BRSCC Shell Super Oil F3 Championship Race

Brands Hatch, 19 Mar 1972

All cars are 1.6-litre F3 unless noted.

Notes on the cars:

1. Royale RP11 [1] (Tom Pryce): Works F3 car entered by D.J. Bond Engineering for Tom Pryce and for Bev Bond at several races very late in the 1971 British F3 season. Raced by Tom Pryce in 1972 but wrecked at Monaco, which left Pryce with a broken leg. A new car was built up for Pryce but this prototype was evidently rebuilt because David Betts (Huddersfield, West Yorkshire) replaced his Lotus 41C with the "ex-works Tom Pryce" RP11 for hillclimbs in late 1973 and in 1974. The car next appeared in June 1977 when Don Manley (Brighton, Sussex) bought the "ex-Tom Pryce Royale F3 car" that Delta Racing Services were converting to F4 specification. Rupert West (East Langton, Leicestershire) bought the car from Barry Barnes in 1977, but did not race it. After swapping the red bodywork on this car for the yellow two-piece body on a separate RP11 that he bought from Terry Mills, West then advertised the car as the "Royale RP11/1 ex-Pryce works car" in April 1979. This would be the car advertised by Bobby Howlings' AMCO in 1980. In May 1987, the prototype was with Michael Youles (Smallfield, Surrey) who had bought it from Paul Howarth and Rick Whyman at Saddleworth Garage. Youles had by then almost completed its restoration, with the intention of racing it in the BRSCC Libre Championship. It was sold to Georges Blatter (Switzerland) in 1988, then to Jurgen Schemel (Germany) in 1990. In October 2015, the car was sold to Martin Feldmann (Germany).
2. Brabham BT38C [11] (Peter Hull): New to Peter Hull for British F3 and selected European events in 1972, using Vegantune engines and sponsored by The Motor Auctions London and Derby. Its history after 1972 is a puzzle as Hull recalls selling it to Jimmy Fuller but Fuller's car in 1973 was described as being the former Chris O'Brien car. As Fuller was born in Antigua to American parents, it's possible he dealt the Brabham on to American dealer Fred Opert, which would explain why Opert had a BT38C in 1974. However, that is pure speculation. Subsequent history unknown.
3. March 723 [1] (James Hunt): New to the STP March Racing Team for Roger Williamson to drive in two late-1971 rounds of the British F3 series. The drive was taken over by James Hunt for the 1972 season, then by Russell Wood at Monaco and the next few races, and then by Jochen Mass. To Buzz Buzaglo for 1973, updated to 733 specification and raced in British F3. To Chris Oates for 1974 but not raced by him. In September 1974, the car was quicky prepared for Brian Henton to drive at Brands Hatch, as his usual works March 743 had been hired out to a Brazilian driver. Henton won the race, but then returned to his usual car for the rest of the season. The Oates car was then rebuilt by March as a 743 for Ken Silverstone to race in 1975. It was given a new 743 chassis plate by March at this piunt, so it's connection to 723-1 effectively ceases, and it should be regarded as a new car from that point.
4. Chevron B20 [72-1] (Chris Skeaping): New to Chris Skeaping as a works Formula 3 entry for 1972. Skeaping had numerous accidents in the car and his only significant result was third place at Silverstone in mid-May. Not seen again after Skeaping's race at Thruxton in late-October 1972. Advertised by Chevron Cars as "immaculate and ready to race" in August 1973. It was acquired by Alex Lowe (Liverpool) as a rolling chassis, part of a package that included a spare monocoque and the rear end of another car. He raced the ex-Skeaping Chevron B20 in Formula 4 from 1975 to 1978, and then in Monosposto in 1979 and 1980. In September 1980, he had a major accident at Oulton Park, damaging the monocoque beyond immediate repair, so Lowe rebuilt the car on the spare monocoque. He retired from racing at the end of that season. In 1982, he moved to Wales, and sold off the B20. He cannot remember the buyer. According to Chevron Cars (then owned by Roger Andreason and Tim Colman), they bought two B20s from Lowe in 1986 and stored them. In 1994, the ex-F3 car was sold to Nick Crossley, restored to F3 spec and raced in HSCC events, winning the Classic F3 Championship in 1995. Then unknown until acquired from Jeremy Bouckley (Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands) by Martin Cowell (Hereford) in early 2007. He then sold it to Tom Powell (Potterton, Aberdeenshire, Scotland) in June 2007. Restored again, this time to original livery, and raced in Classic F3.
5. GRD 372 [011-F3] (Andy Sutcliffe): The prototype Formula 3 GRD, chassis 011, was the second GRD built. It was entered by GRS International for Andy Sutcliffe to race in British F3 at the very end of the 1971 season and then through the early part of 1972, using Holbay engines. He won three rounds of the MCD series, at Brands Hatch and Snetterton in March, and at Rufforth at the start of April. Sutcliffe then moved to a newer car, and 011 was next seen when tested by Roger Williamson at Snetterton prior to Tom Wheatcroft ordering him a new GRD. Williamson raced the prototype at Silverstone on 14 May, his own car still being on its way back from Monaco, and won. The car was also built up again for Williamson over the late-August Bank Holiday weekend after Williamson damaged his own car in practice. Subsequent history unknown.
6. Brabham BT28 [9] (Mo Harness): New to Sverrir Thoroddsson (Iceland) and raced in F3 across Europe in 1969, starting at Mallory Park at the end of June. Like many BT28s, this car was retained for 1970 but Thoroddsson did not reappear until late July. Entered by the Jim Russell Racing Driver School in 1970. To Texan Sandy Shepard for 1600cc F3 in Britain in 1971 and then to Stan Mathews (Wicken, Wolverton, Bucks) late in the season. To Mo Harness for F3 in 1972. Last seen when advertised from Bishopston, Wales, during 1974.
7. GRD 372 [021-F3] (Pierre-François Rousselot): Entered by GRS International for Pierre-François Rousselot and raced extensively in British F3 in 1972, using Novamotor and later Holbay engines, and sponsored by Gitanes. Raced by Neil Ginn at one early-1973 race, then entered by DART Racing with GRD for Pedro Passadore, who raced it in Britain from April to June 1973, when he moved to a newer GRD 373. The subsequent history of the 372 is unknown. This car was next seen when it was restored by Peter Denty in 1995. It was owned at that time by Kevin Buley, who had acquired the car from Chris Alford in 1994. Its FIA HTP gives its later owners as: Rolf Spiekermann (Germany ) 1997, Immo Nestrowitz (Germany) 1998, Dave Brien and Mark de Paola (California) 2002, Earl Roberts (Virgina) 2004, and Mike Knittel (Pennsylvania) 2021. It was then sold in 2023 to Matthew Christ (Amherst, NH).
8. GRD 372 [022-F3] (Neil Ginn): Entered by GRS International for Scottish Formula Ford champion Neil Ginn and raced extensively in British F3 in 1972, using Novamotor engines. It was sponsored by Lyle & Scott's 'Y-front' underwear range. Retained for Ginn for 1973. The car had to be rebuilt on a borrowed tub after his accident in practice at Oulton Park on Good Friday. Ginn's last race was at Oulton Park at the end of May. In January 1974, Ginn advertised his "1973 GRD model" which came with "brand new tub and new bodywork" as well as a Novamotor engine and Hewland Mk 8 gearbox.
9. March 723 [15] (Patrice Compain): To Hugues de Chaunac (Paris) and entered for Patrice Compain in F3 in 1972. Advertised by de Chaunac in November and December 1972. Advertised by Jim Gleave's MRE (Bourne End, Bucks) in January 1973, when it was dark blue and had a full-width nose. Subsequent history unknown.
10. Royale RP11 [2] (Val Musetti): New for Val Musetti (Twickenham, West London) and raced in British F3 in 1972. Retained for 1973 until "written off" in an accident the week before the race at Oulton Park 20 April 1973. Musetti then took over the Reystan Racing Royale RP11A from Andy Sutcliffe, and future references to an ex-Musetti Royale would be to that car.
11. Ensign LNF3/72 (Jeremy Gambs): New to Jeremy Gambs and raced in British F3 in 1972. Loaned to Alan McKechnie for Bob Evans at one race, and also raced by Gambs girlfriend Lorina Boughton, and by Reg James during that season. Sold to hillclimber Spencer Elton (Westbury, Wiltshire) for 1973 and raced in some F3 races. To David Way (Melksham, Wiltshire), fitted with a 1098cc Holbay engine and run in hillclimbs and sprints in 1974 in the 1100cc racing car class. Way bought the Cosworth FVA engine and Hewland FT200 gearbox from Gordon Brooks' wrecked Lotus 69 and fitted it to the Ensign for 1975. He raced it in this form up to 1979. Then sold to somebody in Dursley, thought to be Pete Morys, and then to Josie Tolhurst. For sale by Lenham Racing in 1986. Subsequent history unknown.
12. Palliser WD32 [2] (Damien Magee): New to Peter Lamplough for British F3 in 1971, fitted with a BRM-tuned Ford twin cam engine and entered by Alan McKechnie Racing. On his debut at Mallory Park on Easter Monday he was up to fourth place in his heat before experiencing gear selection problems. In the second heat the car turned left abruptly at the Esses and went up the bank, but the driver was unhurt. He returned for the Silverstone race in early May, but had engine problems. After swapping to Holbay engines, he had a better run of results, finishing fourth a couple of times in September, and taking third place at Brands Hatch on 24 October. The car was refurbished for Damien Magee to drive in 1972, entered by Palliser Racing Design Ltd and using Rowland and Novamotor engines. He finished second at two races that season. Magee ordered a new Brabham BT41 for 1973, but raced the Palliser until it was delivered. He finished second again at Brands Hatch in March, but then suffered a massive accident at Thruxton three weeks later, where the car rolled three times and was effectively destroyed.
13. March 713M [11] (Matt Spitzley): New to Matt Spitzley (Aspen, CO) and used in British F3 late 1971 and through 1972. Reappeared in 1973 for Spitzley after he rolled his new 733 at Silverstone while testing. This car may have been effectively consumed into his 733/74B over the next two years.
14. Brabham BT28 [25] (Paul Butler): New to Allan McCully in very late 1969 for British and occasional European F3 races through the first half of 1970, using Holbay engines. Then to Alan Jones and raced by him from September 1970 onwards, including the Torneio Brasileiro in early 1971. Jones was part of the Australian Intl Racing Organisation in F3 in 1971 with this car, upgraded to 1600cc specification and using Vegantune engines. To Paul Butler (Chessington, Surrey) for British F3 in 1972, again using Vegantune twin cams and entered by Barwell Automotive. Retained for libre racing in 1973 when it was upgraded to BT35 specification and Butler started sharing the car with Evan Clements (Whyteleafe, Surrey). Modified to Formula Atlantic specification and raced in libre and some Atlantic races by Butler and Clements in 1974 and 1975. According to a later HVIF, it went to Tony Allinson in 1975, then to Paul Hobbs in 1977, then Mike Harrison in 1984, then to Hugo Studer in 1986 and finally Sepp Mayer from 1995 to 2007. In 2007 it was owned by Klaus Bergs.
15. Merlyn Mk 22 [342/F3/72] (Peter Lamplough): New for Peter Lamplough to race as a works entry in Formula 3 in 1972, and described as a "Mk 22". However, Lamplough also had the ex-Scheckter Mk 21 available to him, and exactly how the two cars were used in 1972 is unclear. After crashing badly at Monaco in May and suffering a compound fracture to his leg, Lamplough only returned to F3 in September 1972. After accidents at Oulton Park and Thruxton, he failed to qualify at Mallory Park on 1 October in what Autosport called the "disappointing" Mk 22-Holbay. He went much better at Snetterton a week later but then faied to qualify at Brands Hatch the following weekend, where Duncan Rabagliati noted the chassis number as "342/F3/72". Lamplough last raced the car at Thruxton at the end of the month. Subsequent history unknown.
16. March 723 (Stan Mathews): New to Stan Mathews for F3 in 1972 but Mathews almost immediately ordered an Ensign instead. The March 723 was sold in September to F4 driver Nick Crossley who used it in F3 at the end of the 1972 season. Then retained by Crossley as a spare car for his team of new March 733s in 1973, and retained again for 1974. Crossley recalls converting it to take a BDA engine for libre racing at some point, and he kept it again for 1975. Sold for 1976 to John Day to use in libre racing.
17. Royale RP11 [3] (Ian Ashley): New to The Chequered Flag for Ian Ashley in British F3 in 1972. The team were a frequent non-arrival from July onwards, even when Brian McGuire replaced Ian Ashley as the nominated driver. Sold to John Sheldon (Surbiton, Surrey) for 1973 and raced in the British F3 series. Last seen at Mallory Park in August 1973. Bought from Sheldon by Ken Davies (Kittle, Swansea, South Wales) with two Vegantune twin cam engines, and used by him in the 1600cc class of hillclimbs and sprints in 1974. Then sold to Kaj Madsen (Denmark) for Jan K Pedersen to race in F3 in 1975 and 1976. At some point the car returned to England and was offered by Roger Orgee (Bristol) to Ken Davies, in case he wanted to buy it back. Subsequent history unknown.
18. March 713M [2] (John MacDonald): New to Charles McIntosh-Reid and entered by him for Tom Walkinshaw in three early-season British F3 races. Sold to Chris Oates in mid-May but not raced by him. Sold to future RAM boss John MacDonald during the summer and raced by him in F3 from August onwards. Hired out to James Hunt for the October Castle Combe race, but damaged before it even arrived at the circuit, a record even for Hunt. Retained by MacDonald for 1972 until replaced with a Brabham BT38C late in the season. Then sold to Chris Venning (Colindale, London) and raced at Thruxton at the end of the 1972 season. Advertised by Venning in January 1973 complete with Vegantune engine and Hewland Mk 8 gearbox, and with a mass of spares, including a tub. Subsequent history unknown.
19. Brabham BT38C (Tony Brise): New to Tony Brise (Dartford, Kent) and raced in British F3 in 1972 using Holbay engines. Crashed in testing after just one race, and rebuilt on a Formula 2 monocoque. Won at Oulton Park in April, and at Brands Hatch in August, before Brise replaced it with a GRD 372. It was noted to be not wearing a chassis plate, but its very early appearance suggests it was BT38C/13. The car was sold to Edgar Richoz in Switzerland in time for the 1973 season, and fitted with an 1000cc engine for the 1000cc class of the Swiss national championship. After just a few races, Richoz retired from racing to take over the family business. It would appear that the car was run for other drivers over the next few seasons, as Chris Townsend's research shows Florian Arlettaz of Orsières driving a 1-litre Brabham BT38 from 1974 to 1976, then Serge Favez, also of Orsières, driving a BT38 in 1977 and later Gaston Zen-Ruffinen with a BT38 in 1981. The BT38C evidently remained with Richoz, as it was offered at auction "from the Richoz Collection" by RM Sothebys in July 2020. At the time of the auction, the car was fitted with a 1000cc "Ford Anglia" engine with single downdraft Weber carburetor, implying an ex-F3 MAE engine.
20. Merlyn Mk 21 [328/F3/72] (Håkan Dahlqvist): New to Håkan Dahlqvist for Formula 3 in Sweden and England. Dahlqvist won at Mantorp Park in June and Knutstorp in September. Retained by Dahlqvist's Karlssons Klister Racing Team as a second car in 1973 and driven by Stig Blomqvist and Conny Ljungfeldt. It was then sold to Mats Byström for 1974. To Kjell Andersson for 1975. Retained by Andersson for 1976 and 1977. Subsequent history unknown.
21. March 713M [6] (Roger Hurst): New to John Bisignano (Denver, CO) and raced in British F3 in 1971 with support from Liggett & Myers L&M tobacco brand. Sold in October 1971 to Roger Hurst (Folkestone, Kent) of Lenham Hurst and raced in F3 in 1972 and 1973. By 1973 the car was being described on occasion as a 723, a 733, a March Falconer, and even as a Lenham LM1. Last raced by Hurst in November 1973. In March 1974, the car was advertised by Low Cost Racing who mentioned that it had Falconer bodywork and was fitted with a Holbay R70 engine for Formula 4. Its history over the next five years is unknown, but in 1979 and 1980, Tony Harris and Colin Brook raced 713M-6 in F4. Subsequent history unknown. A car with this identity was advertised in Italy in 2012.
22. Brabham BT38C [12] (Alan Jones): New to Alan Jones and raced as part of the Australian International Racing Organisation in British F3 and some European events in 1972. Although entered by AIRO, Jones' Brabham was owned by Larry Sevitt and all three AIRO cars were run by Sevitt's Tiran Auto Centre (Willesden Lane, London NW2). Jones debuted the "new" car at Silverstone in mid-April but crashed during practice and could not qualify. He returned in his "virtually new BT38" for the Thruxton race at the end of April, and this is presumably the car he drove at the Monaco Grand Prix Formula 3 race two weeks later. Jones then drove the works March 723 at his next F3 appearance. The AIRO deal collapsed in June and Jones bought a GRD instead. Sevitt advertised both Jones' and Allan McCulley's BT38Cs between June and August. In October, the ex-Jones BT38C reappeared entered by Sevitt and raced a couple of times by London wheeler-dealer John MacDonald. Subsequent history unknown.
23. Brabham BT38C (Brian McGuire): New to Australian International Racing Organisation (AIRO) and raced by Brian McGuire in British F3 in 1972 using Vegantune and later RES engines. AIRO went their separate ways in June, and McGuire continued running his own car with support from Tiran Auto Centre. Clive Santo raced the car once at Brands Hatch in July, as McGuire was getting married in Norway, Jody Scheckter having passed up on the drive after testing the car at Brands. Larry Sevitt then raced it the following day in a Formule Libre race at Lydden. In September, McGuire ran out of budget and put the BT38C up for sale. It was sold to Geoff Lambert (Burnley, Lancashire) for 1973 and used in libre events in the north of England, and in a single F3 race at Croft in August 1973. Lambert returned with the car at the start of 1974, winning the 1600cc racing class in a sprint at Longridge in April 1974, but was not seen again after that. The car was orange during Lambert's ownership.
24. Brabham BT38C [18] (Allan McCully): New to Allan McCully and raced as part of the Australian International Racing Organisation (AIRO) in British F3 and some European events in 1972. The car was owned by Larry Sevitt's Tiran Auto Centre (Willesden Lane, London NW2), which ran the AIRO F3 operation in the UK. Badly damaged on its debut at Silverstone in April but presumably repaired and the car driven by McCully at Monaco in mid-May. Then raced by Bill McGovern at Brands Hatch two weeks later, and crashed again, after which AIRO split up and McCully flew back to New Zealand. Sevitt advertised both McCulley's and Alan Jones' BT38Cs between June and August. Irishman Damien Magee took over the drive, now entered by Tiran Auto Centre, and finished second at Brands Hatch and third at Thruxton in August. Sevitt was planning to test Ian Taylor and Barrie Maskell in August, but Magee retained the drive until the end of October. The "ex-Magee" car was advertised with Novamotor engine from a Tunbridge Wells number in January 1973. This would presumably be the "ex Magee" BT38C of Leif Spalding in Swedish F3 in 1973. Then with Thorbjörn Carlsson in 1975 and 1976. Subsequent history unknown.
25. Brabham BT38C [19] (Chris O'Brien): New to Canadian driver Chris O'Brien and raced in British F3 in 1972 using Holbay engines. To Jimmy Fuller (Antigua) for 1973, again in British F3 and again using Holbay engines. Advertised by Fuller from Sunbury-on-Thames as a "BT38/41" with two rebuilt Novamotor twin-cams, a spare monocoque and bodywork for £2,250 in November 1973. Formula 3 changed to 2000cc for 1974, and the BT38C was sold to David Taylor (Formy, Lancashire, later Merseyside) for Kim Mather to race in British Formula Atlantic in 1974. When the car first appeared, it had a RES BDA engine and still used F3 wheels, Mather recalling that he "just dropped a BDA in it". By the end of May it had a Richardson BDA and wider wheels, but it was still far off the pace of the leading cars, and this turned out to be its last Atlantic race. Taylor also used the car in sprints at Longridge, and Mather won two libre races at Aintree. Taylor advertised the car in September, complete with Richardson BDA, for £2,200 and sold it to Ted Payne (Middleton-in-Teesdale, County Durham). Payne had raced a BT38 earlier in the season with a Vegantune engine, but it appears he had sold that car and had bought Taylor's very similar one with its Richardson engine. Payne continued to race the car in 1975, and entry lists show that it was black with a Richardson engine, and generally entered as a BT38-40. It was advertised by Payne in November 1975 as a BT38/40 with a recently rebuilt Cosworth BDA engine, and with a spare monocoque. It was bought by Andrew Wareing (Kirkham, Fylde, Lancashire), whose recollection is that it came from Joe Applegarth, but Applegarth says he never owned a BT38. Wareing used it in sprints and libre in 1976. He advertised it in September 1976 as a BT38/40 with BDA engine, 10" and 14" wheels and a spare tub, and recalls that it went to a family of hillclimbers, father and sons. This must be John Hart (East Dulwich, London), who after hillclimbing a Brabham BT18 in 1976, transferred its Cosworth FVA engine into a Brabham BT38 for 1977. Hart recalls buying the BT38 in the Isle of Man, but it is quite plausible that the car had acquired an Isle of Man event sticker if Wareing had competed in one of the Longton & DCC events on the island. Hart raced this car in hillclimbs and sprints through 1977, being joined by his son Greg later that season. The pair retained the BT38 for 1978 but Greg wrecked it in a major accident at Shelsley Walsh in August, which he was lucky to escape. The car was briskly rebuilt using a BT40 monocoque acquired from MRD and raced again at Gurston Down just two weeks later. The car was renamed 'Hart JG79' for 1979, fitted with a 1600cc Richardson FVA and raced by Greg and John in 1979 and 1980. Doug Hart recalls that the BT40 was sold to Paul Squires, "who sadly died at a young age and before he finished the car". Subsequent history unknown.

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.

These British Formula 3 results have been compiled by Chris Townsend using the main British magazines Autosport and Motoring News but also the US magazine On Track which carried surprisingly good coverage of the British series.

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.