Trofeo Etienne Aigner

Mugello, 13 Jul 1975

All cars are 2-litre F2 unless noted.

Notes on the cars:

1. March 742 [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.
2. March 742 [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.
3. March 742L [21] (Gianfranco Trombetti): 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.
4. 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.
5. Osella FA2/75 [001] (Diulio Truffo): 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.
6. Chevron B29 [29-75-10] (Xavier Lapeyre): New to Fred Stalder's Societé Racing Organisation Course (Annemasse, Haute-Savoie, France), and fitted with ROC's Chrysler-Simca-based engines, developed by Max Funda (Geneva, Switzerland) for Formula 2 in 1975. Raced by Xavier Lapeyre (Toulouse, southwest France), starting at Hockenheim in April. Lapeyre left ROC for 1976, but retained the Chevron, fitting a BMW engine and racing it in five events at the start of 1976, failing to qualify for four of them. The last time the B29 was seen was at Pau on 7 June, where Lapeyre failed to qualify, and at the next race, at Rouen three weeks later, he had a new Chevron B35. Sold to Werner Ruckelshausen for Austrian national races in 1977, where it was entered as a "Chevron Swindon" of 2000cc capacity, implying a Swindon BDX engine. Subsequent thistory unknown.
7. 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.
8. March 752 [10] (Hans Binder): Sold to Jorg Obermoser and run by Obermoser's Team Warsteiner Eurorace for Hans Binder in European F2, and later for Alain Peltier and Ewald Boisitz. To Alois Muller for 1976, still with its B Schnitzer BMW engine and used in the European F2 race at Salzburgring in May 1976, where it was entered by BMW Dienst Rischer Wien, and in Austrian national events. Unknown after 1976.
9. March 752 [23] (Vittorio Brambilla): New to Ron Dennis's Project Three Racing and driven in F2 by Bruno Pescia, Vittorio Brambilla, Masami Kuwashima, Tim Schenken and Jean-Pierre Jaussaud in 1975. Retained in 1976 as part of Project Four Racing and thought to be the "762" used as a testbed for the Lancia engines at the start of that season. Then probably the "762" used by Gilles Villeneuve at Pau and by Mikko Kozarowitzky at three later races. Unknown after July 1976.
10. March 752 [22] (Bruno Pescia): 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.
11. Elf (Jabouille) 2J [7501] (Jean-Pierre Jabouille): New for the Elf Switzerland team in 1975, based on the Alpine A367 chassis 3671. The car was completed in time for 50 km of testing at Dijon before the first race of the 1975 F2 season at Estoril on 9 March. Jean-Pierre Jabouille placed it fourth on the grid at that race, but struggled in the wet race conditons and finished eighth. He qualified scond at Hockenheim in April, then won the non-championship race at Magny Cours in May. He was second on the grid again at Pau, Hockenheim again in June and Salzburgring, winning the latter race. He took the 2J's first pole position at Rouen-les-Essarts two weeks later. The second 2J was then completed, so this car was handed over to Gérard Larrousse, who finished a fine second at Silverstone but retired with engine problems at Zolder and Nogaro. This car was consumed in the creation of new cars with Renault V6 engines for 1976. Whether chassis 7502 became the new chassis 7602 remains unresolved.
12. 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.
13. 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.
14. March 752 [3] (Lamberto Leoni): Entered by Giancarlo Minardi's Scuderia del Passatore for Lamberto Leoni in F2 in 1975. Also for Diulio Truffo at one late-season race. Retained by Minardi as a spare car for his Scuderia Everest in 1976 and raced by Gianfranco Brancatelli at Mugello in July. Unknown after 1976.
15. Chevron B29 [29-75-12] (Christian Ethuin): New to Fred Stalder's Societé Racing Organisation Course (Annemasse, Haute-Savoie, France), and fitted with ROC's Chrysler-Simca-based engines, developed by Max Funda (Geneva, Switzerland) for Formula 2 in 1975. Raced by Christian Ethuin, starting at Hockenheim in April, and also by former F1 driver Jean-Pierre Beltoise at Magny Cours, Pau and Nogaro. It was part of a two car team with Xavier Lapeyre driving the other car. Laurent Ferrier then drove the car in the final race of the season but did not qualify. It was raced by Roger Rivoire in two French hillclimbs in early 1976, at Charnizay and at Hébecrevon, and later in the year was driven by Jean Lachaud at Le Gua and Limonest-Mt Verdun. Press reports said it had been loaned to Lachaud by ROC boss Fred Stalder for these two events. As Xavier Lapeyre had retained his B29 for 1976, Lachaud must have been in the ex-Beltoise car. By the same logic, 75-12 is likely to be the ROC-engined Chevron bought by Ange-Marie Cheval from Stalder for 1977. It was described as a B27/B29, a B29 and a B29/35, but photographs in Echappement clearly show a B29. Advertised in Echappement in October 1977 as a B29/35. Subsequent history unknown, but there is a good chance this could be the "B35"-ROC raced by Jean Arzeno at Ceyreste in September 1979 and then the "B35" raced by Bernard Hazotte from 1980 onwards.
16. March 752 [17] (Sandro Cinotti): New to Ron Dennis's Project Three team and raced by Vittorio Brambilla and Sandro Cinotti during the first half of the 1975 F2 season. Crashed heavily by Brambilla in practice at Mugello, then raced by Bruno Pescia at the end of the year. Sold to Max Bonnin for 1976 but only seen at a few races. To Sylvain Lachaud for French hillclimbs in 1977 but referred to as a 742 for much of the year. To Bernard-Etienne Grobot for 1978 but he crashed very heavily at Gué-Chervais in September and the car was returned to March for repairs. To Anne Baverey for 1979, when described as a 772, but damaged mid-season and sold to Philippe Porcheur. Retained by Porcheur for 1980, when it was again described as a 772. Bought from Porcheur by Eddy D'Hoe for Belgian hillclimbs in 1981. Then to Pierre Evrard (Rochefort, Belgium) for Belgian hillclimbs in 1982 and 1983. Subsequent history unknown.
17. March 742L [743-5] (Hans Walther): Invoiced to Obermoser, but instead of being used in Formula 3, this car was rebuilt to Formula 2 specification for Jo Vonlanthen (Frauenfeld, Switzerland) after he wrecked his new 742 at the opening race of the F2 season. It remained in standard 742 short-nose specification, even after Vonlanthen's 742 was repaired and converted to long-nose specification. The 743 was raced by Vonlanthen at Hockenheim in April, by Dieter Basche at Hockenheim in June, by Vonlanthen at Mugello in July, by Jean-Pierre Jaussaud at Nogaro in September. It may also have been the car used by Vonlanthen in Swiss and German domestic events during 1974. It was converted to long-nosed specification over the close-season, and was raced by Vonlanthen at Estoril, the opening round of the 1975 season. The car then went to Hans Walther (Guntalingen, Switzerland) and was raced by him in Swiss national events during 1975. Walther retained the car for 1976, again using it in Swiss events but failing to qualify for three of his four F2 races. Subsequent history unknown but according to Wisu Willimann, it later went to Edmond Veigel (Lausanne, Switzerland) who fitted a Cosworth FVC engine. At the end of the 1990s it was bought from Veigel by Hans-Markus Huber (Berne, Switzerland) and restored with a BMW engine. It was sold by Huber to another owner but finances for a restoration ran out and the car has been in limbo since then.
18. March 732 [733] (Luis Maria de Almenara): New to Max Bonnin at some point during the 1973 Formula 3 season. Sold during 1974 to Luis Maria de Almenara Juandò (Barcelona, Spain), who raced it at Magione in September 1974. Then rebuilt as a March 732 for Formula 2 in 1975, using an ex-Alpine Hart BDA engine. De Almenara raced the car at five races in Formula 2 in 1975, but failed to qualify for four of them. He also ran it at the Carrera en Cuesta a la Rabassada hillclimb in Spain in October 1975, finishing second. A photograph of the car at Rabassada shows it wearing works-style 742 bodywork with side radiators, and the rollhoop casing cut down as happened to the 752s early in the 1975 season. Subsequent history unknown.
19. March 752 [17] (Vittorio Brambilla): New to Ron Dennis's Project Three team and raced by Vittorio Brambilla and Sandro Cinotti during the first half of the 1975 F2 season. Crashed heavily by Brambilla in practice at Mugello, then raced by Bruno Pescia at the end of the year. Sold to Max Bonnin for 1976 but only seen at a few races. To Sylvain Lachaud for French hillclimbs in 1977 but referred to as a 742 for much of the year. To Bernard-Etienne Grobot for 1978 but he crashed very heavily at Gué-Chervais in September and the car was returned to March for repairs. To Anne Baverey for 1979, when described as a 772, but damaged mid-season and sold to Philippe Porcheur. Retained by Porcheur for 1980, when it was again described as a 772. Bought from Porcheur by Eddy D'Hoe for Belgian hillclimbs in 1981. Then to Pierre Evrard (Rochefort, Belgium) for Belgian hillclimbs in 1982 and 1983. Subsequent history unknown.
20. March 742L [27/17] (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.

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

Motoring News (17 Jul 1975 pp4-5) gave chassis numbers for all 32 cars that practiced but the March 732s were a problem again: Binder's car was lacking a number, Bonnin had "732/59" and De Almanera "732/44". Vonlanthen's car had been rebuilt around the repaired tub that Peterson had damaged at Thruxton but he then wrecked the car completely in practice. Kessell also crashed his regular 742 so bought Hotz' 752 to replace it. The Swiss driver Hans Walther "was driving Vonlanthen's 742 from last season" - presumably Vonlanthen's second 742 as is said to have raced 742-5 at the start of 1975. Martini's car was given as 752-15, presumably a typo. Cinotti's 752 was crashed heavily in practice by Brambilla. Pescia's car is identified as 752/22, Brambilla's car previously, while Brambilla's car is given as 752-23, presumably the car Pescia has been driving. The March 742 of "Gianfranco" (Trombetti) is given as 742-21M, the 'M' denoting the mid-radiator form - an annotation previously noted on other Italian 742s, 742-22 and 742-26. Carlo Giorgio's 742 now has a Hart BDA in the back.