Grote Prijs van Zolder

Zolder, 24 Apr 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. Chevron B38 [38.77.14] (Piero Necchi): New to Piero Necchi for 1977, and run for him by Trivellato Racing Team in European F3. Crashed and rolled at Monaco, after which Necchi bought a new Ralt RT1/77. The Chevron was evidently repaired, as it was raced by Paolo Squillace at Monza in June, in place of his usual slow B34.
3. Chevron B38 [38.77.09] (Geoff Lees): To Chevron Racing Team for Geoff Lees to race in British F3 in 1977. Rebuilt on new monocoque 38-77-31 in time for Thruxton in June, where it was described as a brand new. Unknown after 1977 but may have gone to Japan where Koichi Sakamoto raced a Chevron B38 for most of 1978.
4. March 763 [13] (Stephen South): March build records show sold to John Stokes, 19 May 1976. Run by Stokes for Stephen South from mid 1976, until wrecked in an accident with Derek Daly in the 1977 British GP support race and scrapped. Some parts used in the construction of 773-T1, South's replacement car.
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. March 773 [3] (Ian Taylor): March build records show sold to Unipart, 23 December 1976. Only one 773 is consigned to Unipart in the build records. Assumed that Taylor as senior driver would take the new car, a fact borne out by occasional references in 1977 to Needell being in a 763, the team's original car.
7. 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.
8. 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.
9. Chevron B38 [38.77.07] (Derek Daly): New to Derek McMahon for Derek Daly to drive in British F3 in 1977. It was rebuilt a number of times that season, including at least one new tub. Also raced once by Eddie Jordan when Daly was away at a F2 race. According to Motoring News, it was the car driven by Steve Malins for British F3 in 1978, but Autosport said his car was "ex Warwick/Dougall". Malins crashed his B38 in testing, and replaced it with a new B43. The B38 was later rebuilt and raced in libre and F3 by Rob Moores (Bolton) at the end of the 1978 season. Retained in F3 form and later Formula 4 spec by Moores and also used in Formule Libre in 1979, 1980, 1981 and 1982. In 1985, Moores drove the car in the Bangalore and Madras Grands Prix. It was put back to F3 spec for the Toyota F3 championship, where Moores won five titles with it. He then moved to historic racing with it in 2009.
10. March 773 [U1] (Mario Ferraris): March works records show this as Mario Ferraris' works car for 1977 built on tub AM773-14 and rebuilt after Ferraris' Monaco accident on tub AM773-65. Sold in March 1978 to Neasrader Film Production for Richard Morgan according to the works records. Motoring News 30 Mar 1978 p11 says that Morgan's car is ex King, but we know from reports and the works records that King's main car was 773-U2. However, that car was damaged in the 1977 season and it is possible that King used 773-U1 after its rebuild as Ferraris' damaged wrist took longer to recover than the car did. Sold to John Bright in 1979 to replace his wrecked 773-13 and its identity eventually perhaps blurred with that car in a rebuild after a heavy accident.
11. March 773 [10] (Brett Riley): According to March records delivered in March 1977 to AFMP Euroracing, and subsequently given to Brett Riley in lieu of his contractual payments when the Euroracing set-up was dissolved. (This does not mean the car was Riley’s early season car in 1977; he used at least two before the team collapsed, neither of which were necessarily this car.) Run by David Price for Riley in the second half of 1977 and used to win the European round at Donington. Chassis number given in Autosport advert late in 1977 by Price. Sold to Roy Kennedy [Motoring News 2 Mar 1978 p15] although Autosport 9 Mar 1978 p41 says the car is ‘ex James King’. (King used a works car - 773-U2 - for most of 1977 but it is possible he had a race in this car early in the season, however his principal car went in 1978 to Ian Flux.) Run by Kennedy for Saed Ali Hodzic until Hodzic was injured in practice at the International Trophy support race; then became a rental car but did very few races. For sale by Kennedy in early 1979 (Autosport 22 Feb 1979 p57), but retained and rented to Serge Saulnier for the 1979 race at Monaco.
12. 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.
13. 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.
14. Ralt RT1/77 [51] (John Nielsen): New to VB Racing (Vojens Boligcenter) for 1977 and raced by Dane John Nielsen in F3 across Europe.
15. Ralt RT1/76 [29] (Geoff Brabham): Ralt records show as sold to Geoff Brabham in 1976, probably being delivered in early June. Used by him until the end of 1978 then sold to Ken Thorogood's Hub of the Universe Racing for Osamu Hatagawa to use in British races.
16. March 773 [13] (Aryon Cornelsen Filho): Shown in March records as a works car finished February 1977, on tub AM773-28 for Ayron Cornelson Filho. Also used by David Kennedy in 1977. Sold to John Bright in March 1978 to cover for his damaged Wheatcroft. Damaged badly by Bright and rebuilt on new tub in August. Retained by Bright in 1979 until wrecked at Snetterton.
17. Chevron B34/B38 [B34 76-27] (Jochen Dauer): New to KWS Autotechnik Team and run in German F3 for Rudolf Dötsch with Novamotor Toyota engine in 1976, replacing the team's March 763s and being delivered in time for the Hockenheim round of the German championship in early July . Retained for 1977, updated to B38 specification and run in European F3 races for Jochen Dauer. Then unknown until it appeared in Australia with Brian Mallarkye in 1987. To Peter Boel in 1996, then to Tony Simmons in 2000, and raced in Australian historic events. After Tony Simmons bought Peter Mohr's Formula Atlantic Chevron B34 at the end of 2008, the Formula 3 B34 was sold to the UK.
18. Chevron B38 [38.77.19] (Ian Grob): New to Alan Docking Racing for Ian Grob to race in British F3 in 1977, entered by KVG Racing. Retained by the Docking team for 1978, and probably the car driven by Huub Rothengatter in the last few months of the season. Unknown after 1979 until it reappeared with Jim Yardley in 1984. Later with David Proctor in 1987.
19. March 773 [U2] (James King): March works records show this as James King's works car for 1977 built on a lightweight tub AM773-41 with parts from 763-U2. This would be the "ex-King" car sold to Ian Flux early in 1978, and raced by him in the 1978 British F3 series.
20. Ralt RT1/76 [25] (Helmut Bross): Shown in Ralt build records as sold via Schäfer with a Toyota engine. Schafer uses BMW engined car throughout 1976, suggesting this is the new car debuted by Bross in mid season and retained 1977.
21. 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.
22. Ralt RT1/77 [40] (Quirin Bovy): New to Quirin Bovy for the European F3 series in 1977. Then to Marcel Tarrès (Luxemburg) and converted to "F2" specification with a BMW engine for French hillclimbs in 1978 and 1979. Tarrès joined the ROC team for 1980 and the Ralt was updated with a ROC Chrysler engine, Martini bodywork, revised suspension and a new wing. Although he won four races, Tarrès moved to the Carburol team, where he took over the ex-Mieusset Martini MK25 that Christian Xiberras had been driving. Xiberras moved to the Ralt, now fitted with a BMW engine, and drove it for the rest of the 1980 season. It was then sold to Roger Damaisin for 1981 and 1982. According to later owner Alain Prat, after Damaisin it was owned by Jean Chartier, then Antoine Morel and finally the Jean Claude Fontaine, who was killed competing in the car at a hill climb in Normany. The car was stripped of everything saleable and the damaged tub and suspension parts remained at a fam for 23 years until bought by Alain Prat in 2019.
23. March 773 [763-9] (Tiff Needell): Shown in March records as sold to Tony Dron 12.1.76. This was the solitary Unipart car in 1976. Although Unipart ran two cars in 1977, they only bought one new car, converting the older car for Needell, the junior driver in the team. Some results credit Needell's car as being a 763.
24. Chevron B34 [76-24 (B)] (Jean-Louis Schlesser): Geoff Lees' Chevron B34 was rebuilt with a new monocoque near the end of the 1976 season, but as the earlier monocoque was rebuilt and reused, the car effectively divided. The car built on the new monocoque was sold to Jean-Louis Schlesser and run for him by KWS Freizeit Racing Team in European F3 in 1977. By mid-season, it had been updated with B38 bodywork.
25. Chevron B38 [37.77.21] (Patrick Gaillard): New to Patrick Gaillard for British F3 in 1977. Sold to Jean-Louis Schlesser for European F3 in 1978, and run by him for KWS Motorsport. Sold to Bernard Birbés for French F3 and French hillclimbs (using a 1600cc Toyota engine) in 1979. To André Argeliès and run in French hillclimbs with a 1300cc Ford engine in 1981 and 1982. By 1987, this car had returned to England as was being raced in TF3 by Ian Jacobs.
26. Chevron B38 [38.77.18] (Thorkild Thyrring): New to Chevron Racing Team for Thorkild Thyrring to race in British F3 in 1977, entered by Marlboro Jockey Todenskjold. Borrowed by Jim Crawford for a race at Mallory Park in September, and by Divina Galica for a race at Thruxton. Raced by Crawford again at the start of 1978 but wrecked in an accident at Thruxton at the end of March. Salageable parts were used in a new Chevron B43.
27. Chevron B34 [34-76-28] (Jörg Reto): New to KWS Autotechnik Team and run in German and European F3 for Marc Surer with BMW engines in 1976, replacing the team's March 763s and being delivered in time for the Hockenheim round of the German championship in early July. Retained for 1977, updated to B38 specification and run in European F3 races for Rudolf Dötsch and others. Also appeared in 1978 as a KWS entry for Werner Fischer.
28. 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.
29. 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.
30. Chevron B38 (Wolfgang Klein): Wolfgang Klein drove a Chevron B38 in Formula 3 in European F3 in 1977. He and Werner Klein bought two cars from Chevron, chassis numbers 77-22 and 77-23, but is not known who drove each car.
31. Chevron B34/B38 [34-76-28] (Rudolf Dötsch): New to KWS Autotechnik Team and run in German and European F3 for Marc Surer with BMW engines in 1976, replacing the team's March 763s and being delivered in time for the Hockenheim round of the German championship in early July. Retained for 1977, updated to B38 specification and run in European F3 races for Rudolf Dötsch and others. Also appeared in 1978 as a KWS entry for Werner Fischer.
32. Chevron B38 (Werner Klein): Werner Klein drove a Chevron B38 in Formula 3 in European F3 in 1977. He and Wolfgang Klein bought two cars from Chevron, chassis numbers 77-22 and 77-23, but is not known who drove each car.

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