38 replies to this topic

[O Volante]

Since the search on Angus Hyslop's Lotus 20 during the 1961 European Formula Junior season I have developed more interest in Junior racing!

 

Among the celebrated stories of Formula Junior is the shared championship title for Jim Clark and Trevor Taylor in the 1960 "Motor Racing British Formula Junior Championship". Sponsor and organizer was the contemporary specialized interest magazine Motor Racing. The series was scheduled for 14 rounds at 7 circuits, chosen from the more than 60 Formula Junior races held by the various British clubs in that year. In the end, however, it were only 13 rounds. After these both Clark and Taylor were at the same score, but when Trevor made it known that as a recently turned Grand Prix driver Jim would not be eligable to enter the tie-braker at Silverstone on October 1, the championship status for the race was revoked and the title shared ... Usually the Taylor part of the story is continued with the statement Trevor won the championship again in 1961, this time alone.

 

Well, searching in the reference books on hand, plus involving google's well known services, there is not a single word on a "Motor Racing British Formula Junior Championship" in 1961! No race calender, no standings, no final points, no nothing.

 

Was such a championship held at all?

 

A rather similar situation was discussed at TNF for the 1965 BARC Formula 3 Championship, and it's supposed winner Roy Pike. Compare:

 

https://forums.autos...e/#entry9084445

 

For the 1961 "Motor Racing British Formula Junior Championship", however, there seems to be a rather simple way to be sure. Who has got a set of 1961 Motor Racing magazines on hand? Anybody prepared to have a look?

 

[Vitesse2]

Motor Racing also published a slim hardback annual, commencing with the snappily titled 'Motor Racing Year 1961'. The next one was dated 1962-3. The earliest one I own is 'Motor Racing Year 1965-6', which covers events during the 1965 season, so by extension 'Motor Racing Year 1961' presumably covers 1961?

[Roger Clark]

There was an announcement of the Championship in Motor Racing March 1961.

[O Volante]

Wonderful, Roger, many thanks! And which races, please?

[Roger Clark]

In November 1961, Motor Racing announced the results: 1st Taylor 46.5, 2nd Arundell 33, 3rd Maggs 30.5, 4th Bill Moss 29, 5th Mike Parkes 28.5, 6th Peter Procter points not given.

[O Volante]

Somehow as a post scriptum: relevant antiquarian year books, magazines, also old programmes rather well available in UK, are difficult to get in Germany. That's the reason why ...  

[Roger Clark]

in April MR gave a list of meetings that had been chosen to count for the championship "providing, of course, that they include a Formula Junior race:

March 25 Snetterton

April 3 Goodwood and Mallory PArk

April 15 Oulton Park

April 22 Aintree

May 6 Silverstone

May 22 Crystal Palace

May 27 Oulton Park

June 3 Brands Hatch

June 17 Ulster

June 24 Brands Hatch

July 8 Silverstone

July 15 Aintree

August 7 Brands Hatch and Aintree

August 12 Silverstone

August 20 Snetterton

September 2 Crystal Palace

September 16 Goodwood

September 23 Oulton Park

September 30 Snetterton

October 7 Silverstone

December 26 Brands Hatch

 

Points were awarded 8,6,4,2 for 1st-4th with 1 point for fastest lap.  A driver could only count his 10 best scores.

 

I couldn't find a final table in early 1962 so it may be that Boxing Day Brands didn't count.

[cooper997]

6/61 Motor Racing has this 'update' page with 'Motor Racing's FJ Championship' heading. I've included the whole page because of the FJ-related snippets within the 'Confidential' section.

 

 

 

The previously mentioned 'Motor Racing Year 1961' runs a 4 page review of the FJ scene with 'Formula Junior grows up' feature and the 1962 FJ calendar appears within the Competition Calendar 1962 page. The Chequered Flag took the opportunity to run their full page advert running with a Gemini FJ photo.

 

 

Stephen

[O Volante]

High time for an answer! Many, many thanks again to Roger and Stephen. More help is required, however, to bring this research to a happy conclusion!

 

I checked the information made available here first on its intrinsic value, then read it against Mike Kettlewell's two-part seasonal survey of 1961 Formula Junior racing in Autosport and compared it with the results available elsewher, not the least at fastlane. Unfortunately, many links there do not work anymore ...

 

Equiped with Roger's list, the task simply seems to find the mentioned races. So Stephen's update is welcome as confirmation for the early season developments. There are two points in the update that require caution. First, obviously the author of the note had not understood the meaning of shared victory in this case. In the Goodwood round there was an ex-aequo finish for 1st with Maggs and Arundell as winners! In his points count-down the author credits them with 4 points each for half a win (plus one for Arundell's fastest lap). So his count is definitely not OK, and it's unclear how much points are correct: 8 each, or 7 for the 1st plus 2nd finishers points combined and divided?

 

Second, the reference to 8 points for John Rhodes. The note doesn't mention the venue of his victory (the only possible way to score because the other results are known) but from the survey it's clear to be the FJ race held at Snetterton's Stanley Sear Trophy meeting on May 14. This round is not on Roger's original list, but makes sense otherwise - the 1960 Championship also featured two "weak" rounds at Snetterton with some top teams / drivers not taking part. Or did they simply not perform as usual? I have only the top three finishers Rhodes, Bill Moss and Chris Ashmore, 4th place and fastest lap missing.

 

So the results for the first five rounds look like that:

 

Round 1

March 25, Snetterton

SMRC Lombank Trophy Meeting

1st Trevor Taylor (Lotus-Ford)

2nd Tony Maggs (Cooper-Austin)

3rd Jim Russell (Lotus-Ford)

4th Peter Arundell (Lotus-Ford)

Fastest lap: Trevor Taylor

 

Round 2

April 3, Goodwood

BARC Easter Meeting - Chichester Trophy

1st= Tony Maggs (Cooper-Austin)

1st= Peter Arundell (Lotus-Ford)

3rd Peter Ashdown (Lola-Ford)

4th Bob Anderson (Lotus-Ford)

Fastest lap: Peter Arundell

 

Round 3

April 15, Oulton Park

BARC National Spring Meeting

1st Trevor Taylor (Lotus-Ford)

2nd John Love (Cooper-Austin)

3rd Bill Moss (Lotus-Ford)

4th Alan Rees (Lotus-Ford)

Fastest lap: Trevor Taylor

 

Round 4

April 22, Aintree

BARC International 200 Meeting

1st Trevor Taylor (Lotus-Ford)

2nd Peter Arundell (Lotus-Ford)

3rd John Love (Cooper-Austin)

4th Jim Russell (Lotus-Ford)

Fastest lap: John Love

 

Round 5

May 5, Silverstone

BRDC International Trophy Meeting

1st Jim Russell (Lotus-Ford)

2nd Tony Marsh (Lotus-Ford)

3rd Tony Maggs (Cooper-Austin)

4th Mike McKee (Lotus-Ford)

Fastest lap: Tony Marsh

 

Round 6

results not complete, see above

 

Based both on original list and update, next rounds are

 

Round 7

May 22, BRSCC Crystal Palace (Rees-Parkes-McKee-Moss, fastest lap missing)

 

Round 8

May 27, L&CCC Oulton Park (Marsh-Bloor, 3rd, 4th and fastest lap missing)

Top teams at Monaco!

 

and

 

Round 9

June 3, Brands Hatch

BRSCC Silver City International Meeting - John Davy Trophy

1st Bill Moss (Gemini-Ford)

2nd Mike Parkes (Gemini-Ford)

3rd Trevor Taylor (Lotus-Ford)

4th John Love (Cooper-Austin)

Fastest lap: Trevor Taylor

 

For the two other June dates I can't find races. Perhaps no surprise, because the leading teams now went on their annual Continental tours, mainly racing in France and Italy ...

Edited by O Volante, 14 February 2025 - 17:59.

[GazChed]

Try web.archive.org/web/20170626024748/http://www.formula2.net/ .I think this is the old formula2.net on the wayback machine. The results on this site are still not entirely comprehensive but are more so than the fastlane website. The 22/5 and 27/5 rounds both have fastest laps while I wonder if the 'Ulster' race is actually the Usher Tankard Trophy at Charterhall on the 17/6. Make sure you put in the whole name (web.archive.org/ etc) as just pressing the highlighted part takes you to a French website which doesn't seem to provide any useful information.

Edited by GazChed, 14 February 2025 - 13:56.

[O Volante]

Gaz, 

 

thanks a lot, that's a super idea! I'll check and report back!

 

Yes, Charterhall is possible. But without more information ...

 

I wonder if there were other updates in the July or later 1961 editions of Motor Racing. Anybody?

[Roger Clark]

From F1 Registar Fact Book:

 

May 14 Snetterton

There were two races, no indication here or. in Autosport how an overall winner was chosen.

Race 1 1 Rhodes, 2 Moss, 3 Ashmore, 4 Attwood, fl Rhodes

Race 2 1 Moss, 2 Rhodes, 3 Attwood, 4 Fenning, FL Moss

Moss's race sppedand fastest lap in race 2 were both faster than Rhodes in race 1.

 

May 22 Crystal Palace

1 Rees, 2 Parkes, 3 McKee, 4 Moss, fl Pakes.

 

May 27 Oulton Park

Again 2 races but Marsh, Bloor ®, Pearce, Rees for both

 

June 3 Brands Hatch

1 Moss, 2 Parkes, 3 Taylor (T), 4 Love, fl Taylor (T)

 

June 17 Ulster (actually Charterhall), I'm sure GazChed is correct.

1 Procter, 2 Maggs, 3 Attwood, 4 Blumer fl Taylor.

 

June 24 Brands Hatch

No race recorded in F1R or Autosport but there was a race at Silverstone:

1 Rhodes, 2 Pearce, 3 Harris, 4 Lederle fl not available

 

July 8 Silverstone

Yet again 2 races but Autosport gives overall result

1 Arundell, 2 T Taylor, 3 Rees, 4 Piggott fl shared by Arundell and Taylor.

 

July 15 Aintree

This was the British Grand Prix meeting.  no Junior race.

 

August 7 Brands Hatch

1 Arundelll, 2 Parkes, 3 Maggs, 4 Ashdown fl Arundell.

Aintree 1 Procter, 2 Rees, 3 Cottrell, 4 Attwood fl Procter

 

August 12 Silverstone

6 hour relay race at Silverstone that day.  No Junior race

 

August 20 Snetterton from Autosport

1 Procter, 2 Warr, 3 Robinson fl Warr.

There was a big Junior race at the TT meeting the day before which might have counted.

 

September 2 Crystal Palace

1 T Taylor 2 D Taylor 3 Ashdown 4 Gardner fl T Taylor

 

September 16 Goodwood

1 Attwood, 2 Dibley, 3 Pitcher, 4 Lyon fl Attwood

 

September 23 Oulton Park

1 Maggs, 2 Procter 3 Love, 4 Ouvaroff fl Maggs/Love

 

September 30 Snetterton

1 Parkes, 2 Prophet, 3 Cowley, 4 Woodley, fl cowley

 

October 7 Silverstone

1 Moss, 2 Procter, 3 Gardner, 4 Ouvaroff, fl Moss

 

December 26 Brands Hatch

1 Arundell, 2 Moss, 3 Gardner, 4 Attwood fl Arundell/Moss

[Roger Clark]

Motor Racing published an update in August.  Te state of the championship was

1 Taylor 37.5

2 Arrundell 24.5

3 Marsh 16

4= Maggs, Russell, Moss, Rees 14

8 Parkes 13

 

Taylor and Arundell got half a point each because they shared fastest lap at Silverstone, Arrundell and Ashdown dead heated at Goodwood so had 7 points each with a bonus for Arundell for fastest lap.

 

The next qualifying rounds were

Brands Hatch and Aintree 7 August

Crystal palace 2 Sept

Oulton park Sept 22

Snetterton Sept 30

silverstone October 7

[GazChed]

According to 'formula2.net', the May 27th races at Oulton Park saw George Pitt (Gwyniad) take fastest lap in the first race with Tony Marsh (Lotus 20) setting fastest lap in the second.

[GazChed]

The Brands Hatch rounds were also part of the Brands Hatch based BRSCC John Davy Championship won by Bill Moss in Gemini and Lotus chassis'. All eight Formula Junior races held at Brands formed the championship.

[D-Type]

I think that Motor Racing had strong links with the BARC - it may even have been the club's magazine.  Could this have affected the choice of races and the decision related in the first post?

Edited by D-Type, 14 February 2025 - 23:30.

[Tim Murray]

As it used to say on the cover, Motor Racing magazine was ‘the official organ of the British Racing & Sports Car Club’. As a silly teenager I used to snigger at this description.

[D-Type]

Whoops, fading memory!   BRSCC not BARC

[Odseybod]

As it used to say on the cover, Motor Racing magazine was ‘the official organ of the British Racing & Sports Car Club’. As a silly teenager I used to snigger at this description.

Just as well you didn't encounter the Daimler-Lanchester Owners' Club magazine - The Driving Member.

[O Volante]

First, many thanks again for the various contributions, especially Roger for looking up and sharing all the information from Motor Racing and the relevant Black Book!

 

To find out the championship rounds I took this as the basis, checked it against the formula2.net archive and re-calculated the scores given in the updates and after the likely final event. Some questions remain!

 

The biggest problem remains Round 6 at Snetterton on May 14, 1960. As Roger stated (and other sources confirm), two FJ races were held, but neither the Black Book nor Autosport explain how an overall winner was determinated. Probably there wasn't one: it should be explained at least in the event programme, and fortunately the Programme Cover Project has the 1961 Stanley Sears Trophy Meeting booklet for consultation here:

 

https://www.progcove...erton610514.pdf

 

Nothing about a combined result! Apparently the author of the June update preferred the result of the first race for some reason, and gave Rhodes 8 points. Shouldn't that be 9 including the extra point for fastest lap? In any case the 6 points for 2nd should be added for Moss. This seems not to have happend because together with 4 points from Round 3 Moss' score would be 10 and should appear in the update commentry - Rhodes (8 points) and Marsh (7 points) are there. In fact, I wonder if the error is not the inclussion of Rhodes and the whole May Snetterton round. For the scores given for Moss in the August update (14 points) and after the October Silverstone race / assumed final (29 points) these Snetterton points are not required! May 14 was not on the original list, and the Motor Racing author has also made other mistakes ...

 

The results for Rounds 7 to 9 now look like that: 

 

Round 7

May 22, Crystal Palace

BRSCC Whit Monday International Meeting

1st Alan Rees (Lotus-Ford)

2nd Mike Parkes (Gemini-Ford)

3rd Mike McKee (Lotus-Ford)

4th Bill Moss (Gemini-Ford)

Fastest lap: Mike Parkes

 

Round 8

May 27, Oulton Park

L&CCC Daily Mirror National Meeting

1st Tony Marsh (Lotus-Ford)

2nd Rodney Bloor (Lotus-Ford)

3rd Jack Pearce (Lotus-Ford)

4th Alan Rees (Lotus-Ford)

Fastest lap: George Pitt (Gwyniad-Ford)

 

Round 9

June 3, Brands Hatch

BRSCC Silver City International Meeting - John Davy Trophy

1st Bill Moss (Gemini-Ford)

2nd Mike Parkes (Gemini-Ford)

3rd Trevor Taylor (Lotus-Ford)

4th John Love (Cooper-Austin)

Fastest lap: Trevor Taylor

 

And that was it for the Motor Racing Championship in June. Yes, especially because the Lotus and Tyrrell teams started, it's very tempting to think the Charterhall event was a round, but then the scores given in the August update do not fit at all! See below ...

 

Instead the next Campionship round was the British Empire Trophy Meeting at Silverstone on July 8, 1960. Again two Formula Junior races, but a rather unusual modus: to handle the large number of entries, the organizers decided to held two seperate races, but to put the competitors for the result in only one ranking according to time! Victory fell to the winner of race 2, second was the winner of race 1, third the 2nd of race 1, fourth the 3rd of race 1, fifth the 2nd of race 2 and so on ...

 

Round 10

July 8, Silverstone

BRDC British Empire Trophy Meeting

1st Peter Arundell (Lotus-Ford)

2nd Trevor Taylor (Lotus-Ford)

3rd Alan Rees (Lotus-Ford)

4th Pat Pigott (Lotus-Ford)

Fastest lap: Trevor Taylor and Peter Arundell

 

These ten races went into the standing published in the August updated and provided here by Roger:

 

1st Trevor Taylor 37.5 points

2nd Peter Arundell 24.5 points

3rd Tony Marsh 16 points

4th= Tony Maggs

4th= Jim Russell

4th= Bill Moss

4th= Alan Rees 14 points each

8th Mike Parkes 13 points

 

Taylor had 26 points in the June update, got 5 from Brands Hatch (including extra point) and 6 plus half an extra point for shared fastest lap from Silverstone for a total of 37.5 points.

 

Arundell's incorrect score in the June update (see post #9 above) was now amended, not 4 but 7 points for his shared win at Goodwood (plus extra point for fastest lap) for corrected 16 points, plus 8 points for his Silverstone win and the other half extra point for shared fastest lap for a total of 24.5 points.

 

Marsh had 7 points in the June update and gets 8 points for victory at Oulton Park. 15 points! One point missing for his total of 16 points in the August update! With no other option available, I wonder if the fastest lap extra point at Oulton Park for George Pitt is correct ...

 

Maggs was still on the 14 points from the June update, no points added. The remark cited by Roger "Arrundell (sic) and Ashdown dead heated at Goodwood so had 7 points each with a bonus for Arundell for fastest lap", however, explains what was really wrong with the Maggs score in the June update (see post #9 above). The win in Round 2 at Goodwood was not shared between Arundell and Maggs, but Arundell and Ashdown, and points were given out accordingly! No idea why for example the Autosport survey from 1962 or later sources like formula2.net say it was Arundell and Maggs  ... Any reason for later result corrections?

 

Anyway, at least for Motor Racing and the scoring in its champioship the correct result was:

 

Round 2

April 3, Goodwood

BARC Easter Meeting - Chichester Trophy

1st= Peter Arundell (Lotus-Ford)

1st= Peter Ashdown (Lola-Ford)

3rd= Tony Maggs (Cooper-Austin)

4th Bob Anderson (Lotus-Ford)

Fastest lap: Peter Arundell

 

Russell's 14 points are also unchanged from the June update, Jim still recovering from accident injury.

 

Moss scored since the June update 2 points at Crystal Palace and 8 points for the win at Brands Hatch, meaning he 4 points before to reach his 14 points in the August update - hence my doubts about the the inclussion of Snetterton at May 14!

 

Rees had 2 points before the June update, and got 8 points for the win at Crystal Palace, 2 points for 4th at Oulton Park and 4 points for 3rd at Silverstone. So 16 points together, instead of 14 points. Looking on the sources, is there more wrong with the Oulton Park result?

 

Parkes scored his 13 points with 2nd plus fastest laps at Crystal Palace and 2nd at Brands Hatch. 

 

Further the August update announced the next 6 rounds:

 

Brands Hatch August 7

Aintree August 7

Crystal Palace September 2

Oulton Park September 22

Snetterton September 30

Silverstone October 7

 

These events took place, and the results look like this:

 

Round 11

August 7, Brands Hatch

BRSCC Guards Trophy Meeting - John Davy Trophy

1st Peter Arundell (Lotus-Ford)

2nd Mike Parkes (Gemini-Ford)

3rd Tony Maggs Cooper-Austin)

4th Peter Ashdown (Lotus-Ford)

Fastest lap: Peter Arundell and Mike Parkes

 

Round 12

August 7, Aintree

BARC August Bank Holiday Meeting

1st Peter Procter (Alexis-Ford)

2nd Alan Rees (Lotus-Ford)

3rd Jeremy Cottrell (Cooper-Austin)

4th Bill Bradley (Cooper-Austin) [or Dick Attwood (Cooper-Austin)?]

Fastest lap: Peter Procter [or Jeremy Cottrell?]

 

Round 13

September 2, Crystal Palace

BARC September Trophy

1st Trevor Taylor (Lotus-Ford)

2nd Dennis Taylor (Lola-Ford)

3rd Peter Ashdown (Lotus-Ford)

4th Frank Gardner (Lotus-Ford)

Fastest lap: Trevor Taylor

 

Round 14

September 23, Oulton Park

BARC? International Gold Cup Meeting

1st Tony Maggs (Cooper-Austin)

2nd Peter Procter (Alexis-Ford)

3rd John Love (Cooper-Austin)

4th Steve Ouvaroff (Ausper-Ford)

Fastest Lap: Tony Maggs and John Love

 

Round 15

September 30, Snetterton

SMRC Vanwall Trophy Meeting

1st Mike Parkes (Gemini-Ford)

2nd Bill Moss (Gemini-Ford)

3rd Tony Maggs (Cooper-Austin)

4th Peter Procter (Alexis-Ford)

Fastest lap: Mike Parkes

 

Round 16

October 7, Silverstone

AMOC et al. First Clubmen's Championship Meeting

1st Bill Moss (Gemini-Ford)

2nd Peter Procter (Alexis-Ford)

3rd Frank Gardner (Lotus-Ford)

4th Steve Ouvaroff (Ausper-Ford)

Fastest lap: Bill Moss

 

Adding up all points, all scores fit to the numbers provided by Roger in post #5

 

1st Trevor Taylor 46.5 points

2nd Peter Arundell 33 points

3rd Tony Maggs 30.5 points

4th Bill Moss 29 points

5th Mike Parkes 28.5 points

6th Peter Procter (not given)

 

That's it! Except for the question if the Boxing Day Formula Junior race at Brands Hatch counted for the Motor Racing Championship ... (Arundell-Moss-Gardner-Attwood, fl shared by Arundell & Moss)

Edited by O Volante, 15 February 2025 - 20:56.

[Roger Clark]

Motor Racing said that Junior races at meetings of not less than National Open status would count. The Snetterton programme says it was open to members of the SMRC, BARC, BRSCC and VSCC, which implies Restricted, two levels below National Open. 

[Roger Clark]

Motor Racing December said that Boxing Day Brands was National British which may explain why it didn’t count. 

[Roger Clark]

I couldn't find a mention of an Oulton Park meeting on 27th May in Autosport, either in the race reports, or in the Coming Attractions column the week before.  There was, however, a page of photos and results for an Oulton Park meeting in the June 9th edition. May 27th was a Bank Holiday weekend with a. lot of racing so it is possible that a report was held over. No narrative but the headline said it was Lancs and Cheshire Car Club's Restricted Race Meeting.  Restricted would make it ineligible for the Motor Racing Championship.  

 

Of the two Junior races that day, the first was 10 laps and combined with a sports car race.  This was the one for which Pitt set fastest lap.  The second was 15 laps and was described as the Daily Mirror Trophy so seems to be the senior race.   Marsh set fastest lap in the second race was that would account for his missing point.

 

Is it possible that the Daily Mirror Trophy was a National Open race within an otherwise Restricted meeting?

[RAP]

Maggs was still on the 14 points from the June update, no points added. The remark cited by Roger "Arrundell (sic) and Ashdown dead heated at Goodwood so had 7 points each with a bonus for Arundell for fastest lap", however, explains what was really wrong with the Maggs score in the June update (see post #9 above). The win in Round 2 at Goodwood was not shared between Arundell and Maggs, but Arundell and Ashdown, and points were given out accordingly! No idea why for example the Autosport survey from 1962 or later sources like formula2.net say it was Arundell and Maggs ... Any reason for later result corrections?

The dead-heat was between Maggs & Arundell, not Ashdown. Here is the race report from Robert Barker's book on Goodwood that draws from the Autosport report and access to the BARC archives.

This was a remarkable race. As the flag fell, Peter Arundell slid to his right, pushing Maggs into Russell and McKee. Russell lost a wheel which shot towards Rees who slammed on his brakes and was hit by Parkes, the Gemini ending on top of the Lotus. Other cars dived in all directions to avoid the chaos and numerous dents resulted. Collins had missed all the fun and led into Woodcote - but not out of it, having charged the bank. Prior and Hines were perhaps surprised to find themselves leading in their Lolas with Maggs and Hart following. The Terrier was up to 3rd place for a short time before Maggs overtook again and headed after the leaders. The two Lolas obligingly removed each other when Prior spun at the chicane and was clouted by Hine. Maggs slowed to avoid them and Hart got closer. Arundell had been charging through the field and finally took Hart for second place. The Terrier then dropped back behind Ashdown and Anderson. Arundell, who had lapped 1 second under the class record despite the weather, was now on Maggs' heels and on the last lap the two were side by side for much of the way. Arundell seemed to have the edge out of the chicane but Maggs found the extra ounce and the two crossed the line in a dead heat. This was a remarkable race indeed.

I do not have access to my collection at present but I am pretty sure I have a copy of the official results. Here are the results from Automobile Revue:

Das Klassement: Formel Junior: 1. Arrundell (Lotus), und Maggs (Cooper), 16' 55,4"; 3. Ashdown (Lola), 17' 09,0"; 4. Anderson (Lotus);

Richard Page Formula One Register

[O Volante]

Again many, many thanks for the inflowing answers! I'm very grateful, Roger, I'm well aware of the amount of work involved!

 

I'll comment on the uncertain events in chronological order:

 

Thank you very much for the kind offer, Richard! No doubt the real outcome was Arundell and Maggs shared, but why on earth did Motor Racing give the joint win at Goodwood (Round 2, 3 April 1961) to Arundell and Ashdown? The according score is no slip of pen, the error is appearing all the three classifications published by Motor Racing ... It would be great if your Formula Junior archive could provide an answer to this (and the other) mystery(ies)!

 

Snetterton (Round 6, 14 May 1961) What's the evidence:

- not on original list (post #7)

- came in consideration to be a championship round only because of "John Rhodes 8 points" in the June update (post #8)

- given the known races from Mike Kettlewell's seasonal survey in Autosport and at the fastlane site, it was my suggestion that these 8 points can only come from Rhodes' undisputed win in race 1 at the Stanley Sears Trophy meeting (post #9)

- from the start I had doubts about this idea, because according to the rules Rhodes should have 9 points (honoring his fastest lap) and the 6 points for Moss on 2nd do not appear in the score at all (post #20)

 

Taking now Roger's observation about the event's status as "Restricted" in account, which means it doesn't fulfill the championship round requirements (post #21), I think it's enough to drop the event from this championship reconstruction! Apparently the mention of Rhodes in the update was an error ...

 

Endorsing the above conclusion means immediately trouble when looking on the Oulton Park event (Round 8, 27 May 1961). Yes, it's the Lancs and Cheshire Car Club meeting, and the programme cover shown at the Programme Covers Project site definitely announces another "Restricted" event. A big difference, however, is that it was listed as championship round in the June update! The two Formula Junior races were mentioned at the formula2.net archive, having a fastest lap for Pitt in race 1 better than Marsh's in race 2. Assuming the two races belonging together, I counted the extra point for Pitt (Sorry, Gaz!). Indeed, Roger's proposal of two entirely separate races (post #23) is the likely truth - and a fine solution for Marsh's missing point! Championship round!

 

And the Boxing Day meeting. I wholly agree, not only for the status as Roger writes (post #22), but also because it was definitely no championship round the year before: As early as in its 9 December 1960 edition, page 1007, The Autocar informs the readers about the award giving for the 1960 Motor Racing Formula Junior Championship.

 

So, a 15-round 1961 Motor Racing Formula Junior Championship: 

round - place - date - winner

 

1 - Snetterton - 25 March - Trevor Taylor (Lotus-Ford)

2 - Goodwood - 3 April - Peter Arundell (Lotus-Ford) Tony Maggs (Cooper-Austin) shared

3 - Oulton Park - 15 April - Trevor Taylor (Lotus-Ford)

4 - Aintree - 22 April - Trevor Taylor (Lotus-Ford)

5 - Silverstone - 6 May - Jim Russell (Lotus-Ford)

6 - Crystal Palace - 22 May - Alan Rees (Lotus-Ford)

7 - Oulton Park - 27 May - Tony Marsh (Lotus-Ford)

8 - Brands Hatch - 3 June - Bill Moss (Gemini-Ford)

9 - Silverstone - 8 July - Peter Arundell (Lotus-Ford)

10 - Brands Hatch - 7 August - Peter Arundell (Lotus-Ford)

11 - Aintree - 7 August - Peter Procter (Alexis-Ford)

12 - Crystal Palace - 2 September - Trevor Taylor (Lotus-Ford)

13 - Oulton Park - 22 September - Tony Maggs (Cooper-Austin)

14 - Snetterton - 30 September - Mike Parkes (Gemini-Ford)

15 - Silverstone - 7 October - Bill Moss (Gemini-Ford)

[Roger Clark]

Another mystery: why wasn't the Junior race at the TT meeting included?  The result was 

1 Rees

2 Youl (in a new car of great significance)

3 D Taylor

4 Angus Hyslop

fl Rees.

 

The Autosprt report was headed BARC FJ Championship which I hadn't heard of for that year.  The same edition of Autosport gave standings for the john Davy championship.

[O Volante]

As far as I could find out, in this case the term "championship" was used in sense known from horse racing: single event, no series of rounds. Acknowledging the rise of Formula Junior, the BARC estabilished the "BARC Formula Junior Championship" in 1960 as a high qualitity prelim for the TT. Interestingly, it was no stand-alone race in that year but round 10 of the 1960 Motor Racing Formula Junior Championship ...

[RAP]

As far as I could find out, in this case the term "championship" was used in sense known from horse racing: single event, no series of rounds. Acknowledging the rise of Formula Junior, the BARC estabilished the "BARC Formula Junior Championship" in 1960 as a high qualitity prelim for the TT. Interestingly, it was no stand-alone race in that year but round 10 of the 1960 Motor Racing Formula Junior Championship ...

Correct. It was only ever a single race, supporting the Tourist Trophy. The use of "championship" has often misled people in to exaggerating its importance. 

RAP

[O Volante]

Many thanks again. Apparently this file can be closed for the time being. 

 

By choosing races organized by all the relevant big clubs, the Motor Racing Formula Junior Championship became a representative, a National championship. At least in hindsight that's how it appears. In any case the parallel enterprises of the John Davy group, the Brands Hatch circuit and the BRSCC are something different. But apart from the obvious focus on high end international and open national races, there is no indication how and why this event was included, and that event not ...

 

For the 1962 series, I have all the race results from Autosport (plus Fastlane/Formula 2net archive) but also three open questions!

 

1) Was the 1962 championship still supported/organized by Motor Racing? Or was it really a BARC series - as claimed everywhere in the net?

 

2) Did it use in 1962 the same scoring system (8-6-4-2 points plus 1 for fastest lap, counting only best results) as before?

 

3) How were the final 1961 standings?

[Roger Clark]

I couldn’t find a mention of a 1962 championship in Motor Racing.   In 1963, a similar championship was sponsored by the Express and Star, a West Midlands newspaper. 

[Sterzo]

I couldn’t find a mention of a 1962 championship in Motor Racing.   In 1963, a similar championship was sponsored by the Express and Star, a West Midlands newspaper. 

Ahem, THE West Midlands newspaper, with a "near national" status at the time. The proprietor's or managing director's son, Doug Graham, raced a Lotus XI around 1957.

[GazChed]

According to both the fastlane and formula2.net both the BRSCC and the BARC organised Formula Junior championships in 1962,the BRSCC's over eighteen rounds and the BARCs over thirteen. As Roger has mentioned, the Express and Star newspaper sponsored the 1963 Formula Junior championship and it was organised by the BARC and run over twenty two rounds with Peter Arundell the the champion by just one point from Denny Hulme. Apparently the scores for the first two in the championship were forty and thirty nine points respectively in a twenty two round championship, so what the scoring system was I am not sure...

[RAP]

Fastlane/formula2.net are pretty unreliable when it comes to championships.

I have the Motor Racing Register Yearbook 1964 that lists all the 1963 British championships. 

The Express & Star championship is the ONLY British FJ championship. Like the earlier Motor Racing  championship is was scored at the major meetings -

6 April Oulton Park

15 april Goodwood

27 April Aintree

11 May silverstone

3 June Crystal Palace

20 July Silverstone

14 August Goodwood

14 Sept Brands Hatch

Best 5 scores to count

1. Arundell 40

2. Hulme 39

3. Gardner 25

The full championship table is in the Formula One Regster Formula Junior 1963 book.

I VERY seriuosly doubt the statement that it was organised by BARC. The races were part of the programme at the above meetings, organisede variously by BARC, BRDC & BRSCC so there was no "organising" involved.

 

Neither BARC or BRSCC scored a championship according to the MRR Year book. 

Skim-reading the Autosporet seasonal review, they only mention the Express & Star champ.

 

RAP Formula One Register

[Roger Clark]

 

I VERY seriuosly doubt the statement that it was organised by BARC. The races were part of the programme at the above meetings, organisede variously by BARC, BRDC & BRSCC so there was no "organising" involved.

 

Neither BARC or BRSCC scored a championship according to the MRR Year book. 

Skim-reading the Autosporet seasonal review, they only mention the Express & Star champ.

 

RAP Formula One Register

Somebody must have drawn up and applied the rules, simple though they were.  It's unlikely to have been the Express and Star, however eminent a newspaper it may have been.  I think it must have been an organisation closely involved in national racing.

[O Volante]

Good to hear from you all, many thanks again!

 

The year in question is 1962. I'll explain: 

 

Formula Junior "rocketed" to prominence in Britain in 1960. Two championships were established. All races at Brands Hatch counted for the John Davy championship. Despite a title sponsor very much a club championship.

 

Motor Racing, the magazine, organized the other series. The races making up the 13 rounds (originally 14, championship status revoked for the BRDC Silverstone round at 1 October 1960) were organized by the BARC (5), the BRSCC (3), the BRDC (2), the Snetterton Motor Racing Club (2) and the Mid-Cheshire Motor Club (1). Among the rounds were preliminary races for the top national events: Aintree 200, Silverstone International Trophy, British Grand Prix, Tourist Trophy. Very representative, and even without mentioning it in the name, a British Formula Junior championship.

 

As I said, I have only selected access to relevant original sources. For some reason it was easy to find 1960 stuff, i.e. race reports, results, counting modus and standings. As usual, Autosport covered almost every FJ race but never mentioned rival Motor Racing's championship! Further, in the results Autosport usually gave at best top six or so. Here fastlane and formula2.net were welcome as a guideline to reconstruct the calender and to complete the results. For 1961 this didn't work - hence this whole exercise! As result it can be said there were the same championships as in 1960, with the same characteristics - Motor Racing's national selection, John Davy's club style with all races counting.

 

For 1962 there's a different situation: now only four races were counting for the John Davy Champioship, but a number of other Formula Junior races were held for John Davy trophies - very confusing! Interestingly Autosport didn't hesitate to publish this change, but again I couldn't find a single word on a "National" championship in the Autosport copies I have ... Based on scattered remarks, and also the fastlane and formula2.net material, however, there is good reason to assume there was a 1962 "National" series with Peter Arundell as undisputed winner. Hence my question who organized it. The additional questions on scoring and final standings are important because the better known 1963 edition, i.e. Express & Star British Formula Championship had definitely a different modus - not 8-6-4-2 plus fastest lap but 9-6-4-3-2-1 like the 1962 Driver's World Championship. 

 

Sometimes the BARC is mentioned as the organizer for both the 1962 and 1963 "National" championships, but is it true for 1962? As Roger's post #30 clearly indicates, in 1962 Motor Racing was not involved anymore. Nevertheless, with apparently 13 rounds organized by BARC (7), BRSCC (2), Snetterton Motor Racing Club (2) and BRDC (2) the series definitely retained its representative character. Richard, do you have also a Motor Racing Register Yearbook 1963 that lists all the 1962 British championships on hand? No doubts about 1963 and 1964, both BARC Express & Star British Formula Junior resp. Formula 3 Championship.

[Roger Clark]

I have the 1963 Motor racing register. It has results for the 1962 John Davy championship but says that in 1963 it would be for GT cars. In 1962 there was a Peco GT championship which it said would not be run in 1963 so I'm assuming that the John Davy championship was a replacement.

[O Volante]

Thanks a lot, Roger!

 

But nothing on the (likely) BARC championship in 1962? No one?

[RAP]

The scoring for the 1962 John Day Trophy was, I believe

                                                        1       2       3        4          Total

    1.      John Fenning                    9*      5*        -        -               12

    2.      Denis Hulme                      -        -        -      9*                 9

   3=      John Rhodes                       -       8        -        -                 8

             Tony Maggs                        -        -       8        -                 8

   5=      Brian Berrow-Johnson     7*        -        -        -                 7         

             Peter Arundell                   -        -      7*        -                 7

   6=      Frank Gardner                   -       6        -        -                 6

             Mike de Udy                      -        -        -        6                 6

   9=      Ken Simmons                    4        -        -        -                 4

             John Mew                           -        -        -        4                 4

             Michael Spence                  -        -       4        -                 4

             John Mastin                        -       1        -        3                 4

             Ian Raby                             -       3        -        1                 4

Points – 8-6-4-3-2-1 + 1 for fastest lap (shown * above)

Others – M Niven, J Hine scored 3 points ; J Love*, M Gould, J Pearce, R Attwood, J Williams 2 ; L Gibbs, 1

Rounds – Brands Hatch 23.04, 27.04. 06.08, 26.12

 

For 1963 the BRSCC stopped running FJ races at their Brands club meetings, replacing them with races for Racing Cars up to 1500cc. or Unlimited capacity. I have no evidence that these consititued a championship. For example. the 24 March programme just says "Up to 1500cc Single-seater racing cars" whereas another races says "John Davy Trophy Race GT Cars up to 1150cc" (there were races for 1600 and over 1600 cars) As Roger said, the John Davy Trophy was contested for GT cars

 

RAP

[O Volante]

Many, many thanks again to Roger & Richard!

 

Considering your 1962 information, with apparently no contemporary evidence for something else, there is only one conclusion: no National British Formula Junior championship (as defined above) in that year!

 

So after Roy Pike's 1965 British Formula 3 Championship another series made up later ...