17 replies to this topic

[LDM]

Following a conversation and seeing a film of the race again, I am trying to find out as much as I can about this event, Drivers and Cars.

I know the cars were driven by some of the F1 Team managers, and Jack Brabham won the race in the red Ford Escort MK1 Mexico Reg Number HLA 210K. I also believe that the pit crews were made up from drivers of the time?

What I have discovered so far is that the practice times were:
Jack Brabham – 65.0
Colin Chapman – 65.4
John Surtees – 65.6
Max Mosley – 66.0
Phil Kerr – 66.4
Frank Williams – 66.6
Mike Costin – 66.8
Eric Broadley - 67.0
Jackie Epstein – 67.2
Ken Tyrrell – 67.4
Ed Nelson – 67.4
Doug Hardwick – 67.8
Alan Rees – 69.6
Ian Williams – 69.6
Tim Parnell – 74.8

Which I assume determined the starting grid and the finishing order appears to be:
1. Jack Brabham – 11m 08.6s
2. JohnSurtees – 11m 11.2s
3. Colin Chapman – 11m 11.4s
4. Frank Williams – 1m 16.2s
5. Max Mosley – 11m 18.0s
6. Phil Kerr – 11m 24.4s
7. Mike Costin
8. Jackie Epstein
9. Doug Hardwick
10. Edward Nelson
11. Eric Broadley
12. Ken Tyrrell
13. Ian Williams
14. Alan Rees
15. Tim Parnell
FL. Colin Chapman – 1m 05.2s

There seems to be a bit of info to be found about Jack Brabham's car but nothing about the others? From what I understand they were provided by Ford and were licensed for the road with similar number plates?

From the film it seems there were at least red, yellow and green cars in use, were there any other colours in the race?

If anybody has any more information or can help it would be greatly appreciated.

[Tim Murray]

Here's a Youtube film of the race in b & w, so no help with the colours, but it does show the likes of Stewart and Cevert showing pit boards to their drivers:

https://m.youtube.co...h?v=mvnNd1sCHa0

[Vitesse2]

The commentary mentions that Frank Williams was in a yellow car and John Surtees in a white one. IIRC white Mexicos could be had with either blue or red trim according to taste and the yellow ones with black. If I had to guess, I'd say Chapman's was that sort of burnt orange Ford used at that time.

 

No further clues to colours, but this thread at Roaring Season has the race report from Motoring News: http://www.theroarin...71-Brands-Hatch

[Tim Murray]

I've now dug out the programme and the race report in Autosport. The winner's prize should have been the Jack Brabham Trophy and fifty bottles of champagne, but Jack decided it wouldn't be right for him to win his own trophy, so this went to Colin Chapman for setting fastest lap. I bet Jack kept the champagne, though.

I hoped the programme might have some info on car colours, but it doesn't. It does have a list of the 'pit signallers' for most of the drivers:

Ken Tyrrell - Jackie Stewart
Max Mosley - Ronnie Peterson
Alan Rees - Ronnie Peterson
Phil Kerr - Jackie Oliver
Colin Chapman - Emerson Fittipaldi
John Surtees - Mike Hailwood
Tim Parnell - Jo Siffert
Frank Williams - Henri Pescarolo
Mike Costin - TBA
Sid Taylor - Brian Redman
Jackie Epstein - Ray Allen
Eric Broadley - Frank Gardner
Doug Hardwick - Mike Walker
Edward Nelson - David Prophet

No info as to why Sid Taylor didn't race.

[Vitesse2]

Don't know whether this might be worth pursuing: the BFI apparently have a Wheelbase report on the race. No indication whether or not it's the same footage as the 100 Great Moments, but as Wheelbase went out on BBC2 it might be in colour.

 

http://www.bfi.org.u...e/510b84afda808

 

According to BBC Genome, it's from the October 26th 1971 edition:

 

Tonight the best of the action from Sunday's race at Brands Hatch when the Formula I team managers swopped places with their star drivers.

[BRG]

I wonder how that would pan out today?  Horner and Zak Brown are/were racers, but the rest?

[LDM]

Thanks for the help so far!

 

As for how it would be today? I cant imagine it would happen, maybe another indication of why the sport is in the mess it is?

[LDM]

The BFI is the same black and white footage so will not help.

As Vitesse2 points out the film gives us the colour of two of the cars and we know Brabham's car was red, so that's 3!

What makes you think that Chapman's car was orange?

[Vitesse2]

The BFI is the same black and white footage so will not help.

As Vitesse2 points out the film gives us the colour of two of the cars and we know Brabham's car was red, so that's 3!

What makes you think that Chapman's car was orange?

The trim line is dark - AFAIK, apart from the white and yellow versions only the burnt orange, pale blue and lime green came with a darker trim than the main body. The red and dark blue ones were trimmed white. Could be lime green, but the pale blue would have appeared nearer white on B&W TV pictures.

[LDM]

Sounds reasonable!

[Henk Vasmel]

I wonder how that would pan out today?  Horner and Zak Brown are/were racers, but the rest?

Vijay Mallya has won races in a Formula one car.

[ReWind]

Most of the participants are familiar names.

For Doug Hardwick I had to google, though.

But who is/was Ian Williams?

[Tim Murray]

He's not listed in the programme, but then neither is Jack Brabham. Sid Taylor was listed as driving one of the cars, but obviously didn't. Perhaps Ian Williams was a very late replacement for Sid? Certainly the name rings no bells with me.

[raceannouncer2003]

Great stuff.  Colin Chapman certainly was competitive.  One make racing can be fun.

 

Vince H.

[DogEarred]

I was there and watched the race avidly but cannot for the life of me, remember the car colours!

I haven't watched the video link yet but I'm sure Chapman was running with Brabham & had a 'moment' towards the end, dropping him down a place.

[Tim Murray]

I was there and watched the race avidly but cannot for the life of me, remember the car colours!

Ditto, and ditto.
 

I haven't watched the video link yet but I'm sure Chapman was running with Brabham & had a 'moment' towards the end, dropping him down a place.

Chapman was leading out of Clearways on the last lap, but couldn't find top gear in the run to the finish (he claimed the gearbox had broken) so coasted across the line in third place.

[DogEarred]

Yes, it all comes flooding back now.                  Except the colours... (my excuse is that dogs are colour blind - what's yours Tim?...)

[LDM]

It's looking like it will be a struggle to get much further!