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Forward Trust Formula Three Championship

Snetterton, 1 Apr 1973

ResultsLapsTime/Speed
1 Alan Jones GRD 373 [060-F3] - Ford twin cam Vegantune
#16 DART Racing with GRD
15 23m 14.6s
104.93 mph
2 Mo Harness Ensign LNF3/73 [73.17] - Ford twin cam Holbay
#37
15 23m 22.8s
3 Mike Wilds Ensign LNF3/73 [72.8] - Ford twin cam Holbay
#36 Dempster International Racing Team
15 23m 23.2s
4 Ian Taylor March 733 - Ford twin cam Holbay
#2
15 23m 23.4s
5 Richard Robarts GRD 373 [053-F3] - Ford twin cam Holbay
#11
15 23m 39.4s
6 Brian Henton GRD 373 [057-F3] - Ford twin cam Holbay
#12
15 23m 52.0s
7 Matt Spitzley March 733 [7] - Ford twin cam Brown
#3
15 24m 06.2s
8 Roger Keele March 723 - Ford twin cam Vegantune
#7 Alan McKechnie Racing
15 24m 06.2s
9 Simon Sherman Royale RP11 [5] - Ford twin cam
#26 (see note 1)
14 23m 26.8s
10 Andy MacGregor Brabham BT35 [4] - Ford twin cam Carlow
#33 (see note 2)
14 24m 20.8s
11 Val Musetti Royale RP11 [2] - Ford twin cam Carlow
#27 (see note 3)
13 Not running
NC Larry Perkins GRD 372 [032-F3] - Ford twin cam Novamotor
#17 Team Cowangie (see note 4)
9 24m 00.2s
R S.N. (Norman) Moffett GRD 372 - Ford twin cam Holbay
#19 (see note 5)
11 Accident
R Masami Kuwashima GRD 372 [030-F3] - Ford twin cam Holbay
#18 Reystan Racing (see note 6)
10 Clutch
R Neil Ginn GRD 372 [022-F3] - Ford twin cam Novamotor
#20 (see note 7)
4 Connecting rod
R Tony Rouff GRD 373 [050-F3] - Ford twin cam Vegantune
#15 AB3 Racing Developments
2
R Andy Sutcliffe Royale RP11A [6] - Ford twin cam Novamotor
#24 Reystan Racing (see note 8)
0 Clutch
DNS Roger Craven GRD 372 [024-F3] - Ford twin cam
#21 L&K Racing Team (see note 9)
Did not start
DNS José Espírito Santo March 733 [6] - Ford twin cam Mohr
#5
Did not start
DNS John MacDonald GRD 372 [025-F3] - Ford twin cam Novamotor
#14 (see note 10)
Did not start
DNA Leonel Friedrich March 733 [13] - Ford twin cam Holbay
#1 (see note 11)
Did not arrive
DNA John Sheldon Royale RP11 [3] - Ford twin cam Vegantune
#25 (see note 12)
Did not arrive
DNA Damien Magee Palliser WD3-2 [2] - Ford twin cam Novamotor
#30
Did not arrive
DNA Mike Tyrrell Ensign LNF3/72 - Ford twin cam Vegantune
#39 Marc Gregory Property Developments
Did not arrive
DNA Mike Catlow Elden Mk12 [68/12001/72] - Ford twin cam Holbay
#42
Did not arrive
DNA Alan Edgar Alexis Mk20 - Ford twin cam Vegantune
#43
Did not arrive

All cars are 1.6-litre F3 unless noted.

Qualifying
1 Mike Wilds (F3) 1.6-litre Ensign LNF3/73 [72.8] - Ford twin cam Holbay 1.35.8
2 Ian Taylor (F3) 1.6-litre March 733 - Ford twin cam Holbay 1.36.0
3 Brian Henton (F3) 1.6-litre GRD 373 [057-F3] - Ford twin cam Holbay 1.36.6
4 Larry Perkins (F3) 1.6-litre GRD 372 [032-F3] - Ford twin cam Novamotor 1.37.2
5 Alan Jones (F3) 1.6-litre GRD 373 [060-F3] - Ford twin cam Vegantune 1.37.8
6 Mo Harness (F3) 1.6-litre Ensign LNF3/73 [73.17] - Ford twin cam Holbay 1.38.0
7 Neil Ginn (F3) 1.6-litre GRD 372 [022-F3] - Ford twin cam Novamotor 1.38.4
8 Andy Sutcliffe (F3) 1.6-litre Royale RP11A [6] - Ford twin cam Novamotor 1.38.4
9 Richard Robarts (F3) 1.6-litre GRD 373 [053-F3] - Ford twin cam Holbay 1.38.4
10 Tony Rouff (F3) 1.6-litre GRD 373 [050-F3] - Ford twin cam Vegantune 1.39.4
11 Masami Kuwashima (F3) 1.6-litre GRD 372 [030-F3] - Ford twin cam Holbay 1.41.0
12 Matt Spitzley (F3) 1.6-litre March 733 [7] - Ford twin cam Brown 1.41.4
13 Roger Keele (F3) 1.6-litre March 723 - Ford twin cam Vegantune 1.41.4
14 Roger Craven * (F3) 1.6-litre GRD 372 [024-F3] - Ford twin cam 1.42.0
15 Simon Sherman (F3) 1.6-litre Royale RP11 [5] - Ford twin cam 1.43.2
16 José Espírito Santo * (F3) 1.6-litre March 733 [6] - Ford twin cam Mohr 1.45.6
17 Val Musetti (F3) 1.6-litre Royale RP11 [2] - Ford twin cam Carlow 1.46.2
18 John MacDonald * (F3) 1.6-litre GRD 372 [025-F3] - Ford twin cam Novamotor 1.51.2
19 Andy MacGregor (F3) 1.6-litre Brabham BT35 [4] - Ford twin cam Carlow 2.07.0
20 S.N. (Norman) Moffett (F3) 1.6-litre GRD 372 - Ford twin cam Holbay 2.16.4
 
* Did not start

Notes on the cars:

  1. Royale RP11 [5] (Simon Sherman): New to Simon Sherman and raced in British F3 in 1972. Retained for 1973, but did not start many races. Sherman entered the car for a few races in 1974 but only started one race. Subsequent history unknown.
  2. Brabham BT35 [4] (Andy MacGregor): New to Canadian Chris O'Brien and used in British F3 in 1971, sponsored by Diner's Club. Retained by O'Brien for a couple of races early in 1972, while waiting for his Brabham BT38C to arrive, but he did not race it. Then sold to Andy McGregor but he failed to arrive for his first few races, then couldn't qualify for a few more, so did not start a race in 1972. Retained by McGregor for 1973, and used most of the season.
  3. Royale RP11 [2] (Val Musetti): New for Val Musetti (Twickenham) 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.
  4. GRD 372 [032-F3] (Larry Perkins): Entered by GRS International for Keiichi Tahara at two races in June and July 1972. To Team Cowangie for Larry Perkins to drive in British and French F3 in 1973 but although the car was identified as chassis 032, it was once referred to as "ex-Jones" [his own chassis 033-F3 or the ex-Sutcliffe GRS car] and also once as ex-Rousselot [the GRS chassis 021]. Jones had retained 033 for the start of 1973 and the ex-Rousselot 021-F3 was driven in 1973 by Pedro Passadore, so neither are likely. Perkins badly damaged the car in practice at Paul Ricard on 1 July 1973. When he returned to racing, he first borrowed the works Ensign and then acquired a Brabham BT41, indicating that the GRD was not repaired.
  5. GRD 372 (S.N. (Norman) Moffett): After struggling with his March 723 in British F3 early in 1973, Roger Williamson swapped to a GRD 372 in mid-April. The car was provided by his sponsor Tom Wheatcroft, and the car he first raced was described as the development model when Williamson tested it briefly at Snetterton. Autosport said he drove the development car on his GRD debut at Silverstone's International Trophy, but Motoring News noticed that GRD had managed to produce his new car ahead of schedule. With mechanics Eric Hassel and Nick Jordan, and using Holbay engines, Williamson won on his debut in the car. He also raced the new car at Monaco, but flew back to race the "original GRD prototype previously raced by Sutcliffe" at Silverstone the next day. At Oulton Park in August he had a huge accident in practice, so the team built up the ex-Sutcliffe prototype for him to race. Presumably he raced the prototype at the next two races, over that same Bank Holiday weekend, before returning to his regular car for the races in September and October. He won ten races in total to take the BRSCC/Shell F3 title. The car was then sold to Norman Moffett (Newtownabbey, County Antrim, Northern Ireland) who raced it in British F3 through 1973. It was advertised by Moffets Car Sales (Belfast, Northern Ireland) in December 1973. Subsequent history unknown.
  6. GRD 372 [030-F3] (Masami Kuwashima): Entered by GRS International for Ian Taylor and Barrie Maskell in British F3 in late 1972, using Holbay and Vegantune engines. To Reystan Racing for Masami Kuwashima for a few races in early 1973 until Kuwashima acquired a March 733, but this 1973 car has also been identified as chassis 033. Then entered by Reystan partner John Stanton for Richard Knight to drive (as a 373) for two races in May 1973. Then to Rod Smith and entered for him by ADM Business Systems Ltd from September onwards, but "totalled" in an accident during practice for the race at Brands Hatch in early November 1973.
  7. 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.
  8. Royale RP11A [6] (Andy Sutcliffe): New factory car for Tom Pryce to drive, replacing the one wrecked at the 1972 Monaco GP F3 race. To Reystan Racing for 1973 for Andy Sutcliffe to drive, but Sutcliffe left the team in April, and his seat was taken over by Val Musetti, who had written off his own RP11 in testing. Raced by Musetti through to the end of the season. Converted to Formula Atlantic specification for 1974 and raced by Musetti in the British championship up to May. Sold later in the year to Mike Franey and raced in libre racing. Raced by Franey in a couple of British Formula Atlantic races in 1975. Subsequent history unknown.
  9. GRD 372 [024-F3] (Roger Craven): Entered by GRS International for Andy Sutcliffe for a few races in British F3 in April 1972, using Holbay engines. Then entered for young Portuguese driver Jorge Pinhol for the rest of the season, but he often failed to appear and may have only been at eight races, starting as few as three. Pinhol's car had been announced in early February, but he did not appear until the end of April. His last definite appearance was at Thruxon on 6 August but his entries continued until the start of October. The car was then run for Formula Ford star Johnny Gerber as an Ippokampos Racing entry but run by GRS International at Brands Hatch on 22 October 1972. The ex-Pinhol car went to Roger Craven (Lincoln) for British F3 in 1973, using RES and Vegantune engines. Also used by Craven very successfully in libre racing that season. It was advertised by Craven's entrant, L & K Racing Team (Lincoln) with a Neil Brown engine in November 1973 and from the same Lincoln telephone numbers in February 1974. Subsequent history unknown.
  10. GRD 372 [025-F3] (John MacDonald): New to Reystan Racing Ltd for Masami Kuwashima to drive in British F3 in 1972, using Holbay engines. To John MacDonald for British F3 in 1973, when it was described as being the remains of Kuwashima's 1972 car built up around a new tub. Raced until October 1973, when it was said to have been sold to Ireland. Subsequent history unknown.
  11. March 733 [13] (Leonel Friedrich): New to Brazilian driver Leonel Friedrich (Porto Alegre, Brazil) and run for him by Peter Bloore Racing in the 1973 British Formula 3 season. Friedrich had not sat in a single-seater racing car before, but was the 1972 1600cc class Brazilian Touring Car Champion. For a novice, he was impressively quick straight away, eighth fastest in practice at his first race, and finishing second four times in his first dozen F3 races. His March was fitted with Holbay engines except for a brief mid-season flirtation with Novamotors. The car was then hired to another young Brazilian Alex Dias Ribeiro, and run for him by Angeleri March Racing Brazil in two races at the very end of the season. Subsequent history unknown.
  12. Royale RP11 [3] (John Sheldon): 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. 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.