Grand Prix de Rouen

Rouen-les-Essarts, 24 Jun 1973

All cars are 2-litre F2 unless noted.

Notes on the cars:

1. March 732 [6-2] (Jean-Pierre Jarier): STP March Engineering works car for Jean-Pierre Jarier, winning the two opening rounds at Mallory Park and Hockenheim, but then crashed at the third race at Thruxton in April. Rebuilt on a new tub and raced by Jacques Coulon at Nivelles-Baulers in June. Thereafter Jarier's regular car, winning at Rouen, Mantorp Park, Karlskoga, Enna-Pergusa and Estoril. This may be the March 732 that was later exhibited in the BMW Museum, which is exhibited wearing the #23 that Jarier used at Rouen. A visit by Motor Sport magazine in early 1975 (Motor Sport March 1975 p245) mentioned a 732 being on display, and the car has been spotted on subsequent occasions.
2. Surtees TS15 [03] (Jochen Mass): New for team leader Mike Hailwood for the opening race of the 1973 F2 season. Driven by Derek Bell at Hockenheim as Hailwood was racing a F1 car at the International Trophy. Then inherited by Jochen Mass when Hailwood had a new TS15/009 at Thruxton in April, but Mass only used chassis 03 in the heat, moving into Hailwood's newer car for the final. Mass drove chassis 03 again at Nürburgring, at Kinnekullering in May, where he won, at Nivelles-Baulers, at Hockenheim, where he won again, and at Rouen-les-Essarts. However, the following weekend at Monza he crashed this car heavily into the barrier, wrecking one side. The car was not seen again.
3. Motul M1 [206] (Tim Schenken): The car raced by Henri Pescarolo for Motul Rondel in F2 in 1973, and believed to be the same car all season. Also raced by Tim Schenken at Pau, Kinnekulle Ring and Rouen. This car was fitted with a Schnitzer BMW engine for the last two races of the season. Then believed to have been sold via Fred Opert to the US so this may be the car wearing Pescarolo bodywork that was sold to Alistair Justason (Toronto, Ontario) in 1974, then Bob Beyea in 1975. Chassis 206 was later bought from Opert by Randy Zimmer as a source of spares for his Can Am car. Still with Zimmer in 2010, but by July 2011, it had been sold to Richard Parkin and Martin Walker in the UK. From them, it later went to Martin Donn, still unrestored, and then to Steve Worrad (Whitchurch, Shropshire) in January 2019.
4. March 732 [7] (Jacques Coulon): Ecurie Filipinetti for Jacques Coulon with Antar sponsorship, completed on the Saturday morning of the opening Mallory race, but did not start. Transferred to Brian Lewis Racing after Georges Filipinetti's death in May. To Gérard Pillon (Geneva, Switzerland) 1974 and used in Swiss national events. In 1977, Pillon loaned it to his fellow Genevois Laurent Ferrier for the European F2 races at Hockenheim and Vallelunga, but Ferrier could not qualify the old car for either race. Pillon then appeared at three F2 events in 1978 in a March-BMW variously described as a 762 or a 782, and it is possible that this was the old 732 again. The 732 was next seen in 1979, driven by Ami Guichard, son of the Automobile Year editor of the same name, in French hillclimbs. After driving Pillon's new 782 in 1978, Guichard returned to the 732 and was still racing the car in Swiss championship events in 1988, when it was described as being largely original. The car remained with Pillon thereafter, and was still in Switzerland in 2015.
5. Brabham BT40 [12] (Wilson Fittipaldi): Run by Motor Racing Developments as a works car in Formula 2 in 1973, fitted with a 2-litre David Wood BDA raced at first by John Watson at Mallory Park in March, but after he was injured in a F1 Brabham BT42 at the Race of Champions a week later, the BT40 was taken over by Wilson Fittipaldi. A Schnitzer BMW engine was tried in the car at Rouen in June, but the car had its Wood engine again when Fittipaldi won a non championship race at Misano in July. Sold to Eugenio Baturone for Spanish hillclimbs in 1974, still with its 2-litre Wood BDA engine. Retained by Baturone for three more seasons, then sold to José Canela Ballesteros, who raced it in hillclimbs in 1979. Acquired by an Italian lawyer who owned it for many years. Bought by Giulio Vezzoli (Brescia, Italy) in December 2018.
6. Elf 2 (Alpine) A367 [3671] (Patrick Depailler): New for 1973, for team leader Jean-Pierre Jabouille to drive in F2 for the Elf Coombs Racing team. The car was fitted with a Cosworth BDG for its first two races, but was then changed to a Hart alloy-blocked BDA. Also driven by François Cevert, at Pau as his own new car was not yet ready, and won the race, Alpine's first F2 win. Only seen a couple more times that season. Retained for 1974, fitted with a Schnitzer BMW engine and assigned to Patrick Tambay for that season, but driven once by Alain Cudini in Tambay's absence. Tambay won at Nogaro in September in this car. Two effectively new cars were built for 1975 consuming two of A367s, this car becoming chassis 7501.
7. Chevron B25 [25-73-12] (Brett Lunger): New to Brett Lunger and run for him by Space Racing in F2 in 1973, starting at Nivelles-Baulers in June. To Nick May (Sutton, Surrey) in 1974, and converted to Formula Atlantic specification for the British series. Then to Gerry Kinnane (Belfast, Northern Ireland), and entered for John Pollock to race in the 1975 Irish Formula Atlantic series. Sold to Bill Gowdy (Banbridge, County Down, N. Ireland) for 1976, but crashed twice that year. Crashed again during 1977, and at some point in this period, the car is believed to have had a new chassis. Sold by Gowdy to Paddy Farrelly (Lucan, Dublin) for 1978, and again used in Formula Atlantic, but now quite uncompetitive. Sold to Tony Skinner (Terenure, Dublin, Ireland) and raced at Phoenix Park in 1981. He raced it again early in 1982, but then moved over to a friend's B42 later in the season. Tony sold the B25 to Cyril Lynch, who fitted a 4.4-litre Rover V8 engine, and first ran the car in the Galway MC Ballyvaughan in mid-1983. For 1984, Lynch ran the car for Shay Lawless, who dominated the Pioneer Hi-Fi Hill Climb Championship, setting nine records. It was sold to Paul Deveney for 1985, and he continued to run it in hillclimbs. The hillclimb championship was cancelled after 1986, and the Chevron was sold to Ken Moore (Iver Heath, Bucks), rebuilt by Bob Egginton of ASD in 1988/1989, and used in libre racing at Lydden. Then to Lew Wright (Haslemere, Surrey) who got HSCC papers for the car in 1999. By 2001, it was with Nick Overall (Petworth, West Sussex) who entered it in HSCC Derek Bell events, and still had it in 2006. Sold to Markus Kalbermatten (Grellingen, Switzerland) in 2006, and used in historic Bergrennen.
8. Motul M1 [205] (Jean-Pierre Jaussaud): The car raced by Jean-Pierre Jaussaud for Motul Rondel in F2 in 1973, and believed to be the same car all season. Also raced by Tim Schenken at Karlskoga in August. Subsequent history unknown, but the car later raced by Iain McLaren was described as "ex-Jaussaud".
9. GRD 273 [076-F2] (Tetsu Ikuzawa): Raced by Tetsu Ikuzawa in F2 in 1973, entered by GRD's racing offshoot GRS International. When Ikuzawa had returned to Japan in August, the car was used briefly in practice by Hiroshi Kazato in practice at Enna and was then taken over by GRS teammate Brendan McInerney whose own car had been wrecked at Karlskoga. Revamped in DART colours for Noritake Takahara to race at Estoril at the end of the season. Subsequent history unknown.
10. GRD 273 (Brendan McInerney): Raced by Brendan McInerney in F2 in 1973, entered by GRD's racing offshoot GRS International. McInerney crashed the car heavily at Karlskoga in August and it was "totally destroyed". He then took over the ex-Tetsu Ikuzawa car as Ikuzawa had returned to Japan.
11. Pygmée MDB18 [273] (François Migault): New for François Migault to race in F2 in 1973, appearing at Hockenheim, Thruxton and Pau. After Dal Bo wrecked his car at Pau, Migault continued alone to the Rouen and Monza races before abandoning his season. Subsequent history unknown, but Gérard Gamand in his 2010 book listed Jean-Noël Krafft and Thierry Parriaux as later owners. However, Didier Martin, on Autodiva in 2017, gave Dany Thourot's name instead. Acquired by Jean Philippe Graby of FG Racing (Rioz, Haute-Saône) in November 2009. The restoration was stalled for a while, but was still making progress in January 2014.
12. March 732 [8] (Colin Vandervell): For Colin Vandervell, run by Brian Lewis Racing. Vandervell became disillusioned with F2 and the car was rented out to other drivers, notably Motoharu Kurosawa. Unknown after 1973 but there are no unexplained 732s in Japan to suggest Kurosawa took it home. This could be the unexplained 732 of Jean Lapierre in French hillclimbs in 1974.
13. March 732 [1?] (Hans-Joachim Stuck): STP March Engineering works car for Jean-Pierre Beltoise at the first race, then for Hans-Joachim Stuck at two races and then for Jean-Pierre Jarier at two races. A new car, 732-10, was later built for Beltoise so this 732-1 became what March called the "training car" and was used by Stuck later in the year and was then the third spare car remaining in March's transporter at several races. Probably for Mário Cabral at Estoril. Then unknown until June 1975 when acquired by John Calvert for libre racing in 742 spec. To Geoff Friswell mid-1976, rebuilt for him by Brian Lisles and fitted with a Hart 420R engine, but wrecked in practice at Oulton Park in September. Rebuilt on a 742 chassis and raced in two late-season events. Later to Jonathan Buncombe who fitted an FVC engine for libre races. Sold to Roger Orgee and further modified to 772P specification for Formula Atlantic in 1979. Sold after the 1979 season to Harry Vickers' Cowgate Motors in Newcastle and was used in the construction of their Group 5 Lotus Elan HV/80/S2 for Nicky Ellis. This car used a standard Elan backbone chassis with the suspension from the ex-Orgee 732/742/772 and a Swindon BDX. All that would have been left of Orgee's car would have been the monocoque, and as this was a replacement 742 tub, the March 732 had effectively ceased to exist.
14. Motul M1 [204] (Tom Pryce): The car used by Jody Scheckter as part of the Motul Rondel team at the first two F2 races of 1973. In June, Titan Properties, the company owned by Chris Meek and Malcolm Wayne, sponsored this car for Tom Pryce to make his F2 debut for Motul Rondel. He drove it until Rouen in June, where he retired with a blown engine, but then had a new car, chassis 208, when he returned to F2 in August. Chassis 204 was sold at the end of the season via Fred Opert to Chris O'Brien (Ottawa, Ontario /Halifax, Nova Scotia) and raced in the Players Canadian Formula Atlantic series in 1974. O'Brien crashed the car at Mosport in July 1974 and it was rebuilt on a new monocoque in time for Sanair two weeks later. It was advertised in December 1974 as "ex-Scheckter" with spares that included a monocoque, presumably the one damaged at Mosport. O'Brien recalls that he sold the car back to Opert. Unknown in 1975, but to Dean Lundgreen (Milwaukee, WI) for 1976, when he scored eight points in Central Division Formula B, and 1977, when he scored 18 points and qualified for the Runoffs. To Ron Drew (Milwaukee, WI) and fitted with a Cosworth BDJ for Formula C in 1978 and 1979, then to Tim Joyce April 1980, then to Greg Dauterman (Fond du Lac, WI) February 1981 and used in Formula Continental up to June 1985. Dauterman sold it Bill Schley at Schley Motor Cars in Waukesha, Wisconsin, and from him it was sold to Jurg Dubler in Switzerland in January 1990. Then sold to Jody Scheckter in June 1999, and picked up by Kerry Adams who then looked after his cars. It has since been immaculately restored to original condition, and is in the care of Sam Kendle of Kendle Adams Motorsport Limited at Scheckter's Laverstoke Park Farm in Hampshire.
15. GRD 273 [062-F2?] (Reine Wisell): Sold to Picko Troberg's Team Pierre Robert and identified by Autosport at Kinnekulle in May 1973 as the car driven on that occasion by Reine Wisell. Presumed to be his car at all races in 1973 except at Hockenheim in April where he drove the spare and at the Nürburgring where he drove 063. Also presumed to be the BDA-powered car used by Mikka Arpiainen for two races in 1974. The car then sat in a museum in Sweden until it was acquired as part of a package of five or six by Chris Halford in 1999. He sold it to Andrew Butcher, a Brit then living in Germany in 2000, and he sold it on to Jonny Dimsdale in 2006. Dimsdale restored the car for historic racing with a Gathercole BDG and advertised it in late 2014. In early 2019, it was sold to Glenn Eagling who raced it at Silverstone in May 2019.
16. GRD 273 [061-F2] (Sten Gunnarson): Sold to Picko Troberg's Team Pierre Robert and identified by Autosport at Kinnekulle in May 1973 as the regular car of Sten Gunnarson. Presumed to be his car at all races in 1973. In October 1974, Pierre Robert Racing Team advertised chassis 061 as a rolling chassis updated to 1974 specification, together with two BMW F2 engines and a racing transporter. Subsequent history unknown.
17. Motul M1 [207] (Bob Wollek): The car raced by Bob Wolleck for Motul Rondel in F2 in 1973, and believed to be the same car all season. Like most of the team's cars, this went to Fred Opert for 1974 to be converted for use in SCCA Formula B and Canadian Formula Atlantic. Assuming Wolleck used the same car all season, this would then be "ex-Wolleck" car that Seb Barone (Portland, CT/Middletown, CT/Dilliner, PA) remembers buying for 1974. After a season in the Canadian Formula Atlantic series, Barone traded it back to Opert for his 1975 Chevron B29. According to Cy Morland, who owned chassis 207 from 1998 to 2008, the car was owned after Barone by John Stowe in New England for an extended period, so would be the Rondel raced by Stowe in New England Region SCCA Regionals in 1976. Morland had the tub completely rebuilt by Marc Bahner, and then sold the car back to England. Subsequent history unknown.
18. GRD 273 [054-F2] (Hiroshi Kazato): New to Hiroshi Kazato, and run for him in 1973 F2 events by GRS International. Kazato used Racing Services alloy Ford BDA engines at first, then moved to Cosworth BDG, and then had a new car built to take a Schnitzer BMW, retained chassis 054 as a spare. Chassis 054 is thought to have been sold to Chris Oates for 1974, and the "ex-Kazato" car that he ran in Formula Atlantic for Richard Morgan and then Frank Sytner, but this may have been an older car. Chassis 054 reappeared in 1976 when it was run in libre racing by Alan Clennell, described as a B73 and using Swindon BDA engines. Retained by Clennell for sprints and hillclimbs in 1977 and 1978. Advertised by Clennell (Southam) as an ex-works 273 in November 1978. Subsequent history unknown.
19. March 732 [14] (Roger Williamson): Bought by Tom Wheatcroft for Roger Williamson to race in F2 in 1973, replacing a pair of GRD 273s. Used in three F2 races in mid-1973. After Williamson's death in a F1 race at the end of July, the car remained in Wheatcroft's collection as part of a tribute to Williamson at the Donington Museum. After Tom Wheatcroft's death in 2009, the car was inherited by his son Kevin Wheatcroft, who has stated his intention to retain the car, even after other cars in his father's collection are sold. After the Donington Museum was closed in November 2018, the March 732 was moved into secure storage.
20. Chevron B25 [25-73-07] (Peter Gethin): Chassis number given by Motoring News (MN) 12 Apr 1973 p11 for the works car for Peter Gethin in the 1973 European F2 championship round at Hockenheim. Used by Birrell at Pau in Gethin's absence, after Birrell had damaged chassis 9 at the Eifelrennen, with the rear end of that car grafted on to the Gethin tub. Gethin returns to the car at Nivelles, 10 June (MN 14 June 1973) reporting it was the first time he had used it since Thruxton. Probably the car entered for Gagliardi but DNA at Monza Lotteria. Used by Lepp at Estoril in October 1973, with an FVC engine fitted. Sold to Reg Phillips (Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire) for hill climbs in 1974 and fitted with a 2-litre BDA engine. It was retained by Phillips for 1975, when it was called a B25/B27, and for 1976, when the engine was enlarged to 2150cc. This is likely to be the 2.2-litre B25/B27 used in hill climbs by John Stuart (Bridgnorth, Shropshire) in 1977 and 1978. It was last seen in Stuart's hands at Doune in September 1978 when Stuart used it to uproot a tree stump. Sold, still damaged, to Jeremy Bouckley (Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands) who advertised it in early 1979 (together with a complete F/Atlantic B25), with the intention of breaking it for use in Super Saloons. Bouckley recalls that the car was broken up, but has no note of who acquired parts of it.
21. Elf 2 (Alpine) A367 [3671] (Jean-Pierre Jabouille): New for 1973, for team leader Jean-Pierre Jabouille to drive in F2 for the Elf Coombs Racing team. The car was fitted with a Cosworth BDG for its first two races, but was then changed to a Hart alloy-blocked BDA. Also driven by François Cevert, at Pau as his own new car was not yet ready, and won the race, Alpine's first F2 win. Only seen a couple more times that season. Retained for 1974, fitted with a Schnitzer BMW engine and assigned to Patrick Tambay for that season, but driven once by Alain Cudini in Tambay's absence. Tambay won at Nogaro in September in this car. Two effectively new cars were built for 1975 consuming two of A367s, this car becoming chassis 7501.
22. Chevron B25 [25-73-04] (David Morgan): Displayed at the Racing Car Show in January 1973, then sold to Ed Reeves for Dave Morgan to race in Formula 2. Reeves withdrew his team in July 1973, and gifted the Chevron to Morgan, but without funding Morgan could not continue. Morgan retained the car for 1974 and raced it in the British Formula Atlantic series, run for him by Harry Stiller. Sold to property developer David Peck at the end of the year for his daughter Lorraine Peck, a remarkably talented kart racer who had finished second in the Junior World Championships in 1974, but she was tragically killed in the World Junior Championships at Fulda in July 1975, while still only 16. The Chevron was sold to former clubmans driver Derek Shortall (Malahide, County Dublin, Ireland) and raced in the 1976 Irish Formula Atlantic series, backed by Vista Blinds, his long time sponsors. Reported to have gone to Dermot O'Leary and Eddie Regan for 1977, but next seen when raced by David Lambe (Dublin) in 1978 and 1979. Taken in part-exchange by Belfast team owner Gerry Kinnane for his Lola T460 at the end of 1979, and sold on to Alwyn Bingham (Belfast, Northern Ireland), the reigning Irish Hill Climb Champion. Raced in hillclimbs in 1980 and 1981. Alwyn recalls that he sold it "down south", but does not recall the next owner's name. Subsequent history unknown.
23. March 732 [9] (Mike Beuttler): Clarke Guthrie Racing for Mike Beuttler in Formula 2 in 1973, run by Brian Lewis Racing, but destroyed in an accident at Rouen-les-Essarts in June. For the rest of that season, Beuttler focused on his Clarke-Mordaunt-Guthrie-Durlacher Racing drive in F1. The chassis plate from 732/9 was used on March 732/15, a new car run by Brian Lewis Racing for Andy Sutcliffe.
24. Chevron B25 [25-73-09] (Gerry Birrell): New for Gerry Birrell as the second Chevron Racing entry at Hockenheim in April 1973. The car had previously done a day's testing at Mallory Park. Raced by Birrell at Hockenheim and Thruxton, where he was punted off by a March 732 while leading. He then crashed in practice at the Nürburgring when he skated off on an unexpected damp section of track. Autosport said that the car was "extensively damaged", but Motoring News quoted Derek Bennett saying damage to the tub was minor, but could not be repaired on the spot. Nonetheless, Birrell raced Gethin's car at Pau a week later. After missing the next few races, he returned for Rouen at the end of June. During Saturday practice, a tyre deflated as he approached Six Freres, a 155 mpg downhill corner, and the Chevron flew into the Armco barrier, hitting it full on. The two layers of Armco parted, as happened numerous times in 1973, and Birrell suffered critical head injuries. Despite attempts to resuscitate him, he died at the scene. The car was not badly damaged, but given Derek Bennett's sensitivity to Birrell's loss, the first ever in a Chevron, it is likely that the remains were scrapped.
25. Surtees TS15 [09] (José Dolhem): A brand new car prepared for Mike Hailwood to drive at Thruxton in April 1973, the third round of the 1973 F2 series, but after Hailwood was disqualified from the heart, the new car was driven by teammate Jochen Mass in the final. Then driven by Derek Bell at the Nürburgring as Hailwood was at the Spanish Grand Prix. Driven by Willy Braillard as a works entry at Nivelles-Baulers, then for Bell at Hockenheim, then for José Dolhem at Rouen where he crashed in practice and did not start, and then for Bell again at Monza a week later. Hailwood then drove this car at Enna in August, then Dolhem at Albi, and it was presumably the unused spare at Vallelunga. This car was not seen again, so it could be one of the cars that went to Japan, or the car that was destroyed over the winter in a transporter fire.
26. Elf 2 (Alpine) A367 [3670] (Patrick Depailler): Entered as an "ELF 2", but built by Alpine and designated the A367. Chassis 3670 was built for the 1972 F2 season, when it was raced by Patrick Depailler and Jean-Pierre Jabouille. This is apparently the same car that was updated for 1973 and became Depailler's regular car that season. Substantially redesigned by Andre de Cortanze for 1974, and fitted with a Schnitzer BMW as a fourth team car for Alain Serpaggi and others to race. According to reports, this car started to be converted to 1975 specification, but was unfinished. In 1999, this car was reported to be owned by Thierry Gay (Lyons), and Gerard Gamand reported on Autodiva that the car had been reconstructed using a new chassis fabricated by Gilles and Vincent Duqueine. In 2015, Fred Marquet's HTT Motorsport was restoring this car to its 1974 Serpaggi specification. It was first seen at Albi in June 2016.
27. GRD 273 [051-F2?] (Roger Williamson): New to Tom Wheatcroft for driver Roger Williamson in F2 in 1973, and used as a T-car at the opening race. The two cars travelled in Wheatcroft's transporter, but at the start of the season were looked after by GRS International chief mechanic Alistair Dimmock. By June, the cars were run by the team's own mechanics, Rick Olivant, formerly with Surtees, and Trevor Foster from Gerard Racing. If it is correct that chassis 052 was destroyed in Williamson's accident in practice at Nivelles-Baulers, then 051 was the team's unused spare after Wheatcroft bought a new March 732. To Doug Thomson for 1974, and fitted with a Ford BDA for Formula Atlantic and hillclimbs. Badly damaged when crashed in practice at Oulton Park in October 1974, and Thomson recalls that the tub was a write off. He acquired a new tub from GRD over the winter and rebuilt the car. It was then sold early in 1975 as a rolling chassis to dealer Mike Gue, who Doug believes sold the car to someone in South Africa. It appears however, that the car went to North America, where it was next seen being raced by Russell Thomson (Vancouver, BC, Canada) in the ICSCC's Formula B class in 1979. It then passed to Graeme Hutton (Vancouver, BC) who raced it in one late-season 1979 event and at least once in 1980, again in ICSCC Formula B. Bought from Hutton in 1990 by Robert Morris (Seattle, WA) and stored at his workshop since then.

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.