Coupe de Printemps

Paul Ricard, 20 Mar 1977

All cars are 2-litre F3 unless noted.

Notes on the cars:

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. Ralt RT1/77 [51] (John Nielsen): New to VB Racing (Vojens Boligcenter) for 1977 and raced by Dane John Nielsen in F3 across Europe.
5. 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.
6. 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.
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 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.
9. 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.
10. 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.
11. 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.
12. 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.
13. 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.
14. 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.
15. 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.
16. 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.