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Donington F2 1977


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#1 Giraffe

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Posted 25 November 2008 - 22:34

Moving home after an acrimonious separation, I chanced upon my programme from the final round of the European F2 championship at Donington on October 29/ 30th 1977, Donington's first season of the current era. The field was led home by Bruno Giacomelli, from "Keijo" Rosberg, Didier Pironi,Marc Surer, Danny Sullivan and Rene Arnoux. Other luminaries peppered the field, and I marshalled that day.
No great shakes i suppose, but I took my then girlfriend's brother with me for the weekend, a keen photographer at the time. I have also discovered the box of colour slides he took at the time during my move.
They are awesome, and now I have an I.T.orientated type as my new partner, I will attempt to post them on TNF.
However, the kid I took to Donington that weekend in my 1968 Mini Cooper 998 went by the name of Michael Whitehill, a bright, witty lad who subsequently went on to write "The Detectives" for Jasper Carrott & Robert Powell. He also wrote all the final scripts for Frankie Howard, & wound up one of the partners in Celadon, the company who own "Who want's to be a millionaire" amongst other things. I don't even get an Xmas card, but am I bothered? I've got his colour slides!
As fellow scouser, Ricky Tomlinson might say on ths occasion, "copyright my arse!"

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#2 alansart

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Posted 26 November 2008 - 08:00

Originally posted by Giraffe
Moving home after an acrimonious separation, I chanced upon my programme from the final round of the European F2 championship at Donington on October 29/ 30th 1977, Donington's first season of the current era. The field was led home by Bruno Giacomelli, from "Keijo" Rosberg, Didier Pironi,Marc Surer, Danny Sullivan and Rene Arnoux. Other luminaries peppered the field, and I marshalled that day.
No great shakes i suppose, but I took my then girlfriend's brother with me for the weekend, a keen photographer at the time. I have also discovered the box of colour slides he took at the time during my move.
They are awesome, and now I have an I.T.orientated type as my new partner, I will attempt to post them on TNF.
However, the kid I took to Donington that weekend in my 1968 Mini Cooper 998 went by the name of Michael Whitehill, a bright, witty lad who subsequently went on to write "The Detectives" for Jasper Carrott & Robert Powell. He also wrote all the final scripts for Frankie Howard, & wound up one of the partners in Celadon, the company who own "Who want's to be a millionaire" amongst other things. I don't even get an Xmas card, but am I bothered? I've got his colour slides!
As fellow scouser, Ricky Tomlinson might say on ths occasion, "copyright my arse!"


I marshaled at that meeting as well, behind the barrier at the braking point for the chicane - awesome if somewhat frightening.

Would love to see the photos.

#3 Stephen W

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Posted 26 November 2008 - 09:53

Not Donington but 1977!

Posted Image
Silverstone & Aroux and Pironi in the Martini-Renaults battle with Patrick Neve in the March.

:wave:

#4 petestenning

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Posted 26 November 2008 - 10:25

The days when F2 ruled in my opinion the cars, the drivers ,such variety and shear spectacle.


Pete

#5 2F-001

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Posted 26 November 2008 - 10:29

I'm sure I was at that Donington F2 meeting too. Wasn't Bruno actually driving a prototype or development for the '78 car? And won fairly comfortably?

#6 alansart

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Posted 26 November 2008 - 11:09

Originally posted by 2F-001
I'm sure I was at that Donington F2 meeting too. Wasn't Bruno actually driving a prototype or development for the '78 car? And won fairly comfortably?


Yes. He had a 782 and won by about 30 seconds, plus got pole and fastest lap!

#7 Giraffe

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Posted 26 November 2008 - 11:14

Correct 2F-001; it was a 772P with a Roche BMW M12. Ribero & Surer had the same works entered cars, whilst Zunino was in a 772 with a Hart 420R, also works entered.
Of interest to TNF'ers, Alo Lawler was entered in a Lola T462 by L&B Excavations, but did not qualify, whilst then Libre lap record holder Kim Mather made the cut in his Dinorben Arms Inn Chevron B35, and the Ferrari Breadvan featured in the Historic Sportscar race, driven br John Harper.

#8 alansart

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Posted 26 November 2008 - 14:01

Originally posted by Giraffe
Correct 2F-001; it was a 772P with a Roche BMW M12. Ribero & Surer had the same works entered cars, whilst Zunino was in a 772 with a Hart 420R, also works entered.
Of interest to TNF'ers, Alo Lawler was entered in a Lola T462 by L&B Excavations, but did not qualify, whilst then Libre lap record holder Kim Mather made the cut in his Dinorben Arms Inn Chevron B35, and the Ferrari Breadvan featured in the Historic Sportscar race, driven br John Harper.


According to this he didn't use the 772.

#9 Giraffe

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Posted 26 November 2008 - 14:49

Yes alansart; I do recall that now. Interestingly, Giacomelli's qualifying time equalled the then outsight circuit record held at the time by Tony Trimmer and Divina Galica in Surtees TS19's, but his fastest race lap was 1.09 secs off that. I do remember it as being it a rather chilly day, however.

#10 alansart

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Posted 26 November 2008 - 14:55

Originally posted by Giraffe
I do remember it as being it a rather chilly day, however.


Too true. I was kipping in a tent by the Paddock entrance for the weekend - all part of the fun (and being young) :)

#11 fines

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Posted 26 November 2008 - 17:09

Originally posted by Giraffe
(...) with a Roche BMW M12. (...)

Make that Rosche, as in Paul Rosche, engine head man of BMW Motorsport GmbH in those days. In other words, a bona fide works engine. :)

#12 Giraffe

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Posted 26 November 2008 - 17:19

Wrong car then wrong engine! Senility creeping in.... :

#13 philippe charuest

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Posted 26 November 2008 - 18:08

in donington he was using the 782 (even if it was still the 77 season ). before that he was using the 77P and he was the only one .the 77P was in fact a modified formula atlantic frame all that cause the 772 so as the 762 in that matter wasnt competitive

#14 Giraffe

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Posted 26 November 2008 - 18:19

3 of the 4 works cars were listed in the programme as 772P's. There were 6 other 772's entered, a 762 and a 742, and only 1 77B, with a Mader or Pipo M12 for Bernard de Dryver which may well have been a modified Atlantic chassis. The 772P's were bespoke development F2 cars.

#15 philippe charuest

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Posted 26 November 2008 - 18:32

its very possible that at the end of the season there was more then one 77p. the car of the DEdryver was a modified 77b too but it was an homemade "special " . the 77p of giacomelli was a factory car still basically a 77B with a f2 engine and some weight added (the minimum weight in f2 was 500kg and it was 1000 pound ± 450 kg in F atlantic

#16 Giraffe

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Posted 26 November 2008 - 18:50

I need to check my March data; they were running 2 772P's from the factory, and 1 772 with a Hart 420R for Zunino as well as "Jack O'Malley's" 782. Interestingly, Surer was second fastest in practice, and de Dryver's "homemade special" a creditable fifth, ahead of the 2 works cars of Ribeiro and Zunino. (The second row was Rosberg & Patrese!)

#17 Mallory Dan

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Posted 27 November 2008 - 12:50

Full history of the various Marches on 10/10ths chaps, suffice it to say, giraffe is accurate in his original posting.

I'd forgotten, or not noted, that BdeD was so high up at that race. His car, usually called a '778' that year, was based near Donny, so I guess he tested there a lot that year, and became very familiar with the track, which most of the others I assume were tasting for the first time. Usually that year, he was midfield at best.

#18 Alan Cox

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Posted 27 November 2008 - 20:23

These have been posted elsewhere before, but they come from that first Donington F2 meeting

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#19 Gary C

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Posted 27 November 2008 - 21:04

I can see I'll have to get a new scanner. I have a ton of 35mm slides from Donington, I'm sure they're from this meeting.

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#20 Giraffe

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Posted 27 November 2008 - 21:31

Originally posted by David Beard Do anonymous posts count for anything?  :o Should we all post as " Man in the Moon" ?Sorry, I feel a hobby horse taking shape.


We've been down this road before, and "Giraffe" is but a Nom de Plume, or keyboard as the case may be.
My name is Tony Gallagher, and apart from being listed in the Oulton Park 1969 Tourist Trophy programme as a pit marshal, nobody will know who I am. Most TNF'ers will know me as "Giraffe", as do many of my friends who have never heard of TNF. I will go and check my profile now too, Commandant Beard! Do you want to see my papers, Herr Beard??? Sheesh! :

#21 David Beard

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Posted 27 November 2008 - 21:34

Originally posted by Giraffe


We've been down this road before, and "Giraffe" is but a Nom de Plume, or keyboard as the case may be.
My name is Tony Gallagher, and apart from being listed in the Oulton Park 1969 Tourist Trophy programme as a pit marshal, nobody will know who I am. Most TNF'ers will know me as "Giraffe", as do many of my friends who have never heard of TNF. I will go and check my profile now too, Commandant Beard! Do you wnt to see my papers??? Sheesh! :


:up:

#22 Giraffe

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Posted 27 November 2008 - 21:37

Accepted! :wave:

#23 Giraffe

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Posted 14 May 2009 - 08:39

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Finally got these colour slides of the Donington 1977 F2 International (Oct 29th/30th) scanned. They have deteriated somewhat in the meantime, and not very well shot in the first place on an Eastern European manual 35mm camera, but worth saving nevertheless.
As mentioned, they were shot by a very young Mike Whitehill, scriptwriter for "The Detectives" & Jasper Carrott, Frankie Howard at the end of his career, and co-founder of the Celador empire (Who Want's to be a Millionaire?) Well he is, and I most definatley want to be!!!
Mike, you are quite welcome to sue me for the copyright!!! :wave:








#24 Giraffe

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Posted 14 May 2009 - 08:47

Posted Image
By giraffe138 at 2009-05-14

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A couple of shots from the support races, and a Ferrari in the paddock with a rather appropriate and (expensive!) reg; I wonder who that belonged to?

#25 john winfield

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Posted 14 May 2009 - 12:36

Great photos Giraffe - say thanks to Mike Whitehill when you see him on his yacht this Christmas.

At first this thread brought back memories of watching the race, very cold, above the Old Hairpin; but then I saw those shots taken from the exit of Macleans. Didn't that stretch (Schwantz Curve) look beautiful on a late October afternoon? Fir trees everywhere and looking recognisable as the circuit used in the late 1930s.

I enjoyed F2 in 1977...lots of variety...Martinis, Chevrons, Ralts etc...and, as well as Thruxton and Donington, I managed to get to Rouen so that year's protagonists are etched in my mind, screaming down from Six Freres and round the cobbles at Nouveau Monde. Patrese's Trivellato Chevron was particularly beautiful.

#26 cdrewett

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Posted 15 May 2009 - 09:02

Great photos Giraffe - say thanks to Mike Whitehill when you see him on his yacht this Christmas.

At first this thread brought back memories of watching the race, very cold, above the Old Hairpin; but then I saw those shots taken from the exit of Macleans. Didn't that stretch (Schwantz Curve) look beautiful on a late October afternoon? Fir trees everywhere and looking recognisable as the circuit used in the late 1930s.

I enjoyed F2 in 1977...lots of variety...Martinis, Chevrons, Ralts etc...and, as well as Thruxton and Donington, I managed to get to Rouen so that year's protagonists are etched in my mind, screaming down from Six Freres and round the cobbles at Nouveau Monde. Patrese's Trivellato Chevron was particularly beautiful.

The pictures of Giacomelli's March sort of settle the 772/782 argument. It seems to be a 77chassis with rear mounted radiators but with 78 bodywork apart from the sidepods. The real 782 had a front mounted radiator, as I found to my cost when I crunched mine at Shelsley and suffered a bit of a pain in the wallet.
Chris

#27 DJO

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Posted 15 May 2009 - 09:31

A couple of shots from the support races, and a Ferrari in the paddock with a rather appropriate and (expensive!) reg; I wonder who that belonged to?
[/quote]

The yellow Ferrari 175 MPH belonged to Chris Meek, sometime racer and owner of Mallory Park. At one time it was on a yellow Fiat X-19, which my mother (Edwina Overend) bought off him. I remember driving the Fiat to DVLA (or whatever it was called then...) Birmingham when a new plate was put on it. Felt a bit of a pratt!

Edwina and Ron were Secretary of the Meeting at the Donington F2 event.

#28 Giraffe

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Posted 15 May 2009 - 09:56

A couple of shots from the support races, and a Ferrari in the paddock with a rather appropriate and (expensive!) reg; I wonder who that belonged to?


The yellow Ferrari 175 MPH belonged to Chris Meek, sometime racer and owner of Mallory Park. At one time it was on a yellow Fiat X-19, which my mother (Edwina Overend) bought off him. I remember driving the Fiat to DVLA (or whatever it was called then...) Birmingham when a new plate was put on it. Felt a bit of a pratt!

Edwina and Ron were Secretary of the Meeting at the Donington F2 event.


Edwina and Ron were legendary; and to complete the circle, Chris Meek was a friend of my wife and her ex-husband, property developer John Lawson-Hubbard of Leeds, Yorkshire!