OldRacingCars.com

Texaco Goldpokal

Hockenheim, 26 Sep 1976

ResultsLapsTime/Speed
1 Jean-Pierre Jabouille Elf (Jabouille) 2J [7603] - Renault CH1B V6
#5 Equipe Elf Switzerland (see note 1)
40
2 Michel Leclère Elf (Jabouille) 2J [7602] - Renault CH1B V6
#6 Equipe Elf Switzerland (see note 2)
40
3 René Arnoux Martini MK19 [003] - Renault CH1B V6
#2 Ecurie Elf
40
4 Hans Binder Chevron B35 [35-76-14] - BMW M12/7
#9 Chevron Racing Team (see note 3)
40
5 Keke Rosberg Toj F201 [0176?] - BMW M12/7
#12 Team Warsteiner Eurorace
40
6 Jochen Mass Chevron B35 [35-76-15] - BMW M12/7
#21 ATS Wheels [ATS Racing Team]
(see note 4)
40
7 Giorgio Francia Chevron B35 [35-76-01?] - BMW M12/7
#25 Trivellato Racing Team (see note 5)
40
8 Ingo Hoffmann March 762 [05??] - Hart 420R
#22 Willi Kauhsen Racing Team (see note 6)
40
9 Giancarlo Martini March 762 [12] - BMW M12/7 Rosche
#17 Scuderia Everest [Giancarlo Minardi]
(see note 7)
40
10 Klaus Ludwig March 762 [5?] - Hart 420R
#23 Willi Kauhsen Racing Team (see note 8)
40
11 Gaudenzio Mantova March 762 [6] - BMW M12/7
#42 Gaudenzio Mantova (see note 9)
40
12 Xavier Lapeyre Chevron B35 [35-76-11] - BMW M12/7
#57 Xavier Lapeyre (see note 10)
40
13 Jo Vonlanthen March 752 [6-2] - BMW M12
#28 Jo Vonlanthen Racing
40
14 Luciano Pavesi Ralt RT1/76 [28] - Hart 420R
#45 Luciano Pavesi (see note 11)
39
15 Eddie Cheever Ralt RT1/76 [35] - Hart 420R
#15 Project Four Racing (see note 12)
39
16 Rolf Stommelen Chevron B35 [35-76-05] - Hart 420R
#26 Fred Opert Racing (see note 13)
39
17 Roberto Marazzi Chevron B35 [35-76-02] - BMW M12/7
#8 Trivellato Racing Team (see note 14)
37
18 Alberto Colombo March 752 [1-2] - BMW M12/7
#49 Alberto Colombo
37
NC Freddy Kottulinsky Ralt RT1/75 [8] - BMW M12/7
#32 Fritz Lochmann Racing (see note 15)
34
NC Rupert Keegan Chevron B35 [35-76-06] - Hart 420R
#18 Fred Opert Racing (see note 16)
30
NC Patrick Tambay Martini MK19 [002] - Renault CH1B V6
#1 Ecurie Elf

NC Maurizio Flammini March 762 [R1-2] - BMW M12/7 Rosche
#3 March BMW Motorsport (see note 17)
28
NC Hans-Joachim Stuck March 762/772 [762-U2] - BMW M12/7 Rosche
#29 March Cars (see note 18)
19 accident
NC Alex Dias Ribeiro March 762 [U1] - BMW M12/7 Rosche
#4 March BMW Motorsport (see note 19)
17 accident with Ribeiro ("written off")
NC Harald Ertl Chevron B35 [35-76-04] - BMW M12/7
#27 Fred Opert Racing (see note 20)
15
NC Mikka Arpiainen Lola T450 [HU2] - BMW M12/7
#30 ATS Wheels [ATS Racing Team]
(see note 21)
8
NC Jacques Laffite March 762 - Hart 420R
#33 Willi Kauhsen Racing Team
7
DNSC Manfred Schurti March 762 [17] - BMW M12/7
(see note 22)
Did not start (crashed)
DNQ Jörg Obermoser Toj F201 [0276?] - BMW M12/7
Did not qualify
DNQ Markus Hotz March 762 [14] - BMW M12/7
(see note 23)
Did not qualify
DNQ Fredy Lienhard March 762 [8] - BMW M12/7
(see note 24)
Did not qualify
DNQ Richard Robarts March 762 [15 as '22'] - Hart 420R
(see note 25)
Did not qualify
DNQ Bertram Schäfer March 762 [7-2] - Hart 420R
Project Four Racing (see note 26)
Did not qualify
DNQ Bernard de Dryver March 752 [8] - BMW M12/7
Did not qualify
DNQ Gianfranco Trombetti Chevron B35 [35-76-08] - BMW M12/7
(see note 27)
Did not qualify
DNQ Wilhelm "Willi" Deutsch March 762 [13] - BMW M12/7
(see note 28)
Did not qualify
DNQ Lorenzo Niccolini March 762 [3] - BMW M12/7
(see note 29)
Did not qualify
DNQ Ray Mallock March 75B [U1] - Ford BDX Swindon
[Ardmore Racing] (see note 30)
Did not qualify
DNQ Ian Grob Modus M4 [048-FA] - Hart 420R
(see note 31)
Did not qualify
DNQ Marc Surer Chevron B29 [29-75-27] - BMW M12/7
Did not qualify
DNQ Roland Binder Lola T450 [HU4] - BMW M12/7
(see note 32)
Did not qualify
DNQ Jean-Pierre Jaussaud Chevron B35 [35-76-07?] - Chrysler-Simca ROC 4
(see note 33)
Did not qualify
DNQ Arturo Merzario Osella FA2/76 - BMW M12/7
Did not qualify
DNQ John Nicholson March 752 [22] - Chevrolet Vega
(see note 34)
Did not qualify
DNQ Charly Kiser Osella FA2/75 - BMW M12/7
Did not qualify
DNQ Rüdi Gygax March 752 [24] - BMW M12/7
(see note 35)
Did not qualify

All cars are 2-litre F2 unless noted.

Qualifying
1 Jean-Pierre Jabouille (F2) 2-litre Elf (Jabouille) 2J [7603] - Renault CH1B V6
2 Hans-Joachim Stuck (F2) 2-litre March 762/772 [762-U2] - BMW M12/7 Rosche
3 Patrick Tambay (F2) 2-litre Martini MK19 [002] - Renault CH1B V6
4 René Arnoux (F2) 2-litre Martini MK19 [003] - Renault CH1B V6
5 Michel Leclère (F2) 2-litre Elf (Jabouille) 2J [7602] - Renault CH1B V6
6 Eddie Cheever (F2) 2-litre Ralt RT1/76 [35] - Hart 420R
7 Maurizio Flammini (F2) 2-litre March 762 [R1-2] - BMW M12/7 Rosche
8 Klaus Ludwig (F2) 2-litre March 762 [5?] - Hart 420R
9 Jacques Laffite (F2) 2-litre March 762 - Hart 420R
10 Hans Binder (F2) 2-litre Chevron B35 [35-76-14] - BMW M12/7
11 Rolf Stommelen (F2) 2-litre Chevron B35 [35-76-05] - Hart 420R
12 Ingo Hoffmann (F2) 2-litre March 762 [05??] - Hart 420R
13 Alex Dias Ribeiro (F2) 2-litre March 762 [U1] - BMW M12/7 Rosche
14 Giancarlo Martini (F2) 2-litre March 762 [12] - BMW M12/7 Rosche
15 Harald Ertl (F2) 2-litre Chevron B35 [35-76-04] - BMW M12/7
16 Gaudenzio Mantova (F2) 2-litre March 762 [6] - BMW M12/7
17 Keke Rosberg (F2) 2-litre Toj F201 [0176?] - BMW M12/7
18 Luciano Pavesi (F2) 2-litre Ralt RT1/76 [28] - Hart 420R
19 Rupert Keegan (F2) 2-litre Chevron B35 [35-76-06] - Hart 420R
20 Jochen Mass (F2) 2-litre Chevron B35 [35-76-15] - BMW M12/7
21 Giorgio Francia (F2) 2-litre Chevron B35 [35-76-01?] - BMW M12/7
22 Alberto Colombo (F2) 2-litre March 752 [1-2] - BMW M12/7
23 Mikka Arpiainen (F2) 2-litre Lola T450 [HU2] - BMW M12/7
24 Xavier Lapeyre (F2) 2-litre Chevron B35 [35-76-11] - BMW M12/7
25 Jo Vonlanthen (F2) 2-litre March 752 [6-2] - BMW M12
26 Freddy Kottulinsky (F2) 2-litre Ralt RT1/75 [8] - BMW M12/7
27 Roberto Marazzi (F2) 2-litre Chevron B35 [35-76-02] - BMW M12/7
28 Jörg Obermoser * (F2) 2-litre Toj F201 [0276?] - BMW M12/7 2m 03.8s
29 Markus Hotz * (F2) 2-litre March 762 [14] - BMW M12/7 2m 03.9s
30 Fredy Lienhard * (F2) 2-litre March 762 [8] - BMW M12/7 2m 04.2s
31 Richard Robarts * (F2) 2-litre March 762 [15 as '22'] - Hart 420R 2m 04.7s
32 Bertram Schäfer * (F2) 2-litre March 762 [7-2] - Hart 420R 2m 04.9s
33 Bernard de Dryver * (F2) 2-litre March 752 [8] - BMW M12/7 2m 05.0s
34 Gianfranco Trombetti * (F2) 2-litre Chevron B35 [35-76-08] - BMW M12/7 2m 05.1s
35 Manfred Schurti * (F2) 2-litre March 762 [17] - BMW M12/7 2m 05.2s
36 Wilhelm "Willi" Deutsch * (F2) 2-litre March 762 [13] - BMW M12/7 2m 05.3s
37 Lorenzo Niccolini * (F2) 2-litre March 762 [3] - BMW M12/7 2m 05.3s
38 Ray Mallock * (F2) 2-litre March 75B [U1] - Ford BDX Swindon 2m 05.6s
39 Ian Grob * (F2) 2-litre Modus M4 [048-FA] - Hart 420R 2m 05.9s
40 Marc Surer * (F2) 2-litre Chevron B29 [29-75-27] - BMW M12/7 2m 06.0s
41 Roland Binder * (F2) 2-litre Lola T450 [HU4] - BMW M12/7 2m 06.0s
42 Jean-Pierre Jaussaud * (F2) 2-litre Chevron B35 [35-76-07?] - Chrysler-Simca ROC 4 2m 06.2s
43 Arturo Merzario * (F2) 2-litre Osella FA2/76 - BMW M12/7 2m 06.3s
44 John Nicholson * (F2) 2-litre March 752 [22] - Chevrolet Vega 2m 06.6s
45 Charly Kiser * (F2) 2-litre Osella FA2/75 - BMW M12/7 2m 06.7s
46 Rüdi Gygax * (F2) 2-litre March 752 [24] - BMW M12/7 2m 12.5s
 
* Did not start

Notes on the cars:

  1. Elf (Jabouille) 2J [7603] (Jean-Pierre Jabouille): New for the Elf Switzerland team in 1976, built with new chassis 7603 and fitted with a Renault V6 engine for Formula 2 in 1976. Raced by Jean-Pierre Jabouille at the opening race of 1976, and believed to be his car at every race that season. This car was rebuilt for 1977 as chassis 7701 and sold to the Kauhsen team.
  2. Elf (Jabouille) 2J [7602] (Michel Leclère): New for the Elf Switzerland team in 1976, based on the chassis 7502 used by the team in 1975, rebuilt with a Renault V6 engine as chassis 7602 for 1976. Raced by Michel Leclère at the second race of 1976, and believed to be his car at every subsequent race that season. This car is reported to have been rebuilt for 1977 as chassis 7703 and sold to the Kauhsen team.
  3. Chevron B35 [35-76-14] (Hans Binder): New as a works entry with BMW engine for Rolf Stommelen to race at Hockenheim in June. Then raced by Hans Binder for the rest of the F2 season, and also in the Shellsport G8 race at Brands Hatch in late August. Then sent out to Japan for Jacques Laffite to win the Nihon Grand Prix at Fuji in November. The car remained in Japan and was raced by Tetsu Ikuzawa at two races in March and April before his new B40 was delivered. It is believed to be the car raced by Kuniomi Nagamatsu later that season, and then by Keiji Matsumoto for the rest of 1977 and through the 1978 season. Subsequent history unknown.
  4. Chevron B35 [35-76-15] (Jochen Mass): New to ATS Wheels (Bad Dürkheim, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany) for the ATS Racing Team, fitted with a BMW engine, and raced by Mikka Arpiainen in the ShellSPORT 5000 European Championship race at Brands Hatch at the end of August. The ATS F2 team had been struggling with a Lola T450, first driven by Mikko Kozarowitzky and later by Reinhold Jöst, and FSV star Arpiainen was given the job of sorting the brand new Chevron. The car was not seen again until the Hockenheim F2 race four weeks later, when it was driven by Jochen Mass, with Arpiainen relegated to the Lola. Mass qualified 20th but worked his way up to seventh in the first heat, and then eighth in the second, to be classified sixth overall. The ATS team moved up to Formula 1 for 1977, and the subsequent history of the Chevron B35 is unknown.
  5. Chevron B35 [35-76-01?] (Giorgio Francia): Used as a test car by Derek Bennett and others during February 1976, including Alex Ribeiro. Then sold to Trivellato Racing Team for Willi Lovato to race in four races at the start of the 1976 European F2 series. Believed to be the car taken over by Giorgio Francia for the rest of the season, although Francia was said to be driving the Trivellato team's spare car at Estoril after a "write off" at Enna. However, it does appear that there was some shuffling of cars, as '01 appears to be the car sold to Andy Barton for 1977, even though it was said to be the former car of Lovato's teammate Roberto Marazzi. Barton fitted a 2-litre BDA engine for Shellsport G8 and libre racing but struggled with the car's handling, and crashed at Croft in April. The car was rebuilt with a new tub and three new corners but was still problematic and he crashed again at Ingliston on 8 May. Barton then raced the Sana for the rest of 1977 but returned to the Chevron for a libre race at Croft in May 1978, only to crash yet again in practice. This time the car was not repaired.
  6. March 762 [05??] (Ingo Hoffmann): New to Willi Kauhsen Racing Team with Hart engine for Klaus Ludwig to drive in Formula 2 in 1976. Raced by Ludwig at Hockenheim, the opening round, and "written off" when he crashed into José Dolhem's stationary Chevron B35 on the opening lap. The Kauhsen team had already taken delivery of a third March 762, chassis 762/11, the week before, and Ludwig used 762/11 at the next race. Photographs suggest that he then returned to his original car for the rest of the season. Subsequent history unknown.
  7. March 762 [12] (Giancarlo Martini): New to Giancarlo Minardi's Scuderia Everest with BMW engine for Giancarlo Martini to drive in Formula 2 in 1976. Subsequent history unknown.
  8. March 762 [5?] (Klaus Ludwig): New to Willi Kauhsen Racing Team with Hart engine for Klaus Ludwig to drive in Formula 2 in 1976. Raced by Ludwig at Hockenheim, the opening round, and "written off" when he crashed into José Dolhem's stationary Chevron B35 on the opening lap. The Kauhsen team had already taken delivery of a third March 762, chassis 762/11, the week before, and Ludwig used 762/11 at the next race. Photographs suggest that he then returned to his original car for the rest of the season. Subsequent history unknown.
  9. March 762 [6] (Gaudenzio Mantova): New to Alessandro Pesenti-Rossi for Formula 2 in 1976, entered by Scuderia Gulf Rondini. Pesenti-Rossi was also racing in F3, and then acquired a F1 Tyrrell as well, so the 762 was taken over by Gaudenzio Mantova from June 1976 onwards. The car was then borrowed by the works for Maurizio Flammini to test at Vallelunga, and he wrote it off after just ten laps. The car was returned to the factory to be rebuilt and its surviving components were used to build his March 772/4 for 1977. The 772 carried the chassis plate from the 762, presumably for carnet reasons. The 762 therefore probably ceased to exist. When 'Pierpaolo' later bought a car with this chassis plate, it was probably 772/4.
  10. Chevron B35 [35-76-11] (Xavier Lapeyre): New to Xavier Lapeyre (Toulouse, Occitanie, France), fitted with a BMW engine and used in F2, starting at Rouen in late June where Lapeyre failed to qualify. Lapeyre had previously driven a B29 in F2, but had failed to qualify for four of his five races in 1976. The B35 was yellow and carried Motul and Presta France signwriting. The reported chassis number of this car is odd, as Chevron did not usually sell cars with number 11 and the entry for this number is blank in Chevron records. However, tubs were still sometimes built with this number and it is possible that Lapeyre acquired a B35 monocoque from Chevron with which to rebuild his Chevron B29, which would explain why the B29 was not seen again. Lapeyre drove the B35 later in the season at Mugello, Estoril, Nogaro (DNQ) and Hockenheim. Sold for 1977 to Régis Péchaire who used the car in French hillclimbs, always entering it as a "B37" despite it still having its F2 BMW engine. Retained by Péchaire for 1978. To Henri-Paul Magnan (Hyères, Provence) for 1979, now using a Cosworth BDM engine and running in the 1600cc class. Retained by Magnan for 1980, 1981 and 1982. Subsequent history unknown but Pat Gasquet and Pierre Haverland on Autodiva recalled Joseph Laspisa owning a Chevron "B37" which was raced by his daughter and others, and was destroyed in an accident by Michel Bruynaud.
  11. Ralt RT1/76 [28] (Luciano Pavesi): New to Maurizio Braito (Varese, Italy), founder of Scuderia Ala d'Oro, and fitted with a Hart 420R for his protégé Luciano Pavesi to use in the European F2 series. Pavesi raced it from July onwards, appearing at Mugello, Enna-Pergusa, Misano, Nogaro and Hockenheim. He took pole position at Misano but did not finish inside the points once. He retained the Ralt for 1977, when it was again identified as chassis 28 by Autosprint, and raced it at Vallelunga, Mugello and Misano. Pavesi made one further appearance in the car at Misano in 1978, when it was reportedly fitted with a BMW engine, but he failed to qualify. It was thought possible that this was the car that Pavesi used in F3 in 1979, but Doug Grant, who worked for Ralt in Italy at this time, says that it was not converted. Subsequent history unknown.
  12. Ralt RT1/76 [35] (Eddie Cheever): New to Ron Dennis's Project Four Racing in August 1976 and fitted with a Hart 420R engine for Eddie Cheever to race in European F2, replacing his March 762. First raced by Cheever at the Brands Hatch Shellsport G8 race on 30 August, then in two F2 races, and another Shellsport G8 race at Brands Hatch. Dennis bought three new Ralts for 1977, and RT1-35 was not used again until May 1978, when it was bought by Alo Lawler, still with its 1976-spec Hart 420R, to use in the Aurora AFX British F1 championship. Raced in three rounds, retiring from each, and was easily beaten in a libre race at Croft by Andy Barton. It was then unseen in 1979 and 1980, until advertised in November 1980 as a "hardly used" rolling chassis. It was acquired by Richard Fry (Bath, Avon) and fitted with a 2.5-litre Hart engine and run at the Prescott hillclimb on 5 April, where Fry was sharing with Ted Williams. The pair later moved to a Pilbeam MP40, and the Ralt was abandoned again. In December 1982, it was advertised by Dave Williams (Humble, TX), who had been racing in the UK and had evidently taken the car home with him to Texas. From him it went to Joe Sposato (Rossmoor, CA) and was sold for 1984 to Peter West. He raced it in the WCAR event at Riverside in October 1984 but failed to start, and car was returned to Sposato. He then sold it to Tom Shanley (Riverside, CA)
  13. Chevron B35 [35-76-05] (Rolf Stommelen): New to Fred Opert Racing for Formula 2 in 1976, and used by Juan Cochésa for the opening four races of the season, until he failed to qualify at Salzburgring. Jean-Pierre Jarier took over the drive at Pau, and and it was raced later in the season by Hans Binder, Hans Meier, Jacques Laffite and Rolf Stommelen. It was then rented by Ian Grob for two races of the Shellsport G8 series at Brands Hatch in October and November. The sister car to this was taken out for the Macau GP and sold in New Zealand, but the next time 76-05 was seen was at the start of the 1977 F2 season, prior to the Opert team's second and third B40s being delivered, when it was driven by Keke Rosberg at Silverstone and by Hans Royer at Thruxton. Subsequent history unknown but a car in France later claimed this identity.
  14. Chevron B35 [35-76-02] (Roberto Marazzi): New to Trivellato Racing Team for Roberto Marazzi to race in the 1976 European F2 series. The car was retained by Trivellato for 1977 and when the team's new Ferrari-engined B40 was not ready in time, the old B35 was raced by Riccardo Patrese in the opening races of the season. Despite being identified as chassis '76-02, it was said to be the car driven by Marazzi's teammate Giorgio Francia in 1976, indicating that the team cars had been swapped around during 1976. Patrese took pole position in the car at the fourth round, at the Nürburgring on 1 May, but crashed in the race and the car was written off.
  15. Ralt RT1/75 [8] (Freddy Kottulinsky): New to Freddy Kottulinsky, fitted with a BMW M12 engine and raced in F2, entered by wealthy German brewer Fritz Lochmann. Kottulinsky debuted the car at Vallelunga in October 1976 but failed to qualify after his first engine ran its bearings and his replacement blew up after an oil line came adrift. The car was loaned to Gernot Lamby for the opening rae of the 1976 season, then Kottulinsky raced it for the rest of the year, winning at the Nürburgring in May. Retained for 1977, when Kottulinsky used Heidegger BMW engines. Sold to Freddy Roland (Mulhouse, Alsace, France) for French hillclimbs from 1978 and 1979, during which time it was substantially modified. After winning at Bagnères-de-Bigorre in July 1979, Roland suffered a motorcycle accident and did not return until May 1980, when he had a newer and more standard Ralt RT1. Photographs indicate that his older 1975 car was sold to Roger Ecoffet, who ran it during the 1980 season, still with a BMW engine. Subsequent history unknown.
  16. Chevron B35 [35-76-06] (Rupert Keegan): New to Fred Opert Racing for Formula 2 in 1976, and used by José Dolhem for the opening seven races of the season. Then raced by Riccardo Patrese, Howdy Holmes, Keke Rosberg and Rupert Keegan later in the season. Taken to Macau for Keegan to race in the Grand Prix on 14 November, then sold to Steve Millen who raced it in the New Zealand Formula Pacific series in January 1977, and then in Southeast Asian races later that year. Subsequent history unknown but some reports say that it was badly damaged in a testing accident by its next owner and remains in Southeast Asia.
  17. March 762 [R1-2] (Maurizio Flammini): Built in July 1975 as a test car for the Renault F2 engine, and tested at Goodwood. After three engine blow-ups, the relationship with Renault deteriorated and the car was rebuilt in November/December 1975 with a BMW engine. It was fitted with white 1976 bodywork to use as a show car, then sprayed orange in March 1976, and raced by Hans Stuck in the opening round of the 1976 season. Stuck won from pole. After Stuck raced it again at Salzburgring, it was then sprayed white and allocated to Maurizio Flammini from Pau onwards. Flammini wrecked it at Enna-Pergusa and it was rebuilt on a new monocoque. At the end of the season it was fitted with Stuck's orange bodywork and the chassis plate from 762//U2 and taken to Japan for the German to race at Suzuka in November. Sold in Japan. Subsequent history unknown.
  18. March 762/772 [762-U2] (Hans-Joachim Stuck): Built in March 1976 for the works F2 team, initially using parts from the works 752s. Then rebuilt on a new monocoque for Maurizio Flammini to drive at the start of the 1976 F2 season, winning at Thruxton and starting from pole position twice. Flammini then moved to 762/R1 and 762/U2 became a test car. Used by Stuck to win from pole position at Hockenheim in June, and to win again at Misano in August. It was then rebuilt on the prototype 772 monocoque for Rolf Stommelen to race at Nogaro in mid-September and Stuck at Hockenheim a week later. The car was then dismantled and many of its components were used in the construction of March 772/10.
  19. March 762 [U1] (Alex Dias Ribeiro): Built in March 1976 for the works F2 team, initially using parts from the works 752s. Then rebuilt on a new monocoque for Ronnie Peterson to drive at the opening round of the 1976 F2 season. It was then raced by Alex Dias Ribeiro for the rest of the season, with CAIXA sponsorship. It was crashed by Ribeiro at Hockenheim in September and effectively written off. The remaining components of the car were fitted to a new 772 monocoque and given chassis number 772/9.
  20. Chevron B35 [35-76-04] (Harald Ertl): New to Harald Ertl for the European F2 series using works BMW engines, first appearing in plain yellow livery at Hockenheim. As Ertl was also competing in F1, the Chevron was then raced by Rolf Stommelen with Heyco backing in the non-championship Nürburgring race, where he qualified on pole position and led until the engine broke. It was then raced by Ertl at Vallelunga and Salzburgring. When Fred Opert acquired Gitanes sponsorship for F2 in 1976, he struck a deal with Ertl to run his BMW-powered car for Gitanes' F1 star Jacques Laffite and other drivers at the three French F2 races in 1976, and had a spare set of bodywork in Gitanes blue so the car could be easily changed. In return, Opert's team ran Ertl's car at other races for him. Its first race in blue was Pau, where Laffite qualified the Gitanes/Elf B35 third and finished second. It was then put back in its yellow Heyco bodywork for Ertl to drive at Hockenheim, then back to blue for Tom Pryce to drive for Opert at Rouen in a deal arranged by the works. Pryce qualified third and apologised for not taking pole in a car he described as "fantastic". It had its yellow bodywork restored for Ertl at Mugello, Enna and Estoril, where it carried ATS sponsorship. There was another swap to Gitanes blue at Nogaro, where Jean-Pierre Jarier qualified well but disappointed Opert by retiring from the race for no good reason. It was back in Ertl's yellow for him to drive at Hockenheim in September. Ertl drove the car again at two early 1977 races, now with Schnitzer BMW engines and Heyco sponsorship. The car remained with Ertl and Gustav Hoecker, a German tuning specialist who regularly worked with Ertl, until Ertl's death in 1982. Ertl's collection of cars was then broken up, and the B35 ended up with Paul and Madelyn Gutman (Tiburon, CA) in the US. In 1990 or 1991 they sold the car to Dave Vegher of Veloce Motors West (Petaluma, CA) and it remained with him, being rebuilt as time allowed with a fresh BMW engine and its yellow bodywork repainted to Gitanes blue. In 2013 Vegher sold the car to Harindra de Silva (Palos Verdes Estates, CA) who wanted its BMW engine. The rolling chassis then sat at Virtuoso Performance for several years until it was shipped to the UK where it was rebuilt by Hi-Tech Motorsport and fitted with a Geoff Richardson BDG engine. It was raced in blue Gitanes livery by Timothy De Silva at the Silverstone Classic in July 2019, July 2021 and July 2022.
  21. Lola T450 [HU2] (Mikka Arpiainen): New to Gunther Schmidt's Marlboro ATS Team for Mikko Kozarowitzky to drive in F2 in 1976, but the highly-rated Finn quickly abandoned the car, and moved to the Project Four team. Lola favourite Ted Wentz drove the car at Salzburgring in May, as Lola attempted to sort out the handling, after which it was raced by Bertram Schäfer and Reinhold Jöst. Driven by Wentz again at the Shellsport G8 race at Brands Hatch in August, where the car had a Hart engine, and Wentz had some success sorting out the handling. Its last appearance was at Hockenheim in September, where Mikka Arpiainen did well to qualify. Subsequent history unknown.
  22. March 762 [17] (Manfred Schurti): New to Swiss agent Markus Hotz, without engine or gearbox, dispatched on 15 July 1976. This must be the car entered by Lista Racing Team for Manfred Schurti to drive at Enna on 25 July when it was said to be "brand new" and "purchased from Markus Hotz". After racing it at Enna and Misano, Schurti had a collision with Cheever's Ralt in practice for Hockenheim at the end of September and Motoring News reported it was a "write off". Evidently repaired and sold to Hohmann Auto Technik for Marc Surer to drive in F2 in the first half of 1977. It then went to Walter Raus, who drove it a couple of Austrian national events, entered by Austria Puma Racing Team. Retained by Raus for 1978, when he drove it in the European F2 series, entered by OASC Racing Team. Subsequent history unknown.
  23. March 762 [14] (Markus Hotz): New to Swiss agent Markus Hotz and collected on 12 June. This must be the car Hotz first drove in the Swiss national championship round at Eggberg on 20 June, racing it for the first time at Freiburg-Schauinsland a week later. Retained by Hotz for the opening races of the 1977 Swiss season, and for the F2 race at the Nürburgring in May. Then sold to Gerd Biechteler and raced by him in Austrian events in 1977 and 1978. Subsequent history unknown.
  24. March 762 [8] (Fredy Lienhard): New to Swiss agent Markus Hotz and delivered to Southend airport on 25 February to be shipped to Switzerland. Hotz bought two other 762s, 762/14 collected on 12 June or 762/17 on 15 July, but this is the only one delivered early enough to be the 762 raced by Fredy Lienhard in the Swiss national championship and in selected F2 races. He won at Österreichring and Eggberg in the Swiss series but only qualified for one of his three F2 races, crashing in the first heat at Enna. Subsequent history unknown.
  25. March 762 [15 as '22'] (Richard Robarts): New to Richard Robarts in June 1976, fitted with a Hart 420R engine and raced in European F2 and Shellsport G8 in 1976 when Robarts was sponsored by Myson. For some reason this car wore chassis plate 762-22, which was its monocoque number, instead of its actual chassis number 762-15. It was used once more by Robarts in early 1977 and March records then show it being sold to Dr Joseph Ehrlich in February 1978. It was raced for Ehrlich by Brett Riley in two Aurora AFX British F1 races, at Mallory Park in July and Brands Hatch in August, but at the latter race he skated off at Westfield and the car was badly damaged. Parts from the car may have been used in the Ehrlich RP5 built towards the end of 1979. It is worth noting that Ehrlich advertised a dismantled 772 rolling chassis in October 1982, at the same time that the RP5A and RP5B were advertised.
  26. March 762 [7-2] (Bertram Schäfer): New to Ron Dennis's Project Four Racing with a standard BMW engine installation. The back end was then stripped off at the factory and the front end was collected by Dennis for fitting of a Lancia-Ferrari Dino V6 engine, as used in the Lancia Stratos. It was driven by Jochen Mass at Hockenheim, the opening F2 round, but it broke a crankshaft almost immediately, and the spare engine broke a piston after a few more laps. The car was rebuilt with a Hart 420R engine for Eddie Cheever to drive for the rest of the season. It was "totally wrecked" in a pre-race testing accident at Mugello in July and rebuilt on an updated 752 monocoque. Cheever then took over the team's new Ralt and the 762 was driven by Mikko Kozarowitzky and Bertram Schäfer at the final two races, but neither were able to qualify. Sold to Michel Lateste for French hillclimbs in 1977 but wrecked at La Forêt-d'Auvray in June 1977. The 762/752 was not seen again.
  27. Chevron B35 [35-76-08] (Gianfranco Trombetti): New to Trivellato Racing Team for Gianfranco Trombetti to race in the 1976 European F2 series. Retained by Trombetti for a few races at the start of 1977. Then raced by Lorenzo Niccolini at Mugello in June, when it was still red with Everest signwriting. Next seen in June 1979 when it was driven in practice by Filippo Niccolini at Mugello but did not start. Subsequent history unknown.
  28. March 762 [13] (Wilhelm "Willi" Deutsch): New to Willi Deutsch (Cologne, Germany) with BMW engine for Formula 2 in 1976. March records say that Deutsch had traded his 1975 car, although they give it as chassis 753/13 instead of chassis 752/13, so this car was listed in works records as 762/13 instead of 762/9, as had originally been intended. It left the factory with the 752 plate on it, but a replacement plate saying "763-13" was later provided at Deutsch's request. He was sponsored by the Cologne-based Daimon GmbH, who manufactured Varley batteries under license. Deutsch was entered in 1976 by Daimon Varley Racing Team. Deutsch returned in 1977 in what looked like the same car, but it was reported to be chassis 762/11, one of the Willi Kauhsen Racing Team cars from 1976. Deutsch had changed from BMW to Hart engines, so it is possible that he had acquired or leased an available car and transferred his 1976 bodywork on to it. However, the cockpit bodywork and nose he used in 1977 was new 772-bodywork, and he would have needed to respray the Kauhsen's 762's sidepods from white to red, as Deutsch's 1977 car had the same red sidepods as his 1976 car. For the purpose of these histories, it is assumed he used the same car in 1976 and 1977, but changed engine supplier. After low-key performances in the opening rounds at Silverstone and Thruxton, Deutsch failed to qualify at Hockenheim and was only able to start as second reserve when two other cars pulled out. Another disappointing performance at the Nürburgring two weeks later brought his F2 career to a close. In February 1978, Motoring News reported that Jim Evans (Selby, North Yorkshire) would be running the ex-Willi Deutsch 762 with sponsorship from Cliff Sayer's Sayers Haulage. Jim recalls that he acquired the car from Jim Gleave's MRE operation. The red livery of the car when it arrived was not an exact match to the last time Deutsch had raced it, but it was completely unlike Kauhsen's blue livery, which had also been suggested as the origins of Evans' car. Also Evans' car had a rear wing mount which matched Deutsch's car but was quite different to all the Kauhsen cars. The mount appears to have been from a Modus, so was very distinctive. Evans raced it in Formule Libre in 1978, winning more often than not. He then sold it to Paul Gardner (Preston, Lancashire) but he crashed the car very heavily soon after. The tub was scrapped at the Selby tip, and the suspension was used with a John Leek chassis for the "Lotus Esprit" GT that Evans drove in the Donington GT series from July 1980 onwards.
  29. March 762 [3] (Lorenzo Niccolini): New to Giancarlo Minardi's Scuderia Everest with BMW engine for Lorenzo Niccolini to drive in Formula 2 in 1976. Retained for 1977 when it is likely to have been the car that Alfonso Giordano failed to qualify at Vallelunga in May (although 762/12 is also a possibility). It was then driven in two races by Gianfranco Trombetti, when it was specifically identified by Autosprint as ex-Niccolini. Trombetti took over the car, and appeared with it at Mugello and Enna in 1978, when it was entered for him by RAM Racing. The car appeared again in 1979, now entered as a 782 and driven by Pasquale Barberio. It was acquired from Barberio as a complete car less engine by Flavio Tullio (Padova, Italy) in 2014.
  30. March 75B [U1] (Ray Mallock): An unnumbered March 75B built for Ray Mallock (Roade, Northamptonshire) and run for him in British Formula Atlantic and some F2 races by Ardmore Racing in 1975. It replaced the second-hand March 742 that Mallock wrecked in the Thruxton Formula 2 race in March, but it is possible that the 75B was still used the chassis plate of the old 742 during this time, as it was listed by Motoring News as "742/12" twice in 1975 and was also described as a 742 by Motoring News at Hockenheim in September 1976. Mallock raced the car in F2 for the last four races of 1975. For 1976, Ardmore Racing bought a Lola T450 for Mallock, but when that proved a flop, fitted the March with a Swindon BDX engine and Mallock raced that car in Formula 2 specification in the European F2 series and in the Shellsport Group 8 series. During the season it was further modified with wider sidepods and its main radiator moved to the front, and from Pau onwards used the nose from one of Ray Mallock's father's Mallock U2s. Ardmore boss Creighton Brown also raced it in a libre race at Oulton Park in October. It was last raced by Mallock at Brands Hatch on 7 November 1976. This is likely to be the 75B advertised by MRE (Bourne End, Bucks) in Autosport four days later, described as "Updated to full F2 spec" with FG gearbox and "2 litre alloy engine". In the same edition of Autosport, Lucien Lampach (Wiltz, Luxembourg) was seeking a F2 car, and photographs indicate that he acquired the modified Mallock 75B and ran it as a March 742 in European hillclimbs in 1977 and 1978. Numerous reports mentioned it having a Swindon engine, so presumably its Swindon BDX. Subsequent history unknown.
  31. Modus M4 [048-FA] (Ian Grob): Built in mid-1976 for Ian Grob to race in Formula 2 instead of the unsuccessful new Modus M7. The new car consisted of a Formula Atlantic chassis with a Formula 2 rear end and was designated M4, although it was little different to the cars then being run by in Group 8 by Norman Dickson and Richard Scott. Raced by Grob at Mugello, Enna-Pergusa and Estoril, but near the back of the grid at the last two of these. Grob then raced it in the ShellSPORT Group 8 race at Brands Hatch on August Bank Holiday Monday, where he qualified tenth in a huge field of 36, but crashed on the opening lap of the race. Much larger fields arrived for the last two F2 races of the season, at Nogaro and Hockenheim, and Grob was well off qualifying pace. The monocoque from this car (numbered "048-3-76") somehow ended up in Ireland where it was used to rebuild M3/025 in 1979 or 1980. The resulting car took the identity of 048. According to Marcus Pye, it was sold via dealer Brian McGinley (Northern Ireland) and after at least two more owners was owned by David Marsh (Bingley, Yorkshire). It was offered for sale on his behalf by Jim and Richard Evans (Yorkshire) in the late 1990s. By 2003, Marcus believed it was owned by Martin Brockhouse (Leeds, Yorkshire).
  32. Lola T450 [HU4] (Roland Binder): New to Jörg Obermoser's Team Warsteiner Eurorace, fitted with a BMW engine and raced by Roland Binder in F2 in 1976. Returned for a couple of races in 1977. Subsequent history unknown.
  33. Chevron B35 [35-76-07?] (Jean-Pierre Jaussaud): Reportedly sold to Fred Stalder's Societé Racing Organisation Course (Annemasse, Haute-Savoie, France) in mid-1976 and fitted with ROC's Chrysler-Simca-based engines, developed by Max Funda (Geneva, Switzerland) for Formula 2. Thought to be the car raced by Jean-Pierre Jaussaud at Mugello in July, at Nogaro in mid-September, and at Hockenheim a week later. Then reportedly to Jean Lachaud (Sainte-Colombe, Rhone, France) and used in French hillclimbs in 1977 and in early 1978. The car reappeared in 1980, driven by Marc Régal and still with its ROC engine. To Walter Aubert for 1981, 1982 and 1983, again still using its ROC engine. In 1985, Aubert sold the car less engine to Alain Jacquier who quickly sold it on to Eric Riotto. Riotto fitted it with a 1600cc BMW engine and used it in hillclimbs in the 1990s. He sold it to Jean Pierre Grosclaude in 2005.
  34. March 752 [22] (John Nicholson): New to Ron Dennis's Project Three Racing but using an early-season monocoque that had already been used by the work team. Raced by Patrick Depailler at Pau, then Vittorio Brambilla at Salzburgring, and by Bruno Pescia, Sandro Cinotti, Tim Schenken and Maurizio Flammini later in the season. Sold to John Nicholson for 1976, fitted with a Chevrolet Vega engine and used in F2 and in the Shellsport G8 series. To Alan Baillie for 1977, who fitted a Swindon BDX engine for libre, Shellsport and Aurora over the next three seasons. Subsequent history unknown.
  35. March 752 [24] (Rüdi Gygax): New to Hotz for customer Herbert Muller in Artos livery and used in F2 and in Swiss national events. Retained by Muller for 1976 and again used in Swiss events. Used by Rüdi Gygax at the F2 race at Hockenheim in September but did not qualify. Unknown after 1976.

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.