Gran Premio di Roma

Vallelunga, 13 Oct 1974

All cars are 2-litre F2 unless noted.

Notes on the cars:

1. March 742L [18] (Patrick Depailler): New for the March Engineering works team, assigned to Patrick Depailler. March records say that it was not raced in 1975, and sold to Pierre Maublanc in November 1975. To Bernard Chevanne for 1976, and raced at Thruxton in April, but he was unable to qualify for any of his others races that season. Subsequent history unknown. Note that the March raced by Joe Henry in WCAR Formula Atlantic in 1984 has been reported to be "742/18" but is more likely to have been a 74B.
2. March 742L [17] (Hans-Joachim Stuck): New for the March Engineering works team, assigned to Hans-Joachim Stuck and painted in his bright orange Jagermeister livery. March records show that after Loris Kessel crashed his Favre-owned March 742 at the Nürburgring in 1975, it was rebuilt on "Stuck's 742 tub from last year". It is assumed that 742/17 had therefore been broken up and disappeared at this point.
3. March 742 [24] (Jacques Laffite): New to Jacques Laffite (Paris) using BP France money and prepared by Tico Martini for F2 in 1974. Extensively modified by Martini during the season. To Jorg Siegrist (Lucerne, Switzerland) for 1975 and entered for him in F2 events by Schweizer Auto Rennsport. It was then sold to Bernhard Wissler (Ebringen, Baden-Württemberg, Germany) in mid-1975 and raced by him at the Preis Der Nationen at Hockenheim at the end of August and at Ulm-Mengen two weeks later. He also raced it in the F2 race at Hockenheim in April 1976, when it still had its Martini nose from 1974. One distinct possibility is that this car was acquired by French Martini enthusiast Jacques Terrien (France) who had raced an ex-F3 MK12 in 1974-75 and would run a pukka F2 MK19 in 1977 but had a March 742-Ford for the latter half of 1976. Terrien's car went to Jean-Pierre Perrin (Beaucourt, northeastern France) for 1977. Subsequent history unknown but the remains of a car believed to be the ex-Laffite car were bought from French dealer Christian Hollinger (Lyon, Rhône-Alpes, France) via Gérard Billaud (Toulouse, France) in the late 1990s by Philippe Demeyer (Liège, Belgium). Demeyer sold these parts to Matt Slinn (UK) and they form the basis of the car later raced in historics by Martin Stretton.
4. Elf 2 (Alpine) A367 [3671] (Patrick Tambay): 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.
5. Chevron B27 [27-74-09-2] (Tom Pryce): Sold to Team Harper, and used by Dieter Quester in the European F2 championship. Also driven by Tom Pryce and badly damaged at Enna; returned to works and rebuilt for Jim Crawford to use at Nogaro late in 1974. Probably the car taken to Macau by Team Harper for Purley in November 1974. Team Harper advertised both their Chevron B27s as rolling chassis in January 1975. Subsequent history unknown, but since 2006 (and quite possibly earlier), there has been a Chevron B27 in Team Harper livery in the Macau Grand Prix Museum.
6. Surtees TS15A [03] (Tim Schenken): New for the Ortega Ecuador Marlboro Team run by Ron Dennis in 1974, driven in F2 races by Tim Schenken, starting at Pau in May. Also raced by Rolf Stommelen at Hockenheim in June. The Ecuador team was disbanded after 1974, and this car was sold for 1975 to Yves Courage who ran it in French hillclimbs. He made his debut at Poissons in August, where the gearbox broke, and then raced the car almost every weekend to the end of the season, taking two second places and three wins. The car was twice identified as "ex-Schenken" by Echappement during this period. Courage bought a new Lola T450 for 1976, and the Surtees went to "Pat Shadock", in exchange for his ex-Coupe Simca Grac MT20 sports car. He raced the Surtees in March, April and May 1976, and then was not seen again until an outing in August. "Pat Shadock" recalled to Gerard Barathieu in 2021 that he loaned the car back to Courage for at least one event towards the end of 1976, so this would be the car Courage used for four events after he wrecked his brand new Lola T450 at Sancerre in June. "Pat Shadock" advises that he owned the Surtees for a couple of years and it was then sold via an intermediary to a Swiss collector. Subsequent history unknown.
7. March 742L [20] (Alessandro Pesenti-Rossi): New to the CSAI's Equipe Nationale as a spare car but sold on unused to Alessandro Pesenti-Rossi, who raced it twice in F2 late in 1974. Pesenti-Rossi raced the car again in 1975 but was more focused on his F3 campaign with a March 743. After a single F2 race with the 742 at the start of 1976, Pesenti-Rossi acquired a 762 and a 763, and the 742 was not seen again. Reports that it went to the Brambillas are now thought to be incorrect. In early 1978, Nigel Clarkson (Cirencester, Gloucestershire) ran a F2 March in the Aurora series. This was described as a 762 when he failed to qualify for the two Easter races but was identified as a 742 with BDX engine when it reappeared in September. Clarkson recalls that "the car was a disaster having been put together from a bunch of bits by an Australian John Gillmeister" and believes it later became a Special Saloon. According to Kevan McLurg, Scot Ron Cummings bought a dismantled March 742 from Clarkson in 1980, and this was used as a basis of such a Special Saloon, a Lotus Esprit that he raced in 1982 with an 1800cc Cosworth engine. He then fitted a 3400cc Ford GAA to it, and raced it in this form from 1983 to 1988. In 1985, it was crashed at Brands Hatch, and rebuilt using a March acquired from the Channel Islands. Cummings then bought a March 802 in AC bodywork and the March-based Esprit was driven by Ricky Gauld (Huntly, Aberdeenshire, Scotland) in GT racing at Ingliston in 1989 and 1990. Gauld bought the March from Ron Cummings, recalling that it was "an ex Super Saloon", and used it in March form in hillclimbs in 1994. Meanwhile, the original 742 monocoque and associated parts were sold by Cummings to Hall & Fowler (late Hall & Hall). Rick Hall remembers the transaction and recalls selling such a car to Graham Williams. Some years later, in 2009, the 742 monocoque still with original chasis plate and all its associated parts were acquired by dealer Kevan McLurg from someone in the English northwest. Initially he sold it all to Tony Dunderdale as spares for his own car, but when Dunderdale sold his own 742, the remains of 742-20 were sold by McLurg to a man in Belgium. Subsequent history unknown.
8. March 742L [26] (Cosimo Turizio): New to Trivellato Racing Team and raced by Cosimo Turizio in F2 in 1974, entered by Scuderia Vesuvio and sponsored by insurance company Lloyd Centauro Italia. He started the season with the car in standard short-nose customer specification, but it was in works long-nose form by Mugello in July. Turizio retained the car for 1975, when he was again entered by Scuderia Vesuvio, and was sponsored by Lloyd Centauro. Subsequent history unknown.
9. March 742L [7] (Paolo Bozzetto): New to Trivellato Racing Team, and raced in F2 by Paolo Bozzetto with Elba sponsorship, initially in short-nose specification. At Karlskoga and Enna-Pergusa in August it was raced by Carlos Alberto Jarque, who was Argentinean F2 champion and was backed by Juan Manuel Fangio. By this time the car was in long-nose specification. Bozzetto returned to the drive for the last two races of the season. Not known after 1974.
10. Chevron B27 [27-74-10] (David Purley): Sold in May 1974 to Team Harper, and used by David Purley in the European F2 championship. Probably the car driven by David Purley at the Brands Hatch Boxing Day libre race at the end of the season. Team Harper advertised both their Chevron B27s as rolling chassis in January 1975. This car is likely to be the "late 1974 F2 car" used by Doug Thomson (Edinburgh, Scotland) in Scottish libre, sprints and hillclimbs in 1975, and offered for sale in January 1976 with a Swindon BDA and Hewland FGA400 gearbox. Thomson recalls that he sold the car to UK-resident American Bob Brown (not Bobby Brown) who occasionally raced what is described by Autosport as an ex-Harper B27 in Indyatlantic and Formule Libre in 1976, after buying the car late in 1975. Brown was backed by Oceaneering International, a Texas company, and is believed to have been a diver working in the North Sea oil field. He appears to have taken the car back to the US. Then unknown until an "ex-Purley" B27 was raced by Bobby Brown in SVRA and HSR vintage racing. Sold to Skip Jones (Portland, OR) and used in ICSCC and SOVREN vintage racing, fitted with a 2-litre Wenz Cosworth YBM engine. Sold in August 2016 back to Bobby Brown.
11. March 742L [742-11] (Jo Vonlanthen): New to Jo Vonlanthen (Frauenfeld, Switzerland) and raced in Formula 2 in 1974, as well as German and Swiss national events, entered by Jo Vonlanthen Racing Team and sponsored by Brissago. Vonlanthen crashed the 742 in practice at Barcelona, the opening F2 event, and acquired a Formula 3 743 which was rebuilt to F2 specification for him. He then returned to the rebuilt 742 at Hockenheim in May, and thereafter the 743/742 was a hire car. The 742 was rebuilt to works long-nose specification prior to Karlskoga in August. This was presumably the car he drove at St Ursanne-Les Rangiers and Ulm-Mengen, and would be the long-nose car he drove in the F2 races at Hockenheim in September and Vallelunga in October. Subsequent history unknown.
12. March 742L [732-10] (Vittorio Brambilla): STP March Engineering works car for Jean-Pierre Beltoise at Hockenheim and later by Jean-Pierre Jarier at two races. Probably the car used by Jacques Coulon at Hockenheim, by Beltoise at Albi and by Stuck at Estoril. To Brian Lewis Racing for 1974 and updated to 742 spec for Andy Sutcliffe as '742-10b', then run for hire drivers later in the year. To Roger Heavens for Antônio Castro Prado for F2 in the latter part of 1975, then sold via Hervé Le Guellec to Jimmy Mieusset as a backup car for French hillclimbing at the start of the 1976 season. Also used by Roger Rivoire in May 1976, and then sold to Jean-Pierre Simon in June 1976. Retained by Simon for 1977, still with its BMW engine. Unknown in 1978, when it could have been the 742-BMW of, for example, Robert Despratx in southwest France. Then to Maurice Crozier and raced in 1979 and 1980 with a 1600cc Ford engine. Advertised by Crozier with or without its 1600cc Cosworth FVA engine in November 1980. Acquired by Daniel Mangini during 1981, and fitted with an ex-Pourcher Ford engine. Raced by him in courses de côte in 1982. History then unknown until it was advertised by Yves Bonjean (Pont-du-Château, Auvergne, France) in September 1997. The car was still in the 1977 bodywork used by Crozier. Sold via Philippe Demeyer (Liège, Belgium) to Simon Hadfield (Shepshed, Leicestershire). Sold to Howard Katz (New York, NY) who raced it extensively in US vintage racing around 2005. To Nick Osborn (UK) and raced in Historic F2 in 2016, still exactly in Katz' livery. Still owned by Osborn in February 2019, but by the summer it was owned by Graham Adelman, who also owned the Beta-liveried 732/4. Adelman raced the STP-liveried 732 at the 2019 Silverstone Classic.
13. March 742L [8] (Giancarlo Martini): New to Trivellato Racing Team, and raced in F2 by Giancarlo Martini, entered by Scuderia Everest. In 1975, Martini raced for Giancarlo Minardi's Everest-sponsored Scuderia del Passatore, and the March 742 was retained as a muletto. It was raced by Martini at Enna, by Roberto Farneti at Misano when it had 752 bodywork, and is very probably the car raced by Lorenzo Niccolini at Vallelunga in October. The car was then retired and according to a later advertisement it was acquired by Antonino Missiroli who fitted a non-F2 BMW engine and used the car for track days only. It then passed to a Mr Guerzoni (Bolzano) in 1985, but its history is then unknown until acquired by Christian Bouveron (Prunoy, France) in 2007. It was advertised by Bouveron in 2017 when it was restored to Everest livery and in long-nose 1974 specification. Bought by Gerard Gamand in 2019, who commenced a restoration of the car.
14. March 742L [21] (Diulio Truffo): New to the CSAI's Equipe Nationale, then managed by Eugenio Dragoni, for Diulio Truffo to drive in F2 in 1974. After Dragoni's sudden death in April 1974, the team was managed by Ottorino Maffezzoli, the Monza circuit director. Run by Osella Squadra Corse for Truffo until his new Osella was ready, then to Gianfranco Trombetti for the rest of the 1975 season.
15. March 742L [28] (Carlo Giorgio): New to Carlo Giorgio, fitted with a very unusual Holbay Ford Pinto engine and raced in F2 in 1974, entered by Scuderia Jolly Club. Giorgio retained the car for 1975, when he used a Hart Ford BDA. He returned very briefly in 1976, when the car was used to test the new Armaroli V6 engine, but it did not qualify for its only race. He returned for a fourth season in 1977 when the March had its original 742 sidepods but a 762 cockpit and 762 nose, and used a Hart 420R engine. He failed to qualify for three of his five races that season and did not go the distance in the other two. He raced the car again in 1978, when it has a distinctive rollhoop extension. This was carried over when it moved from its 762 bodywork to full 782 bodywork during the season. He failed to qualify for all his six races that season, except at the Nürburgring in April where he was 37th and slowest in practice, but everyone was allowed to start. For the 1979 season, Giorgio acquired a pukka March 782. The 742 ended with a record of 25 F2 races but 12 failures to qualify and only five classified finishes. Many years later, in 2016, the monocoque from this car was in the garage of Silvio Pederzini in Padova, Italy. It showed signs of having had a 782 roll hoop forward stay stiffening plate added just forward of the rear seat panel, showing it was the car Giorgio used in 1978.
16. March 732 [4-3] (Alberto Colombo): Beta Racing Team for Vittorio Brambilla 1973 and used as his main car all season. Crashed at Monza in June and rebuilt on a new monocoque. Crashed again in practice at Vallalunga in October and may have been written off, leaving Vittorio to drive brother Tino's 732/5 at the last race. This car appears to have been repaired on a new monocoque and retained by the team as a spare in 1974. It would be the car raced by Diulio Truffo at Mugello and Alberto Colombo at Vallelunga. It remained with the Brambillas until 1977, when it passed to sponsor Daniele Ciceri of Beta Tools, and was placed on display at the Beta factory. It 1988, it passed to the Autorevival Italia Association, and was displayed in the Museum Autodromo Monza until 2000, when it was acquired by Guido Romani (Milan). It was sold to Hall and Hall (Bourne, Lincolnshire) in 2019 when it was found to be in remarkably original condition. Sold to Graham Adelman in 2019.
17. Elf 2 (Alpine) A367 [3670] (René Arnoux): 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 2015, Fred Marquet's HTT Motorsport was restoring this car to its 1974 Serpaggi specification. It was first seen at Albi in June 2016.
18. Elf 2 (Alpine) A367 [3673] (Jean-Pierre Jabouille): New for 1974, for Ecurie Elf team leader Jean-Pierre Jabouille to drive in F2. The car was fitted with Schnitzer BMW engines. It was raced by Jean-Pierre Beltoise at Hockenheim in April, where it used Schnitzer's experimental 12-plug engine. Jabouille won at Hockenheim in June in this car. Retained by Equipe Elf Switzerland for 1975, when No 2 driver Gérard Larrousse used it until his new Jabouille-designed Elf 2 was ready, and Larrousse won at Hockenheim in April in this car. Unlike the two sister cars which were rebuilt for further duty in 1976, this car was sold to Guy Fréquelin and used in French hillclimbs in 1976, still with its Schnitzer BMW engine. It was then sold to Pierre Desnos and used by him in French hillclimbs in 1977 and 1978. Gerard Gamand on Autodiva adds that the car was raced by Jean Louis Neveu from 1983 to 1985.
19. March 732/742 [11] (Gabriele Serblin): New to Bill Gubelmann (Oyster Bay, NY) for F2 in 1973 and retained for 1974 when run by Brian Lewis Racing. Clay Regazzoni was due to drive the car at Vallelunga in October, but did not arrive, so a deal was done for Gabrielle Serblin to drive after he damaged his usual 742 in practice. Not seen in 1975, when the intention had been to sell the car to Stuart Chubb Racing, but Gubelmann returned for the 1976 Shellsport G8 series with the car updated to 752 specification, fitted with a Hart BDG, and run by Bob Gerard. Gubelmann also appeared in a handful of F2 races in 1976, but after failing to qualify for the Rouen race, quickly moved to Mallory Park in time to qualify for the Shellsport race. He was involved in a nasty accident in the race when he clipped the rear of Mike Wilds' F1 Shadow, rode up over its back wheel and hit the bank at the Esses very hard. He was taken to hospital with head injuries. The March is believed to have been destroyed.
20. Osella FA2 [001] (Arturo Merzario): New for Arturo Merzario to race for Osella Squadra Corse at Vallelunga in October 1974. Rebuilt to 1975 specification and raced by Giorgio Francia in the early part of the season, then by Diulio Truffo, and then my Merzario for the last three races. Rebuilt to 1976 specification and raced by Gianfranco Trombetti at the start of that season. Subsequent history unknown.
21. March 742L [27] (Loris Kessel): New to Jean-Claude Favre (Switzerland) and raced in European F2 rounds but rarely qualified. Sold mid-season to Loris Kessel (Lugano, Switzerland) and entered for him by Jo Vonlanthen Racing Team at Vallelunga at the end of the year. Retained for 1975 and impressively quick, finishing fourth at Hockenheim in April and then qualifying second at the Nürburgring. It was crashed at that race and rebuilt on the monocoque from the ex-Hans Stuck 742/17. Prior to the Mugello race in July, Kessel heavily modified the March, including a wide nose, front radiator and modified rollhoop shroud. He crashed during practice and although the tub was undamaged, the modifications meant it could not be repaired. That evening, he bought Markus Hotz' March 752, and used that for the rest of the season. The 742's unique rollhoop shroud, together with references to it being "ex-Stuck", identify this as the car sold to Romain Feitler (Luxembourg) and used in hillclimbs in Luxembourg, France and Germany during 1976. A photograph shows that it was back in normal long nose specification and appeared to have a Schnitzer BMW engine. Sold to Helmut Kalenborn (Euskirchen, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany) and used in hillclimbs across Europe in 1977 and 1978. It was described by Autosprint at Ecce Homo in 1978 as "ex-Stuck". The same unusual rollhoop shroud identified this as the Schnitzer-engined 742 acquired by Henri Nussbaum (Luxembourg) and used in hillclimbs in 1979 and 1980. Subsequent history unknown.
22. March 742L [22] (Maurizio Flammini): New to the CSAI's Equipe Nationale, then managed by Eugenio Dragoni, for Maurizio Flammini to drive in F2 in 1974. After Dragoni's sudden death in April 1974, the team was managed by Ottorino Maffezzoli, the Monza circuit director. Flammini reappeared in this car from June 1975 onwards, running as part of the Trivellato Racing Team, and won at Mugello in July and Misano in August. Flammini joined the March works F2 team for 1976, but brought the old 742 out for a few races in 1977. In March 1977, the ex-Flammini March 742 was advertised by Yolanda Fawsitt (Haddenham, Buckinghamshire), although Autosport gave her name as Solanda Fowsitt. Subsequent history unknown.
23. Elf 2 (Alpine) A367 [3672] (Michel Leclère): New in mid-1973, for Elf Coombs Racing team leader Jean-Pierre Jabouille to drive in F2. Raced with Cosworth BDG and Hart alloy-block BDA engines. Retained for 1974, fitted with a Schnitzer BMW engine and assigned to Michel Leclère for that season, but probably the car raced by Alain Cudini at Hockenheim. Two effectively new cars were built for 1975 consuming two of A367s, this car becoming chassis 7502.
24. March 742L [12-3] (Jacques Coulon): Originally built with a Ford engine and used in back-to-back tests with a BMW-engined car. Then converted to BMW specification and entered by March Engineering for Jacques Coulon in F2 in 1974, sponsored by Antar. In February 1975, the car was converted to 75B specification, and March records show that it was given the identity 75B-U1. However, Motoring News twice reported its chassis number as 742/12 during 1975, suggesting that it still had its 742 chassis plate.
25. March 742 [10] (Alfred "Freddy" Amweg): New to Fredy Amweg (Ammerswil, Switzerland) and raced in F2 and in Swiss national events with Vileda sponsorship in 1974. Retained for Swiss events in 1975, still in yellow-and-white Vileda livery and in original short-nose, front-radiator form, also taking in two German F2 races. Amweg built his own car for 1976 and it was thought that the March 742 had been used in its construction but the March was sold to Ruedi Caprez (Dietlikon, Switzerland), and raced in Swiss national events in 1976. He ran the car in F2 specification with a BMW engine. The car's nose cone in 1975 and in 1976 was unusual, resembling that of the Martini MK 16. Caprez raced it until Eggberg in June 1976 when he hit a rock wall during practice and the car was described as a total loss. It was rebuilt for the 1977 season and ran a few times that year, and then once or twice in 1978. It then remained in Caprez's garage until acquired by Bernard Thuner (Nyon, Switzerland) in 2017.
26. Surtees TS15A [01] (Guillermo Ortega): New for the Ortega Ecuador Marlboro Team run by Ron Dennis in 1974, driven in F2 races by team principal Guillermo Ortega. Ortega struggled during 1974, and failed to qualify four times. His TS15A was sold to Gerd Biechteler (Klotten, Rhineland-Palatinate, West Germany) and used in German and Austrian F2 races in 1975. Then raced by Norbert Przybilla (Klotten, Rhineland-Palatinate) in hillclimbs in 1976, 1977 and 1978. In 1977, the car was entered by Benedikt Müller (Osterspai, Rhineland-Palatinate), and at least once it was entered as a "Surtees Toj", suggesting Jörg Obermoser's Toj sports car firm had been involved with it. Przybilla continued to appear in German events in 1979, but now with a Toj SC03 in the 2-litre sports car class, and also with a "Toj" in the F2 class. The last known appearance in the Surtees was at the ADAC-Eifel-Bergpreis in October 1979. This car was advertised for sale from Freidorf, Switzerland in June 2019, when it was said to be chassis 001, formerly driven by Norbert Przybilla, and with Toj bodywork.
27. GRD 273 [071-F2] (Jürg Dubler): Jon Vonlanthen (Frauenfeld, Switzerland) moved up to F2 in 1973 with a new GRD 273. He raced the car in the European series and in the Swiss Championship, using Alan Smith and David Wood BDA engines. For 1974, the car was sold to Jurg Dubler (Oberhasli, Switzerland) but other commitments meant that he did not race it until October. He continued with the car in French hillclimbs in 1975, appearing at Saint-Pierre in April, Turckheim-Trois-Epis in June and Poissons in August. Otto Stuppacher also drove Dubler's GRD at the Bergrennen Bad Mühllacken in 1975 and 1976. Many years later, this car was fully restored with Marc Widmer (Eiken, Switzerland) in 2014.
28. March 732 ["59"] (Max Bonnin): Max Bonnin raced a March in Formula 2 in 1974, which was described by Motoring News as being "one of last year's March monocoques", to which Bonnin had fitted his own suspension, "which featured narrower track and revised roll centres". Bonnin later told Gérard Gamand that he acquired an unused 732 monocoque to build this car. It was powered by a Hart BDA. Bonnin raced this car in F2 through 1974 and 1975 before buying a March 752 for 1976. The 732, by then called a 742, was sold to Jean-Louis Albinet and used in French hillclimbs in 1976, 1977 and 1978, using a 2-litre Hart engine. In July 1978, Albinet acquired a Martini MK22, and the March-Hart was sold to Gérard Lafaurie (Bordeaux, Aquitaine), first appearing in August 1978 in a "March 732", and then regularly from the start of 1979 in a "March 742". Lafaurie raced the car again in 1980, 1981, and 1982. Later in 1982, the car was sold to Pascal Malateste, who fitted the 1600cc engine from his Pygmée. He raced the car in 1982 and 1983, before it passed to his father Yves Malateste in 1984. It is reported that the elder Malateste had a severe accident in the car, leaving him in a wheelchair. It is also reported that the remains of this car were sold to dealer/collector Christian Hollinger (Lyon, Rhône-Alpes, France), who took them to mechanic Jean-Pierre Navarro (Montluel, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes), who built a new March 712-style monocoque and reassembled the car to be used in the 1600cc Historic F2 series. According to Navarro's records, the resulting car was delivered by Hollinger to Frédéric Lacarelle (Lyon, Rhône-Alpes). The car's HVIF shows Lacarelle acquiring it in January 1994. From Lacarelle, it went to Jean-Jacques Gravier (Servolex, Rhône-Alpes) who entered it for Historic Formula 2 events between 1999 and 2002 as a March "71B". Subsequent history withheld.
29. March 732 [17] (Roland Binder): Bought brand new by Roland Binder (Esslingen, Germany) late in the 1973 season and raced by him through the 1974 and 1975 seasons. Replaced for 1976 by a Lola T450.
30. March 742L [15] (Gabriele Serblin): Sold to Trivellato Racing Team and raced by Gabrielle Serblin in F2 in 1974. Retained by Trivellato as a spare car for 1975 and raced by Alberto Colombo, Francesco Cerulli-Irelli, Serblin and "Gimax" (Carlo Franchi). Raced by Gimax at a few Italian F2 races in 1976 and 1977 then to Richard Jones and Robin Smith for the Aurora AFX series in mid-1978, using the Cosworth BDG (or BDA) engine from the pair's Chevron B31 sports car that had been wrecked at Le Mans. Also raced by fellow sports car racer Tony Charnell at the end of 1978. The car is then unknown for two years, until an "Atlantic March" 742 with 772 bodywork was advertised by Ralph Halley, an Opel dealer in Milngavie, a suburb of Glasgow. It was bought from Halley by Jim McGaughey (Lochgilphead, Argyll and Bute, Scotland) and rebuilt as a Renault 5GT special saloon for 1981, using bodywork modelled on the new Renault 5 Turbo by Graham Kelly, a 1930cc Cosworth FVC acquired from Jimmy Jack, and a Hewland FT200 gearbox. It debuted in this form at Ingliston in April 1981, and won McGaughey the 1981 Scottish GT Championship. He then fitted an ex-F2 BMW M12 engine acquired from hillclimber Barrogill Angus, and raced it again in 1982 and 1983. When the special saloon's career ended, it was acquired by the Higgins Brothers of Lincolnshire, and was bought from them by Ian Jones in 1990, by which time it was in a very sorry state. Jones reskinned the monocoque using the original bulkheads, fabricated new suspension parts, and fitted late-1974 (long-nose) F2 bodywork. Jones sold it to Richard Evans in 2010, and by 2012 it was completed with a Gathercole BDG in Stebel livery and was raced in the Derek Bell Trophy races at the HSCC Superprix at Brands Hatch. Shared by Evans and Andrew Smith in Historic F2 from 2013 onwards.
31. March 732/742 [11] (Clay Regazzoni): New to Bill Gubelmann (Oyster Bay, NY) for F2 in 1973 and retained for 1974 when run by Brian Lewis Racing. Clay Regazzoni was due to drive the car at Vallelunga in October, but did not arrive, so a deal was done for Gabrielle Serblin to drive after he damaged his usual 742 in practice. Not seen in 1975, when the intention had been to sell the car to Stuart Chubb Racing, but Gubelmann returned for the 1976 Shellsport G8 series with the car updated to 752 specification, fitted with a Hart BDG, and run by Bob Gerard. Gubelmann also appeared in a handful of F2 races in 1976, but after failing to qualify for the Rouen race, quickly moved to Mallory Park in time to qualify for the Shellsport race. He was involved in a nasty accident in the race when he clipped the rear of Mike Wilds' F1 Shadow, rode up over its back wheel and hit the bank at the Esses very hard. He was taken to hospital with head injuries. The March is believed to have been destroyed.
32. Brabham BT38 [21] (Jorg Siegrist): New for Silvio Moser (Lugano, Switzerland) at the Eifelrennen at the Nürburgring on 30 April 1972, where it was run for him by Scuderia Del Lario, and sponsored by Marlboro. Raced by Moser in most F2 races in 1972. To Freddy Amweg (Ammerswil, Switzerland) for 1973, and used in a few F2 races, but more often in the Swiss national championship. To Jorg Siegrist (Lucerne, Switzerland) for 1974, when it was fitted with a Cosworth BDG, and used in Swiss and German events, as well as a few F2 races. Subsequent history unknown, but in July 2012, this car was advertised by Lutziger Classic Cars (Rudolfstetten, Switzerland). It had been restored by Peter Denty, was fitted with a Cosworth BDG engine, and was in Amweg's livery.
33. Chevron B27 [27-74-12] (Harald Ertl): Built for Chris Marshall's Baty/Ottershaw Motors team as a quasi-works car in European F2 championship, fitted with a Schnitzer BMW engine. It was originally announced as a two-car works team for James Hunt and Hiroshi Kazato, managed by Bill Harding, and "the first car" was shown to the press in mid-May. This car was driven by Tom Pryce at Salzburgring, Hockenheim and Mugello, and by Hunt only at Rouen-les-Essarts. The team dropped out in August, and the car was used briefly as a development car by Derek Bennett. Harald Ertl hired the car for Hockenheim in September 1974, still using its Schnitzer BMW engine. Ertl then acquired the car and raced it in the early rounds of the 1975 season using works BMW engines. He replaced it with a brand new B29 in mid-season but then retained the B27 unraced until his death in 1982. Bought from the Ertl estate by American Jack Perkins (San Jose, CA) in the early 1990s. Perkins had the tub disassembled, reglued and re-riveted by Mark Bahner, and had its BMW M12/7 engine and Hewland FG400 gearbox overhauled by Dave Vegher and Veloce Motors West.
34. Pygmée MDB17 [372] (Georges Schäfer): 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 (Neerijse, 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.

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 (17 Oct 1974 pp10-12), Autocourse 1974/75 results section pp181-182. Entry numbers kindly provided by 'Wookey'. Serblin wrecked his March 742 so hired Gubelmann's chassis for the race. Loris Kessell appeared with the ex-Favre March and Alberto Colombo with the ex-Brambilla March 732.