Trofeo Autosprint

Imola, 29 May 1977

All cars are 2-litre F3 unless noted.

Notes on the cars:

1. March 773 [7?] (Piercarlo Ghinzani): Piercarlo Ghinzani used at least two March 773s in Formula 3 in 1977. He used 773-15 in the latter part of the season, but that car was not delivered until early June, so was presumably acquired to replace the car Ghinzani wrecked at Croix-en-Ternois in July. March records show 773-7 being delivered new to Angeleri for Forti with orange bodywork, and as Ghinzani's was the only orange 773 based in Italy and was run by Forti, hus early-season car is likely to have been that car.
2. Ralt RT1/77 [56] (Anders Olofsson): New to Anders Olofsson for 1977 according to Ralt records, and raced by him in European and Swedish F3 with backing from Puss o Kram Jeans. Retained by Olofsson for 1978, now as Strike Up Racing Team. To Pomeroy Racing Team for 1979, when it was raced by Olofsson and by Björn Ohlsson. Raced by Hans Edvinsson in 1980.
3. Chevron B38 [38.77.15] (Fernando Jorge): New to Trivellato Racing Team for Fernando Jorge to drive in European F3 in 1977. Jorge replaced the car with a Ralt in mid-season.
4. Chevron B38 [38.77.12] (Fernando Spreafico): New to Fernando Spreafico and raced in European F3 in 1977. To Pär Olsson for Swedish F3 in 1978 and 1979. To Søren Aggerholm for the Swedish SSK series in 1980.
5. Hawke DL18 [1] (Jan Lammers): The Hawke DL18 was designed by Adrian Reynard for David Lazenby's Hawke company, based in Hoddesdon, Hertfordshire. Hawke had been successful in Formula Ford, but this was the firm's first F3 car. Rupert Keegan was signed to drive the car, with sposorship from British Air Ferries. Reynard's design was advanced, with inboard rising-rate front suspension and delta-shaped rear wing, but testing did not go well and Keegan only raced it once. It remained with Hawke, and was revamped for the 1977 season, when Jan Lammers drove it.
6. Chevron B38 [38.77.17] (Jac Nellemann): New to Texaco Racing for Jac Nellemann to race in European and Swedish F3 in 1977. Retained for 1978 and 1979. Run by Nellemann for Kurt Thiim in European F3 in 1980. To Geir-Tony Johansson for Swedish F3 in 1981.
7. Chevron B38 [38.77.16] (Henrik Spellerberg): New to Texaco Racing Denmark for Henrik Spellerberg to race in European and Swedish F3 in 1977. Spellerberg replaced the car with a Ralt in mid-season. To Søren Aggerholm for a few races later in 1977. To Jørgen Ørsum in late 1977, and retained for 1978 and 1979.
8. Chevron B38 [38.77.04] (Beppe Gabbiani): New to Trivellato Racing Team for 1977 and raced by Beppe Gabbiani in European F3. Gabbiani received a new car for the Monza Lotteria in June, and 77-04 was next seen when raced by Siegfried Stohr for Trivellato at Vallelunga in October. Sold to Vinicio Salmi for Italian F3 in 1978.
9. Chevron B34 [34-76-06] (Giovanni Carminati): New to Trivellato Racing for Riccardo Patrese to race in the 1976 European Formula 3 championship. Patrese won four of the first eight races and finished on the podium in another three. Immediately after the final European round, at Vallelunga, the car was sold by Trivellato to Giovanni Carminati. He raced it once, but it was then raced by Piercarlo Ghinzani at Magione in early November, and advertised by Ghinzani in Autosprint. Raced by Carminati in 1977 and then according to a later advertisement the car was retained by Team Ghinzani until 1979, then sold to "Prema Racing who kept it for 25 years". It then went to Marco Milanese in 2005, then to Steve Worrad in France, who raced it at Pau in 2007. Then to Francis Boodts then Pierre Lemasson, who raced it from 2009 to 2012.
10. Ralt RT1/77 [51] (John Nielsen): New to VB Racing (Vojens Boligcenter) for 1977 and raced by Dane John Nielsen in F3 across Europe.
11. Ralt RT1/77 [45] (Walter Schöch): Shown in Ralt build records as sold to Schoch; presumed that he, as team boss, took the new car, with the older 76 model being passed over to Muller.
12. Chevron B38 (Wolfgang Holy): Wolfgang Holy entered a Chevron B38 for the first six rounds of the European F3 series but his only definite appearances were at Zandvoort, Zolder and Österreichring in April and May 1977. Autosport suggested that this car was hired by Walter Wolf for Loris Kessel to drive at Monaco on 21 May, where he failed to qualify. Nothing more known.
13. Chevron B34 [34-76-31] (Marco Rocca): New to Trivellato Racing for Riccardo Patrese to race in the final round of the Italian F3 championship in 1976, his European championship-winning car having been sold off at Valleleunga. Patrese won at Magione in this car to clinch the Italian title as well. It is believed to be the car raced by Marco Rocca in 1977. It was bought from Trivellato by Pietro Brigato's Old Cars Srl (Vicenza, Italy), and retained until November 2011, when it was sold to Tommaso Gelmini's GPS Classic srl (Soragna). Sold by Gelmini in early 2014 to Federico Ferioli, and raced by him in the 2014 Monaco Historics.

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.