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Vandervell British Formula 3 Championship Race

Silverstone, 4 Mar 1979

ResultsLapsTime/Speed
1 Chico Serra March 793 [14] - Toyota 2T-G Novamotor
#13 Sadia Racing with Project Four
20 18m 34.86s
103.84 mph
2 Michael Roe Chevron B47 [47.79.02] - Toyota 2T-G Novamotor
#4 David Clark Team Riva Watches
(see note 1)
20 18m 35.62s
3 Andrea de Cesaris March 793 [12] - Toyota 2T-G Novamotor
#5 Marlboro Team Tiga
20 18m 37.12s
4 John Bright March 773 [13] - Toyota 2T-G Novamotor
#16 Gerard Racing (see note 2)
20 18m 40.92s
5 Roberto Guerrero Argo JM3 [021-F3] - Toyota 2T-G Novamotor
#42 Anglia Cars Ltd
20 18m 42.25s
6 Brett Riley March 783 [11] - Triumph Dolomite Swindon 4
#14 Unipart Racing Team
20 18m 42.65s
7 Bernard Devaney Chevron B47 [47.79.07] - Toyota 2T-G Novamotor
#1 Derek McMahon Racing with Chevron Cars
20 18m 42.99s
8 Mike Thackwell March 793 [1] - Toyota 2T-G Novamotor
#17 March Racing Ltd
20 18m 46.50s
9 Rob Wilson Ralt RT1/78 [98] - Toyota 2T-G Novamotor
#29 ICL
20 18m 50.65s
10 Barry Green Chevron B43 [43.78.07] - Toyota 2T-G Novamotor
#6 (see note 3)
20 18m 52.58s
11 Nigel Mansell March 793 [2] - Triumph Dolomite Swindon 4
#15 Unipart Racing Team

12 Placido Inglesias Ralt RT1/78 [131] - Toyota 2T-G Novamotor
#38 Team Perdigao

13 Stefan Johansson Chevron B47 [47.79.08] - Toyota 2T-G Novamotor
#2 Derek McMahon Racing with Chevron Cars

14 Trevor Templeton Ralt RT1/78 [116] - Toyota 2T-G Novamotor
#31 A.W. Brown Racing with Malcolm Templeton

R Kenneth Acheson Ralt RT1/77 [86] - Toyota 2T-G Novamotor
#30 RMC Group
Gearbox
UNK Eddie Jordan Chevron B47 [47.79.10] - Toyota 2T-G Novamotor
#3 Marlboro Racing with Derek McMahon

UNK Ken Eady March 773 [3] - Triumph Dolomite 4
#18 RH Coachworks (see note 4)

UNK Phil Silverstone Ralt RT1/77 [54] - Toyota 2T-G Novamotor
#33 Welwyn Discount Tyres and Exhaust Centre

UNK Wyatt Stanley Ralt RT1/78 [105] - Toyota 2T-G Novamotor
#32

DNS Peré (Pedro) Noguès Ralt RT1/78 [115] - Toyota 2T-G Novamotor
#34 Jim Russell Racing Drivers School
Did not start
DNA Quirin Bovy Chevron B43 [43.78.05] - Toyota 2T-G Novamotor
#7 (see note 5)
Did not arrive
DNA Mike White Ralt RT1 - Toyota 2T-G Novamotor
#35 Delta Race Cars
Did not arrive
DNA Jorge Caton Ralt RT1/77 [57] - Toyota 2T-G Novamotor
#36 Equipo Nacional Español
Did not arrive
DNA Fermin Veléz Ralt RT1/77 - Toyota 2T-G Novamotor
#37 Equipo Nacional Español
Did not arrive

All cars are 2-litre F3 unless noted.

Qualifying
1 Chico Serra (F3) 2-litre March 793 [14] - Toyota 2T-G Novamotor 0.55.03
2 Mike Thackwell (F3) 2-litre March 793 [1] - Toyota 2T-G Novamotor 0.55.16
3 Michael Roe (F3) 2-litre Chevron B47 [47.79.02] - Toyota 2T-G Novamotor 0.55.17
4 Andrea de Cesaris (F3) 2-litre March 793 [12] - Toyota 2T-G Novamotor 0.55.24
5 Brett Riley (F3) 2-litre March 783 [11] - Triumph Dolomite Swindon 4 0.55.29
6 Roberto Guerrero (F3) 2-litre Argo JM3 [021-F3] - Toyota 2T-G Novamotor 0.55.36
7 John Bright (F3) 2-litre March 773 [13] - Toyota 2T-G Novamotor 0.55.55
8 Bernard Devaney (F3) 2-litre Chevron B47 [47.79.07] - Toyota 2T-G Novamotor 0.55.57
9 Nigel Mansell (F3) 2-litre March 793 [2] - Triumph Dolomite Swindon 4 0.55.71
10 Stefan Johansson (F3) 2-litre Chevron B47 [47.79.08] - Toyota 2T-G Novamotor 0.55.83
11 Barry Green (F3) 2-litre Chevron B43 [43.78.07] - Toyota 2T-G Novamotor 0.55.86
12 Rob Wilson (F3) 2-litre Ralt RT1/78 [98] - Toyota 2T-G Novamotor 0.55.90
13 Trevor Templeton (F3) 2-litre Ralt RT1/78 [116] - Toyota 2T-G Novamotor 0.56.05
14 Eddie Jordan (F3) 2-litre Chevron B47 [47.79.10] - Toyota 2T-G Novamotor 0.56.08
15 Kenneth Acheson (F3) 2-litre Ralt RT1/77 [86] - Toyota 2T-G Novamotor 0.56.10
16 Placido Inglesias (F3) 2-litre Ralt RT1/78 [131] - Toyota 2T-G Novamotor 0.56.18
17 Peré (Pedro) Noguès * (F3) 2-litre Ralt RT1/78 [115] - Toyota 2T-G Novamotor 0.56.51
18 Ken Eady (F3) 2-litre March 773 [3] - Triumph Dolomite 4 0.56.77
19 Phil Silverstone (F3) 2-litre Ralt RT1/77 [54] - Toyota 2T-G Novamotor 0.57.80
20 Wyatt Stanley (F3) 2-litre Ralt RT1/78 [105] - Toyota 2T-G Novamotor 0.58.15
 
* Did not start

Notes on the cars:

  1. Chevron B47 [47.79.02] (Michael Roe): New to Michael Roe and entered by David Clark Team Riva Watches for Roe to race in British F3 in 1979. Unknown in 1980. To Patrick Lecompte and raced in French F3 in 1981 and 1982. Later to Bernard Pourchet, and raced by him in the 1600cc class of French hillclimbs in 1984. Subsequent history unknown.
  2. March 773 [13] (John Bright): 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.
  3. Chevron B43 [43.78.07] (Barry Green): New to Chevron Racing Team for Patrick Gaillard to race in the European F3 championship in 1978. Sold to Barry Green for British F3 in 1979, and rented by Fred Opert Racing for Manuel Tolama to drive at the Monaco GP F3 event that year. To Rick Whyman for British F3 in 1980, then driven by Trevor Wigglesworth from August onwards after Whyman bought a March 793. Raced again by Wigglesworth for Rick Whyman Racing in 1981.
  4. March 773 [3] (Ken Eady): 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.
  5. Chevron B43 [43.78.05] (Quirin Bovy): New to Quirin Bovy and raced in European F3 in 1978. Retained for 1979 but apparently unraced. According to Chris Townsend's research, it was sold to Gerard Burgraff in 1980 and used in Belgian hillclimbs, then to Pierre Evrard in 1983.

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.