results, which ended at Mallory Park in May when he spun off at Gerards and badly damaged the car. Friswell acquired a new March 73B to replace it, and the Surtees was advertised as complete but damaged in November 1973. The subsequent history of the wreck is not known, but its tub was later with Dave Allen as a spare for his TS10/01, and was still in its company when TS10/01 was sold by Peter Bromage to Don Wood in the late 1980s.
6. Brabham BT38 [26] (Carlos Reutemann): New for Motul Rondel Racing in May 1972, replacing BT38/11, and raced by Carlos Reutemann. Also raced by Gerry Birrell at Albi, when Reutemann was away racing in the Canadian GP. Reutemann left the Rondel team after the Hockenheim race at the beginning of October, following a disagreement over engines, and the car was raced by Ronnie Peterson in the Brazilian F2 series. Sold by Rondel to Tom Klausler (Palatine, IL) for Formula B in 1973, and won at Trois-Rivières in September. Then advertised by Roy Witz (Arlington Heights, IL) in mid-1974, then sold to John Kowalski (Berea, OH) for Formula Atlantic in 1975. Kowalski advertised it in December 1975 as "ex Klausler", still with its "big valve Hart" engine. Used by Kowalski in early 1976, but he then upgraded to a newer Lola T360. The Brabham is believed to have gone to Dr Mike Orgel (Ladue, MO), who raced a Brabham BT38 in Formula B and then Formula Atlantic in SCCA Midwest Division events from 1977 to 1980. After driving in Regionals in 1977, he won the MidDiv Regional title in 1978, and scored 10 points in Nationals that year. He did not appear in the points table for 1979, but scored one point in 1980 in a Brabham BT38. It would then be the "ex-Peterson" car acquired at some point from Orgel by Bob Willis (St Louis, MO), who also owned the Rondel sister car BT38/14.
7. March 722 ["18"] (Mike Beuttler): New to Mike Beuttler, and entered by Clarke-Mordaunt Team for him to race in F2 in 1972. Consistently reported at the time to be chassis 722-18, but the same chassis number was also reported for John Smith's car in Ireland. The ex-Beuttler car was used as a test chassis for the new BMW F2 engine during October, when both Jean-Pierre Jarier and Hans Stuck used it. Not seen in 1973, but reappeared in 1974 as the "HRS 732" run by Jock Topin and entered by Anglo Swiss Racing Team for Gill Orchard to race in Formula Atlantic. The car was reported to be a 713M before Topin told Autosport in April 1974 that it was based on the ex-Beuttler March 722, "extensively modified by his Ecurie Santos operation" and produced "with blessing from March". Subsequent history unknown.
8. Brabham BT38 [12] (Reine Wisell): New for Motul Rondel Racing in 1972, and raced by Bob Wollek, Henri Pescarolo (who won at Enna-Pergusa), and others. One of a group of cars sold to South Africa after the Torneio do Brasil. Raced by Jackie Pretorius in 1973, using an Alan Smith Cosworth FVC, then to John Amm for 1974. Converted to Formula Atlantic and raced again by Amm in 1976. Then unknown until reportedly located by Thomas Koch in South Africa some time around 1997-1999, and imported to the US. Then sold to Terry Allard (Denver, CO) some time before 2005.
9. GRD 272 [020-F2] (Tetsu Ikuzawa): New for Tetsu Ikuzawa to drive in F2 in 1972 as a GRS International entry. For 1973, the car was sold to hillclimber Ken MacMaster (Stourbridge, Worcestershire) and fitted with a 1600cc Hart BDA for hillclimbs. Retained for 1974. MacMaster acquired a Modus M4 for 1975, and the history of the GRD for the next eight years is unknown. In 1983, it was raced by Alan Dix (St Peter, Jersey) in hillclimbs and sprints in England. The car was then retained by Dix until January 2003, when it was bought by Brad Moore and moved to Peter Denty's workshop for some restoration work before being shipped to Moore's workshop at Sears Point, CA.
10. Chevron B20 [72-2] (Peter Gethin): Chevron Racing Team entry in Formula 2 in 1972, raced by Peter Gethin and Vic Elford. Gethin won at Pau in early May. Also raced by John Watson with a 1900cc Cosworth FVC in the Rothmans 5000. Believed to be the car leased by Ed Reeves for David Morgan to race in the Torneio do Brasil at the end of the year. Morgan crashed in practice at Interlagos when the car hit the Armco barrier head on and went between the two sections, luckily stopping just before the cockpit. The car was "extremely badly bent" and a fortunately unhurt Morgan had to be cut out of the car. It is likely that the car would not have been repairable after this, but it is possible it survived in some form.
11. Brabham BT38 [15] (Bob Wollek): New for Motul Rondel Racing at Hockenheim in mid-April 1972, and raced all season by Bob Wolleck. Raced once by Carlos Reutemann at Enna. Sold to Bill O'Connor (Highland Park, IL) for Formula B for 1973. To Chuck Dietrich (Sandusky, OH) for 1974, then fitted with a Cosworth BDA for 1975, 1976 and 1977. He continued to race it in 1978, but at the age of 53 was appearing less often. This was presumably the Brabham he drove in 1979, but by 1980 he had replaced it with a Lola T460. The subsequent history of the Brabham is unknown.
12. McLaren M21 [M21-72-01] (Jody Scheckter): New for Jody Scheckter to race in the 1972 F2 series as a works Bruce McLaren Motor Racing entry (won at Crystal Palace in May). Sold to Yves Martin (Rennes, France) and used in French hillclimbs during 1973 and 1974. Crashed heavily at Montgueux in September 1974. Rebuilt during 1975 with new bodywork and entered for Gilles Péquegnot as the Guépard in the last few months of the 1975 season. Sold to Didier Bonnet (Besançon, France) for 1976, and fitted with a 1600cc engine. The later history of this car is unknown. Note that the three cars restored in the 1990s are all believed to be Trojan-built cars, and none are the ex-Scheckter car.
13. March 722 [15] (Adrian Wilkins): New for Adrian Wilkins to race in F2 in 1972 as a John Coombs Racing entry. Subsequent history unknown, but may have been the car bought by Holman Blackburn for Formula Atlantic.
14. March 722 [45] (Patrick Depailler): New to ELF Coombs Racing, and raced by Patrick Depailler in F2 in 1972, although he also drove the team's Alpine A367 at some races. Not seen in 1973, but sold by the March factory in May 1974 to Derek Robinson, of Motor Racing Supplies in Frome, Somerset. It had been updated to the latest works 742 bodywork. Robinson entered the car in Formula Atlantic for Alan Rollinson, but Rollinson was still troubled by an ankle injury and decided to retire in July. Donald MacLeod was entered in the car at a race in September, but did not arrive. It was advertised from a Radstock phone number at the start of September, described as a "works Formula Atlantic [March] 74B" that had been "built and prepared at Bicester for Alan Rollinson", and had a Holbay engine. It was in side-radiator form with a works 742 nose. Subsequent history unknown.
15. Brabham BT38 [14] (Tim Schenken): Brand new for Motul Rondel Racing at Oulton Park at the end of March 1972, and raced there by Tim Schenken, who finished second. For Schenken again at Thruxton a few days later, then for Derek Bell at Nürburgring at the end of April, by Jean Max at Pau, and by Jean-Pierre Beltoise at Crystal Palace and Rouen. Schenken used the car for the rest of the season, winning at Hockenheim in October. Sold to John Powell (Ottawa, Ontario, Canada) for Formula B in 1973. Sold to Bob Schutt (Kirkwood, MO) at Watkins Glen at the end of 1973, and used by him in Mid West Division FB racing. In the early 1980s, Schutt sold the car to Bob Willis (St Louis, MO), who is believed to still own it in 2019.
16. March 722 [17] (Ronnie Peterson): New for the works STP March Engineering team, and driven by Ronnie Peterson (who won at Thruxton in April and at Oulton Park in September) and Jochen Mass (who won at the Nürburgring). Sold to Silvio Montenegro (Brazil) and raced by him in the Torneio do Brasil. Crashed into the Armco barrier early in the second heat of the final race. This car was thought to have gone to South Africa for 1973, but this is now believed to have been incorrect. The car's history after Montenegro's accident is unknown.
17. Brabham BT38 [17] (Richard Scott): Brand new for Richard Scott at Oulton Park at the end of March 1972, and used by him through the 1972 F2 season. To Alan Padgett (Pocklington, East Riding of Yorkshire) for 1973, fitted with an 1850cc Cosworth BDE and used in hillclimbs. To David Baumforth (North Newbald, East Riding of Yorkshire) for hillclimbs and prints in 1974, then to John Hinley (Knowle, Warwickshire) for sprints in 1975. It was acquired by Tony Griffiths (Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands) for 1976, then to chef Paul Edwards (London), who used it extensively in sprints in 1977 and 1978. To Ron Cumming (Kemnay, Aberdeenshire, Scotland) for libre racing in 1979, when it still had a 1800cc BDE engine. Cumming crashed the car in a race at Ingliston, probably in May 1979, and rebuilt it using a replacement monocoque supplied by Jim Stevenson. The car was then sold, less engine, to somebody in Essex. About seven years later, it was acquired by Chris Perkins (Ashbourne, Derbyshire), still in the distinctive orange-and-white livery used by Cumming in 1979 and with evidence of where the March 79B-style sidpods had been fitted, but now with a Buick V8 engine in the process of installation. Perkins's recollection is that he bought the car in the Brighton area in the mid-1980s; Autosport mention his purchase in December 1987.
18. March 722 [5] (Niki Lauda): New for STP-March number two driver Niki Lauda for F2 in 1972 (won at Oulton Park in March), then for Pedro de Lamare in Torneio do Brasil. To Robert Cooper (High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire) for Formula Atlantic 1973, and rebuilt mid-season to 73B spec. Retained for early 1974, then sold to Dairmuid McFeeley (Clonee, Dunboyne, County Meath, Ireland) for Irish Formula Atlantic in 1974, 1975 and early 1976. To John Ledlie in 1976, then sold to Richard Lester (Yoxall, Staffordshire) for sprints from 1978 to 1984. With Keith Wanklyn (Wimborne) for hillclimbs from 1985 to 1990. Via three other owners to John Gale (Sydney, NSW, Australia) 2006. Sold to Australian-resident Englishman Steve Weller (Sydney, NSW) in 2017, who moved the car to the UK.
19. March 722 [1] (Gerry Birrell): The prototype March 722 was sold to Sports Motors Manchester for Gerry Birrell to race in Formula 2 in 1972. At the end of the season, the car was sold to New Zealander Kenny Smith, and fitted with a 1930cc Cosworth FVC engine for the 1973 Tasman series. He also used it at the April 1973 Singapore Grand Prix using a 1600cc Hart Ford twin-cam. Frank Radisich bought it and bolted on the Repco Holden engine and rear end from his McLaren M10B, but this was wholely unsuccessful, and Radisich later tried a Mazda engine instead, also updating it to 1976 nose and sidepods, but again with no success. In late 1977, it reappeared with Dave Saunders who had fitted a Cosworth BDA engine for Formula Pacific, but the reliability problems persisted. According to Graham Vercoe, Dennis Dunbar later raced it, again with the Mazda engine. In the late 1980s, it was bought less engine from Dunbar by Murray Biddick, who restored the car, fitted a BDA engine and did a couple of club events. It was then sold on his behalf by Charlie Conway to Adrian Whapman. David McKinney reported that Whapman was advertising it in 1994. David also noted that it later went to Australia, where it was owned in 2003 by Kevin Miller, and then returned to NZ and was owned by David Heron. By 2008, Heron had restored it in STP livery, and it was being associated with Niki Lauda.
20. March 722 [14] (José Dolhem): New to Ecurie Shell-Arnold for F2 in 1972, and raced by Jean-Pierre Jarier, Jean-Pierre Beltoise, and José Dolhem. Sold to Yves Courage for 1973, and raced by him in French hillclimbs with a 1798cc Cosworth BDE. To Roland Davril for 1974, but his season was ended early when his engine injected a stone. To Robert Lucet for 1975, now equipped with a 1930cc BDE, and retained by him for 1976, and for 1977, when it was described as a March 742/752. Retained again for 1978, but now in the 1600cc class with a Cosworth engine. It was sold to Marcel Perriot for 1979, then to Patrick Tibonnet 1982, then Bernard Pourchet 1984, then Charles Gnaedinger 1998. Gnaedinger sold it via Grand Prix Classics to Denis Maynard, and it then passed via Grand Prix Classics again to Bill Morris in 2001. Then unknown until sold by George Grigoriev (San Diego, CA) to Ray Stubber in September 2011. Sold by Stubber to Angelo Orloff (Western Australia) in November 2015.
21. Pygmée MDB17 [372] (Patrick Dal Bo): New to the BERT team for Patrick Dal Bo to race in the 1972 F2 series. Dal Bo was fourth in the first race of the season, but had a series of failures to qualify, often caused by engine failures. The car was sold to Georges Schäfer for 1973, and used in occasional F2 races, rounds of the Swiss championship, and French hillclimbs for the next three seasons, using a Cosworth BDE engine. It appears that it was updated for 1974 with revised bodywork and given the chassis plate "MDB19 - 03 -74". Gérard Gamand's book shows this as the Pygmée owned by Roger Martini (Girond, Aquitaine) from 1979 to 1983, although Martini believed he had owned the ex-Pace car. According to Gamand, the car then passed via two other French owners, 'Legeay' and 'Sutter' to Roland Perrin in 1988, by which time it had acquired odd square sidepods and a Martini nose, and the steelwork had been painted a fetching orange. Bought by Peter Morley in Belgium in 2005, then to Gamand in April 2007, who completely restored the car in 2008-09. On display at Epoqu'auto in Lyon in November 2009. Raced by Gamand in Historic F2 in 2010 and 2012. On display on the Autodiva stand at Epoqu'Auto in November 2013.
22. GRD 272 [016-F2] (Reine Wisell): New for 1972, and entered in F2 by GRS International for a variety of drivers, including Reine Wisell, Tom Walkinshaw and Alan Jones. Rented to Wheatcroft Racing for Roger Williamson to drive in Formula Atlantic at the end of the season. Subsequent history unknown.
23. March 722 [8] (Hiroshi Kazato): New to Hiroshi Kazato, and run for him in European F2 by Peter Bloore Racing. The car disappeared at the end of 1972, but March records show that it was sold to a "J. F. Gridley" of Tooting, south London. It is then said to have been owned by an Englishman who planned to use it in French hillclimbs, but only to seize the engine and abandon it. It was acquired by Ted Walker some time around 1987, still with Kazato's name on the wheels, and sold to Nigel Smith, who sold it on to Gerry Wainwright (Burton, Staffordshire), who sent it to Simon Hadfield for restoration. Hadfield raced it briefly in historic racing, before it was sold to Jim Bennett in Colorado, but he only raced it once. It was sold to Scott Meehan (Kamas, UT) in 2005, and restored with a Cosworth BDE engine. Sold to Andrew Gifford (Perth, Australia) in 2012.
24. Brabham BT38 [19] (Tom Belsø): Brand new for Tom Belsø at Oulton Park at the end of March 1972, entered by Team Viking. Raced by Belsø in F2 all season, then converted to Formula Atlantic for a couple of races late in the year. For sale during much of 1973, then to Tom Foster (Modesto, CA) for SCCA Formula B and ICSCC events from 1974 to 1977. Ron Householder (Portland, OR) then bought it for the engine, and sold the car in July 1978 to Kevin Skinner (Langley, BC, Canada). He won the ICSCC Formula B class in 1979, winning his class in seven races. In 2013, he still owned the car.
25. March 722 [10] (David Purley): New to David Purley and entered by Lec Refrigeration Racing for him in F2 in 1972. Retained for 1973, but converted to Formula Atlantic, fitted with Falconer bodywork and run in the two British championships, winning the opening race of each championship. At Silverstone in May, Autosport reported that the car was appearing for the first time in 73B bodywork and using narrow track. Photographs of the car at the following race, which Purley won, show that it also had front-facing rollhoop supports, which are usually indicative of the 1973 March monocoque, and a more detailed picture of the car at Silverstone in July shows that the front suspension also indicated it now had a 1973 monocoque. He used the car to the end of the season, winning five races in total. It was then raced by Dieter Quester at Macau at the end of 1973, who was said to have bought the "73B". However, Quester's recollection was that it was rented by Team Harper for him to drive. Subsequent history unknown, but possibly sold in the Far East. The car would probably have been indistinguishable from a 73B by this time.
26. Brabham BT38 [24] (Adam Potocki): New to the French ASCA team, and first seen when driven by Count Adam Potocki at Hockenheim in mid-April 1972. After a few slow races with Potocki, this car was taken over by ASCA teammate Jean-Pierre Jaussaud for the Österreichring and Imola races, the Frenchman having wrecked his regular car at Rouen. It then returned to be Potocki's car to the end of the season.
27. Surtees TS10 [07] (Mike Hailwood): A new car built up for the Matchbox Team Surtees F2 team in mid-1972, and first raced by Dieter Quester at the Österreichring in early July. Raced later in the season by Carlos Pace, John Surtees and Mike Hailwood. It is almost certainly the car raced by Lian Duarté in the F2 Torneio do Brasil. Sold to Silvio Moser for 1973, repainted in Marlboro livery, and used regularly through the 1973 F2 season. Raced by Alberto Colombo at Vallelunga at the end of the season. According to Beat Schenker, Moser's mechanic, the Surtees was sold to a Mr Herber, from Ticino, who planned to use it in the Swiss national championship. Beat recalls that he crashed on his second or third outing, and believes the car may have been a total loss.

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

Autosport 10 Aug 1972 pp10-13, Motoring News 10 Aug 1972 pp8-9. MN said that Hailwood used Big John's usual car for the race.