2 replies to this topic

[Barry Boor]

Although I was there, I had completely forgotten that at the inaugural F.1 race on the new long circuit at Brands, the cars lined up on the grid in a 4-3-4-3 formation.

This was retained for the 1.5 litre F.1 race in 1961, which I also saw, but by the time the British Grand Prix arrived there in 1964 the cars were in a 3-2-3-2 order. Without resorting to history books, my memory tells me that there were no F.1 races at Brands between '61 and '64, but the memory is not what it used to was.

So, at what point in time did they change the line up in races at Brands from four front row cars to three?

[Roger Clark]

A four car front row was also used for the Intercontinental formula event in 1961 and for the 1962 Guards Trophy.  The six-hour saloon car race in 1963 had three on the front row but they were ford Galaxies and there may not have been room for four. I couldn't find anything about the 1963 Guards Trophy but the international Formula Junior event in September that year also had four on the front row.

[pete53]

I seem to recall discussing this elsewhere and from the memory I have of looking back at some old Brands programmes it seems the change to a regular 3-2-3 line-up took place in 1964 but not from the immediate outset of that season as the Easter Monday meeting still had 4-3-4 grids. However it very soon became standard to have 3-2-3.

 

I can confirm, having made a quick look, that the Guards Trophy meet of 1963 used 4-3-4 - or least that is how the grid was laid out in the programme.