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Vandervell British Formula 3 Championship Race

Silverstone, 20 Apr 1980

ResultsLapsTime/Speed
1 Kenneth Acheson March 803 [9] - Toyota 2T-G Novamotor
#8 RMC Group 		20 29m 27.97s
119.4 mph
2 Thierry Tassin Argo JM6 [042-F3] - Toyota 2T-G Novamotor
#5 Anglia Cars 		20 29m 28.79s
3 Roberto Guerrero Argo JM6 [039-F3] - Toyota 2T-G Novamotor
#4 Anglia Cars 		20 29m 29.39s
4 Mike White March 803 [2] - Toyota 2T-G Novamotor
#11 Autowindscreens with Gerard Racing
 		20 29m 32.58s
5 Stefan Johansson March 803 [20 or 21] - Toyota 2T-G Novamotor
#1 Project Four Racing 		20 29m 36.10s
6 Nigel Mansell March 803 [18] - Toyota 2T-G Novamotor
#12 March Racing Ltd 		20 29m 43.34s
7 Mike Blanchet Lola T770/2 [T770 HU1] - Toyota 2T-G Novamotor
#30 SDC Buiilders 		20 29m 46.64s
8 David Sears Argo JM6 [043-F3] - Toyota 2T-G Novamotor
#3 Rushen Green Racing 		20 29m 48.19s
9 Rick Whyman Chevron B43 [43.78.07] - Toyota 2T-G Novamotor
#24 (see note 1) 		20 30m 40.71s
10 Gerry Amato March 793 [783-5] - Toyota 2T-G Novamotor
#14 Gerry Amato Racing (see note 2) 		19
11 Tony Norton March 773 [3] - Triumph Dolomite 4
#23 PC Designs Ltd (see note 3) 		19
12 Phil Silverstone Argo JM6 [041-F3] - Toyota 2T-G Novamotor
#41 		19
R Brett Riley March 783/793 - Toyota 2T-G Novamotor
#18 David Price Racing 		5 Fuel pump
R John Village Ralt RT1/78 [115] - Toyota 2T-G Novamotor
#15 		5 Head gasket
R Eddie Jordan March 803 [16] - Toyota 2T-G Novamotor
#7 Marlboro Team Ireland (see note 4) 		0 Collision
R Mike O'Brien March 803 [10] - Chevrolet Vega Titan
#9 National Girobank 		0 Collision
R Bengt Trägårdh March 803 [23] - Toyota 2T-G Novamotor
#60 		0 Collision
R Peré (Pedro) Noguès Argo JM6 [038-F3] - Toyota 2T-G Novamotor
#2 Real Automovil Club Catalunya
 		0 Collision
DNA John Bright Pilbeam MP45 [1] - Toyota 2T-G Novamotor
#50 Pilbeam Racing Design 		Did not arrive

All cars are 2-litre F3 unless noted.

Qualifying
1 Kenneth Acheson (F3) 2-litre March 803 [9] - Toyota 2T-G Novamotor 1m 27.00s
2 Roberto Guerrero (F3) 2-litre Argo JM6 [039-F3] - Toyota 2T-G Novamotor 1m 27.37s
3 Thierry Tassin (F3) 2-litre Argo JM6 [042-F3] - Toyota 2T-G Novamotor 1m 27.39s
4 Mike White (F3) 2-litre March 803 [2] - Toyota 2T-G Novamotor 1m 27.54s
5 Stefan Johansson (F3) 2-litre March 803 [20 or 21] - Toyota 2T-G Novamotor 1m 27.77s
6 Eddie Jordan (F3) 2-litre March 803 [16] - Toyota 2T-G Novamotor 1m 27.78s
7 Mike Blanchet (F3) 2-litre Lola T770/2 [T770 HU1] - Toyota 2T-G Novamotor 1m 27.92s
8 David Sears (F3) 2-litre Argo JM6 [043-F3] - Toyota 2T-G Novamotor 1m 28.18s
9 Nigel Mansell (F3) 2-litre March 803 [18] - Toyota 2T-G Novamotor 1m 28.23s
10 Bengt Trägårdh (F3) 2-litre March 803 [23] - Toyota 2T-G Novamotor 1m 28.66s
11 Brett Riley (F3) 2-litre March 783/793 - Toyota 2T-G Novamotor 1m 29.02s
12 Peré (Pedro) Noguès (F3) 2-litre Argo JM6 [038-F3] - Toyota 2T-G Novamotor 1m 29.36s
13 Mike O'Brien (F3) 2-litre March 803 [10] - Chevrolet Vega Titan 1m 29.36s
14 John Village (F3) 2-litre Ralt RT1/78 [115] - Toyota 2T-G Novamotor 1m 30.20s
15 Rick Whyman (F3) 2-litre Chevron B43 [43.78.07] - Toyota 2T-G Novamotor 1m 30.86s
16 Gerry Amato (F3) 2-litre March 793 [783-5] - Toyota 2T-G Novamotor 1m 33.14s
17 Phil Silverstone (F3) 2-litre Argo JM6 [041-F3] - Toyota 2T-G Novamotor 1m 35.83s
18 Tony Norton (F3) 2-litre March 773 [3] - Triumph Dolomite 4 1m 37.76s

Notes on the cars:

  1. Chevron B43 [43.78.07] (Rick Whyman): 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.
  2. March 793 [783-5] (Gerry Amato): Shown in March records for 1978 as delivered to Daniel Herregods, 19 January 1978, colour yellow with tub 78M25. To Rob Wilson in 1979 to replace his tiring Ralt RT1 and updated to 1979 specification. Autosport notes ‘ex Herregods’ and chassis number noted by F1R at Snetterton in August 1979. Sold to Gerry Amato for 1980 season, Autosport notes his car as ‘ex Wilson 1979’. Retained by Amato until 1982 then sold to Greg and Tim Atkinson.
  3. March 773 [3] (Tony Norton): 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.
  4. March 803 [16] (Eddie Jordan): Sold to Eddie Jordan 18 Jan 1980. Used in first part of 1980 season, then rented out, and for sale with chassis number (Autosport 5 Feb 1981 p47). To Roger Cowman (Belper, Derbyshire) for Ian Shaw then subsequently to Tony Norton. Retained 1982.

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.

Individual sources for this event

Autosport 24 Apr 1980 p22, Motoring News 24 Apr 1980 p20