1965 Rand GP, another "Premiere" at Kyalami

Some days ago I posted a topic about the 1964 Rand GP, at Kyalami, South Africa, as the first F1 race of JS.

The 3-litre F1 regulations were adopted first in 1966 and lasted until 1985 despite lots of modifications. But we must in fact add one race in the list, the Rand GP, a non-championship race run on December 4, 1965, four weeks before the nc 1966 South African GP. The Rand GP can be seen as one dress rehearsal race to the 3-litre regulations.

The 1965 South-Africa F1 Championship (the Gold Star series) was run to a 3-litre formula and while this appeared to be anticipating F1 by a year, in fact it was only by a few weeks, since I think the season began late in the year.

Here's what I know about that race. It's not a lot I must agree.

The winner was Jack Brabham who dominated the race in Aldo Scribante's Brabham Climax 2.7-litre 4 cylinder. Piet de Klerk, with a 2.7-litre Brabham BT11-FPF (in fact the same model as Jack) finished only six seconds behind the winner.

Reg Parnell Team, now in the hand of Tim Parnell, entered two Lotus for Paul Hawkins (25-R7 with a 2.7-litre Climax 4 FPF) and Innes Ireland (33-R13 with a V8 BRM). Bonnier (Lotus) and Siffert (Brabham BRM) were entered under the Rob Walker Racing banner, although they both were independent.


The results (incomplete)
1- Jack Brabham Brabham BT11 Climax 4 FPF 4 cyl 2.7-litre
2- Piet de Klerk Brabham BT11 Climax 4 FPF 4 cyl 2.7-litre
3- Paul Hawkins Lotus 25-R7 Climax 4 FPF
4- John Love Cooper T79 Climax
5- Jo Siffert Brabham BT11 F1-6-64 BRM
6- Innes Ireland Lotus 33-R13 BRM
...
11- Tony Jeffries Cooper T55 F1-11-61

DNF- Jo Bonnier Lotus 25-R6 Climax

I hope you can tell me more !!

I'd like to know more about that Climax 4 in the 25... I would have thought a 2-litre V8 more likely, and a whole lot easier to fit.

Thee seems to be some doubt about the Lotus driven by Pul Hawkins. Paul Sheldon lists it as R7, but autosport (10/12/65) and Doug Nye's THeme Lotus both say it was R3. Sheldon has the complete entry list, grid and results. i'll post hem tomorrow if nobody else does.

The race was notable for the growing tyre war, with many drivers switching from Dunlop to firestone during the event. Siffert raced with black tape over the dunlop name on his overalls. Brabham was alone on Goodyear.

John Love battled with Brabham for the first 20 laps but droped back with handling problems caused by a defective shock absorber.

The Lotus 25 R7 seems to have lot's of different engines in its life. Entered for the first time in two South-African races in the end of 1963 by Team Lotus, the car had firstly a Coventry Climax V8 FWMV.

By late 1963 Colin Chapman had decided after all to sell two of his precious Lotus 25 chassis so the Reg Parnell Racing project to built their own cars using elements of Lotus 24 or Lola became somewhat superfluous. Reg Parnell died on 7 January 1964 at the age of 53 but his son Tim (who took over the stable) kept the full support of the sponsors, the fuel and tyre companies. The team Parnell fitted BRM engines to their Lotus 25 monocoque chassis (n° R3 and R7) for the 1964 and 1965 season. In 1964 the drivers were Chris Amon, Mike Hailwood and once Peter Revson (which had usually a old Lotus 24). The results of R7 were disastrous and Mike Hailwood scored once 1 point at Monaco.

The 1965 career of the car was not better when the car was driven by Mike Hailwood, Innes Ireland or Chris Amon (better result: a fifth place at Enna by Ireland). In fact the two Parnell's Lotus 25 had a dreadfull reliability record.

The racing history of R7 didn't finish with the end of the 1.5-litre Formula 1. The car was fitted with a 2.7-litre 4-cylinder Climax engine and Paul Hawkins drove it twice (1965 Rand GP and 1966 South-African GP).

The car was then lent to the MGM which used it in the shooting of the movie "Grand Prix".

In 1967 the car became a Formula 2, fitted with a 1.6-litre Cosworth FVA, and was driven by Mike Spence in some F2 races (no real results).

The chassis was then modified in the back to receive another kind of engine: a V12 3L BRM Type 101. The assembly was not really homogeneous and was never entered in a race.

In 1969 Tom Weatcroft bought the car and restored it to its former condition with a Climax V8 FWMV. It can be now seen at Donington in his museum.

Roger: R3, R7 and R13 (a 33 type) were entered by Team Parnell in 1965. Pierre Abeillon lists the Hawkins' car in South Africa as R7 (La revue de l'Automobile historique, May 2000)

Originally posted by Marcor

Roger: R3, R7 and R13 (a 33 type) were entered by Team Parnell in 1965. Pierre Abeillon lists the Hawkins' car in South Africa as R7 (La revue de l'Automobile historique, May 2000)

Marcor; which car do you have Hawkins driving at Syracuse and silverstone early in 1966? THeme Lotus and Paul Sheldon both list R3 with an FPF. That may provide some indication of whether he drove R3 or R7 in South Africa.

For the record, R13 was built by Parnell from the remains of 25-R4. some sources list Ireland's car in the Rand GP as R4.

See, I knew it would come in handy! I've compiled a list of Lotus 25 entries a few months back, out of plain boredom

R7 was disasterous indeed:
R7 Trevor Taylor, South African Grand Prix 1963 (q 8 r 8 (+5 laps)) #2 Team Lotus
R7 Mike Hailwood, Monaco Grand Prix 1964 (q 15 r 6 (+4 laps)) #18 Reg Parnell Racing
R7 Mike Hailwood, Dutch Grand Prix 1964 (q 14 r 12 (+23 laps())) #12 Reg Parnell Racing
R7 Mike Hailwood, French Grand Prix 1964 (q 13 r 8 (+1 lap) #36 (initially Pete Revson's car) Reg Parnell Racing
R7 Mike Hailwood, British Grand Prix 1964 (q 12 r - ()) #14 Reg Parnell Racing
R7 Mike Hailwood, German Grand Prix 1964 (q 13 r - (engine)) #15 Reg Parnell Racing
R7 Mike Hailwood, Austrian Grand Prix 1964 (q 18 r 8 (+10 laps)) #17 Reg Parnell Racing
R7 Mike Hailwood, US Grand Prix 1964 (q 16 r 8 (+8 laps())) #14 Reg Parnell Racing
R7 Mike Hailwood, Mexican Grand Prix 1964 (q 17 r - ()) #14 Reg Parnell Racing

If it was R3, it belongs in the thread ;)
R3 Jim Clark, Italian Grand Prix 1962 (q 1 r - ()) #20 Team Lotus
R3 Jim Clark, US Grand Prix 1962 (q 1 r 1 fastlap) #8 Team Lotus
R3 Jack Brabham, Monaco Grand Prix 1963 (q 15 r 9 (+23 laps)) #3 Brabham Racing Organization
R3 Trevor Taylor, Belgian Grand Prix 1963 (q 11 r - ()) #2 Team Lotus
R3 Peter Arundell, French Grand Prix 1963 (excluded from event) #22 Team Lotus
R3 Mike Spence, German Grand Prix 1963 (q 9 r 13 (+13 laps())) #6 Team Lotus
R3 Pedro Rodriguez, US Grand Prix 1963 (q 13 r - (engine)) #10 Team Lotus
R3 Pedro Rodriguez, Mexican Grand Prix 1963 (q 20 r - ()) #10 Team Lotus
R3 Chris Amon, Monaco Grand Prix 1964 (dnq) #17 Reg Parnell Racing
R3 Chris Amon, Dutch Grand Prix 1964 (q 13 r 5 (+1 lap)) #10 Reg Parnell Racing
R3 Chris Amon, Belgian Grand Prix 1964 (q 11 r - ()) #27 Reg Parnell Racing
R3 Chris Amon, French Grand Prix 1964 (q 14 r 10 (+4 laps)) #34 Reg Parnell Racing
R3 Chris Amon, British Grand Prix 1964 (q 11 r - ()) #15 Reg Parnell Racing
R3 Chris Amon, German Grand Prix 1964 (q 9 r 11 (+3 laps())) #14 Reg Parnell Racing
R3 Chris Amon, Austrian Grand Prix 1964 (q 17 r - (engine)) #16 Reg Parnell Racing

and additionally some non-championship entries:
01-09-1962 Gold Cup (Clark)
16-09-1962 Italian GP (Clark)
07-10-1962 US GP (Clark)
04-11-1962 Mexico (Clark)
15-12-1962 Rand (Clark)
22-12-1962 Natal (Clark)

Originally posted by Marcor
The 1965 South-Africa F1 Championship (the Gold Star series) was run to a 3-litre formula and while this appeared to be anticipating F1 by a year, in fact it was only by a few weeks, since I think the season began late in the year.

Marc: In fact, it was the 1966 season that started early!

Between 1960 and 1965 the December races (Cape, Rand, Natal and South African GPs) were part of the championship of the following calendar year, i.e. the 1963 South African GP counted towards the 1964 Gold Star series, etc. This is also why there is no "1964 South African GP" as the SAGP held for the 1965 season was moved to its later more familiar spot in early January, instead of its hitherto usual late-December date.

Roger, here's what I know about R3 in 1966, entered by Reg Parnell Racing

Paul Hawkins used R3 in the Syracuse GP (1 May 1966, #6, retired) and the IT Silverstone (#11, 8th) with a Coventry Climax 4 Cylinder FPF 2.7-Litre. The car was then a T-car at Monaco (#18T, Bonnier drove a few but chose his own Cooper Maserati for the race) and Rheims (#32T, Mike Spence drove with R13 fitted with a BRM V8 2-litre, retired, clutch slip, lap 9)

R3 was also fitted with a BRM V8 P56 (2-litre) for the Italian GP where Team Parnell entered two cars for Mike Spence (R13) and local boy Giancarlo Baghetti (R3). The Parnell's pit was next to the Ferrari pit, and during the practice, Eugenio Dragoni brought Enzo Ferrari over to meet Tim Parnell.
Tim told in the book about his father: "I had met Enzo Ferrari before with my father and they could see that Baghetti was doing quite well in our underpower car. Mr Ferrari then told me he had with them their little Ferrari, the 2.4 litre interim car (chassis 246/0006) and would we like it for Baghetti ? We said Christ, yes, of course, we would, and he gave us the car. It was wheeled into our pit along with a couple of Ferrari mechanics."
In the race Baghetti had trouble and called into the pits, and although he finished the race, lapped 9 time, he was unclassified and Mike Spence finished 5th. The car was then entered in the Gold Cup for Johnatan Williams (withdraw) and ended its career in the two last races of the 1966 championship (Mike Spence: US GP, 9th, unclassified, Mexican GP, DNS).

Secondly about the magazine La revue de L'automobile Historique.
Some days ago, I've posted Recently this message in the topic about Gordini

"...a French magazine "La revue de l'Automobile historique" made a very consistent article about the Gordini Sport (32 pages, all the results, 48 pictures, just excellent).

You can buy (order) the five numbers of the magazine if you write to La revue de l'Automobile historique, 21 rue du Docteur Oursel, 27000 Evreux - France. 60 FF each (+ PP, Europe = 26 FF, rest of the World = 34 FF).

Volume 1 included: Matra Sport (30 pages), Robert Benoist, the Behra-Porsche, 1957 German GP...

Volume 2: Lotus 25 and 33 (30 pages), Paul Frère, 1952 Monaco GP sportscars, Hispano Suiza type Boulogne,...

Volume 3: Monoposti Ferrari 1957-1960 (30 pages), Guy Moll, 24 H-Le Mans 1967, Bugatti T59,...

Volume 4: Gordini Sport (30 pages), ACF 54 GP, Carlos Pace, the V12 Maserati engines, Lombard 1100 cm³,...

Volume 5 (still in the bookshops but not for a long time): AC Cobra (25 pages), 1973 Targa Florio, Nino Farina, Auto Union V16, Panhard Levassor and the circuit des Ardennes,...

Volume 6 will be released on December 15, 2000 in France (today or tomorrow)

This is one of the best mag ever written in French. ..."

Each volume had + 120 pages and its price is 6 £ (60 FF)...

In volume 2, you can find a very interesting dossier about the Lotus 25 and 33. The dossier is very detailed. It included, car by car, from Lotus 25 R1 to Lotus 33 R14, the history and the complete record shown in separate tabular form. There are 42 pictures and the text is more historical than technical. It's written in French but with a good dictionary, no problem !!

taken from the article: the complete data of Lotus 25 R7

Date, event, #, driver(s), result
Team Lotus (Coventy Climax V8 FWMV)
14/12/63, Rand GP, 2, Trevor Taylor, 10th
28/12/63, South-African GP, 2, Trevor Taylor, 8th

Reg Parnell Racing (BRM P56 V8 engine)
14/03/64, Snetterton, 16, Mike Hailwood, DNF
30/03/64, Goodwood, 16, Mike Hailwood, 5th
12/04/64, Syracuse GP,32, Mike Hailwood, 7th
18/04/64, Aintree 200, 14, Mike Hailwood, DNF
02/05/64, Internationnal Trophy, 21, Mike Hailwood, 6th
10/05/64, Monaco GP, 18, Mike Hailwood, 6th
24/05/64, Dutch GP, 12, Mike Hailwood, DNF
14/06/64, Belgian GP, 26, Mike Hailwood, DNS
14/06/64, Belgian GP, 29, Peter Revson, Disqualified
28/06/64, ACF GP, 36, Mike Hailwood, 8th
11/07/64, British GP, 14, Mike Hailwood, DNF
19/07/64, Solitude GP, 10, Mike Hailwood, 9th
02/08/64, German GP, 15, Mike Hailwood, DNF
16/08/64, Enna, 8, Mike Hailwood, DNF
04/10/64, US GP, 14, Mike Hailwood, DNF
25/10/64, Mexican GP, 14, Mike Hailwood, DNF
13/03/65, Race of Champions, 17, Mike Hailwood, DNF
04/04/65, Syracuse GP, 10, Mike Hailwood, DNF
19/04/65, Goodwood, 17, Mike Hailwood, DNS
15/05/65, Internationnal Trophy, 17, Mike Hailwood, 9th
30/05/65, Monaco GP, 16, Mike Hailwood, DNF
13/06/65, Belgian GP, 22, Innes Ireland, 13th
27/06/65, ACF GP, 22, Innes Ireland, DNF
10/07/65, British GP, 23, Innes Ireland, DNF
18/07/65, Dutch GP, 38, Innes Ireland, 10th
01/08/65, German GP, 19, Chris Amon, DNF
15/08/65, Enna, 16, Innes Ireland, 5th

Reg Parnell Racing (Climax FPF 4 cylinder 2.7-litre engine)
04/12/65, Rand GP, 6, Paul Hawkins, 3th
01/01/66, South-African GP, 6,Paul Hawkins, DNF[/b]


Paul Emery Racing (Climax FPE)
14/05/66, Internationnal Trophy, 15, Trevor Taylor, DNS

Reg Parnell Racing (Cosworth FVA 1.6-litre)
27/03/67, BARC 200 Silverstone (F2), 38, Mike Spence, 11th H1 - 10th H2 - 9th Overall
09/04/67, Barcelona GP (F2), 10, Mike Spence, Withdrew
14/05/67, Guard Trophy Mallory Park (F2), 12, Mike Spence, 5th H1 - DNF Final
29/05/67, London Trophy Crystal Palace (F2), 6, Mike Spence, 9th H1- NQ F

Originally posted by Racer.Demon

Originally posted by Marcor
The 1965 South-Africa F1 Championship (the Gold Star series) was run to a 3-litre formula and while this appeared to be anticipating F1 by a year, in fact it was only by a few weeks, since I think the season began late in the year.

Marc: In fact, it was the 1966 season that started early!

Between 1960 and 1965 the December races (Cape, Rand, Natal and South African GPs) were part of the championship of the following calendar year, i.e. the 1963 South African GP counted towards the 1964 Gold Star series, etc. This is also why there is no "1964 South African GP" as the SAGP held for the 1965 season was moved to its later more familiar spot in early January, instead of its hitherto usual late-December date.

I know it's me being pedantic again, but there was never such a thing as a "South African F1 Championship", just the "South African Drivers Championship" being run to rules that often resembled F1 rules. That was not the case in 1965, when F1 still ran to the 1.5-litre limit while in South Africa 3-litre monoposti were allowed in. So this race, the 1965 Rand GP, simply wasn't an F1 race at all!

I concur that Hawkins' car was R3, not R7. I'm no expert on the 1.5-litre F1 but this race was the first International held to 3-litre rules so I include it on my site (but I only cover the races of the Lotus 25s after the start of the 3-litre Formula - sorry if that seems wierd!). R3 had four more outings with the 2.7 FPF that year before Parnell stuffed a 2-litre BRM in it and ran it at Watkins Glen and in Mexico for Spence.

Spence stuffed it in practice in Mexico and it's never been seen since - so I assume it was a write off. Does anyone have any more recent sightings of R3? Don't be fooled by the car that Tony Mantle had for many years - Doug Nye has now established that car is the 1967 Parnell F1.

While R3 was busy earning a living, R7 was said to have gone to Paul Emery and John Campbell-Jones for Emery's 3-litre Climax. I don't believe it ever appeared in that trim - even at the 1966 International Trophy. R7 was back in Parnell's hands for 1967 when it became the F2 car. Does anyone have any contemporary sources on the Emery episode. So many of the books written since are merely quoting each other and sometimes that merely perpetuates earlier mistakes.

Allen

Originally posted by Allen Brown
So many of the books written since are merely quoting each other and sometimes that merely perpetuates earlier mistakes.

As happens every so often in this 'business'...

Dear Marcor
You asked about the 1964 Rand GP and mentioned Brabham's win. I think it was the 1965 Rand GP you are talking about.
South Africa's race organisers moved to the 3 liter formula a year before the rest of the world and the Rand GP on Dec 4 was the first time that the local drivers had a relistic chance to beat the overseas "stars".
Aldo Scribante, a local racing sponsor imported a Brabham BT 11 (I think) with a 2.7 Climax engine for his Driver, Dave Charlton, but let Jack Brabham shake it down at Kyalmi that day.
John Love, the SA Champion, had a 2.7 Climax engined Cooper T79, an ex McLaren Tasman car, now owned by Bob Woodward in the USA.
Brabham set pole at 1 min 30.8 but Love was on 1 min 30.86 secs. Pieter de Klerk, in an older BT11 was third on the grid at 1 32.9 and Bob Anderson in another Brabham 2.7 was fourth at 1.33.2
Towards the end of practice a rear shockabsorber failed on Love's old Cooper and because of the sanction situation with Rhodesia he was unabale to get a "new"spare so he had to repair it.
Love took the lead from the start but Brabham passed him at the before the end of the lap only for Love to draft past down the main straight to roars from the local crowd!
By lap 3 Brabham was ahead again but Love stuck to him like glue and on lap 16 he slipstreamed past again to lead.
At one stage he thereafter built up a lead of about 20 yards
only for Brabham to reel him in 3 laPS later.
By lap 20 Love was ahead again but then his rear shockabsorbers gave trouble and he yielded the lead on or about lap 22 and then steadily fell back.
He pitted on lap 40 and although he came back to race he was 4th behind Brabham, de Klerk and Paul Hawkins (2.7 Lotus 33 Climax).
Love was to prove this effort to be no fluke when in the SAGP he was 2nd to Pedro Rodriquez, having led in the late stages of the race until fuel problems cost him dear and he had to make a pitstop.

The Cooper T79, is this the 1965 McLaren Tasman car?
Originally fitted with 2.5 Climax... 'drafting past Brabham' was its specialty!