Grand Prix de Pau

Pau, 5 Apr 1970

All cars are 1.6-litre F2 unless noted.

Notes on the cars:

1. Lotus 69 [69.F2.4] (Jochen Rindt): New to Jochen Rindt Racing Ltd, managed by Bernie Ecclestone, for Jochen Rindt to race in F2 in 1970. According to Richard Spelberg's research, this car was Rindt's previous Lotus 59B chassis 59-F2-19 converted to Lotus 69 specification for 1970. Sold for 1971 to Wilson Fittipaldi's new Team Bardahl, managed by mechanic Richard Divila, but Fittipaldi could not get on with it, and it was soon replaced with a new March 712M. The Lotus ended up with dealer Bobby Howlings, who drove it at Croft on 19 September, after which it was evaluated briefly by Peter Hanson as a possible route back into single-seaters. Instead it was sold to another wheeler-dealer, Brian Classick, who raced in in libre in October. In early 1972 Classick entered it in libre for Willie Green then it was sold to John Coulter for libre later in the season, and then sold to Johnny Blades, who raced it once at the end of 1972. Blades advertised the car as "ex-Rindt, ex-Coulter" in November 1972, and as "ex-Rindt" in March 1973. As Rindt's Lotus 59B had been rebuilt into his Lotus 69, this is the only car that can have been. The car was acquired soon after this, possibly directly from Blades, by a major but very private collector of Lotuses, and remained in his collection, unseen, for over 20 years. According to historian David McKinney, the car was being stored by Peter Spooner in the mid-1990s, but when Spooner later died, the Lotus 69 was sold by his son David Spooner in lieu of storage charges to Joe Willenpart (Austria) around 2003.
2. Brabham BT30 [15] (Henri Pescarolo): Sold new 1970 to Bob Gerard and used in European F2 by Henri Pescarolo and Peter Gaydon. Retained 1971, and run in the early part of the season in F2 for Brian Hart. However, financial constraints forced Gerard to cut back and he then ran the car in Atlantic for his mechanic, Bob Salisbury. Replaced as the team's main car by a BT35 late in the 1971 season but retained and continued to appear on occasion. Sold to Martin Webb (Solihull, West Midlands) in 1972 for Libre races. Raced extensively in 1972, but then not seen at all in 1973. Advertised by Webb in March 1974 and then presumably the "ex-Pescarolo" BT30 advertised by Bobby Howlings in 1975 and 1976. Sold to David Ward in early 1977 and fitted with a Hart BDA for libre racing, sharing with Stan Billington. Then to novice racer John Travis (Tarleton, Lancashire) who raced it in libre in 1978 and 1979, like Ward calling it a BT35. Traded back to Bobby Howlings for a March 742 for 1980. By early 1985, this ex-Travis, ex-Howlings car was with Marcus King and raced in in HSCC events, but by that time its identity was not known. It was then believed to have been recently owned by Graham Galliers, and Galliers had advertised a BT30 from a Shrewsbury number in September 1982. Subsequent history unknown but a car with this chassis number restored by Bob Salisbury in 2003 for owner Richard Kendle. This car with David Brown (Ashford, Kent) by 2007.
3. Brabham BT30 [10] (Tim Schenken): Sold new to Rodney Bloor's Sports Motors (Manchester) Ltd and run for Tim Schenken in F2 in 1970. Raced also by Gerry Birrell once at Hockenheim. Sold to Ian Bannen and entered by him for Cyd Williams to drive in a few F2 races at the start of 1971 but sold mid 1971 to Bill Creasy (Dunstable, Bedfordshire), fitted with a Broadspeed twin cam and used in Libre and Formula Atlantic races, mainly at Silverstone. Raced again briefly by Creasy at the start of 1973 then sold to David Howes in part-exchange for a Mustang. Next seen with Simon Riley (Edmonton, North London) and hill-climbed in 1973, when it was reported as having a FVA engine again, and in early 1974. Subsequent history unknown but a car claiming this identity was bought from Manchester dealer Bob Fernley by William Southern (Blackpool) some time in the 1970s. Southern kept the car until selling it to dealer John Brannigan in the mid/late 1980s. To Jim Gathercole (Burton-on-Trent, Staffordshire) 1989, and raced in Historic F2. Restored and sold to Nicolas Moreau de Melen (Belgium) 2007. To Bernd and Michael Quitzow (Germany) 2009.
4. Brabham BT30 [16] (Derek Bell): New to Tom Wheatcroft and entered for Derek Bell to race in F2 in 1970. To Jeremy Richardson and raced in F2 and libre during 1971. Then to Alex Seldon (Ripley, Surrey) and raced in libre through 1972 and 1973. Advertised by Seldon in February 1974 and next owner unknown but the FVA was removed and the car stored in a dry barn until 1984 when Ted Walker bought it via John Harper. Sold to Lincoln Small in 1986 and used for many years in historic racing.
5. Brabham BT30 [9] (François Mazet): Sold new to Rodney Bloor's Sports Motors (Manchester) Ltd and run for François Mazet in F2 in 1970. Raced also by Gerry Birrell once at the end of the season. Then to Monegasque Lionel Noghès and raced under the Écurie Monaco banner in F2 in 1971. Last mentioned in June 1972 when the gearbox was stolen from the car while it was in storage at Lenham Hurst (Folkestone, Kent). Subsequent history unknown. The Noghès family are closely connected to the ruling family of Monaco and it is possible that the car has remained in the principality as part of The Private Collection of Antique Cars of H.S.H. Prince Rainier III.
6. Tecno 68/69/F2 [T00 806] (François Cevert): Built for the Tecno Racing Team for François Cevert to race in F2 in 1970, first appearing at the Grand Prix de Pau where Autosport referred to it as "a completely new and unsorted car" but confused matter by describing it as a 68/69 car. Later on, Autosport referred to it as a "basically 1968 model" in its Crystal Palace report in May, but gave its chassis number as "T00 806". Cevert drove it in eight races that season, including a win at Mantorp Park in August. "Jean Max" drove it at Tulln-Langenlebarn two weeks later. It was sold to Racing Team IRIS and was Arturo Merzario's regular car in the first half of the 1971 F2 season. Later, it was driven for Racing Team IRIS by Luigi Fontanesi, Claudio Francisci and Spartaco Dini. Subsequent history unknown.
7. Lotus 69 [69.F2.2] (Tetsu Ikuzawa): New to Tetsu Ikuzawa and raced in F2 in 1970. What happened to this car in 1971 is something of a puzzle. In January, it was advertised by Jim Gleave's MRE (Bourne End, Bucks) and in March 1971, Ikuzawa was said by Autosport to have "sold his 69 of last year to an Irishman and replaced it with a new one". The first F2 report said his 1970 car had gone to John Pollock, and he did race a Lotus 69 in 1971, but it was said to be a 1971 car, and a later advert revealed that it was the ex-Rollinson 1971 car. Ikuzawa actually sold his 1970 Lotus 69 to Norimitsu Urushihara, who raced an "ex-Ikuzawa" Lotus 69 in Japan in 1971 and 1972. The car was later found in storage by Ikuzawa, who had the car immaculately restored. It is on display in his magnificent collection of racing cars in Japan.
8. Pygmée MDB15 [170] (Patrick Dal Bo): New for Patrick Dal Bo to drive in F2 in 1970. Dal Bo also raced the car in two hillclimbs in September 1970. Sold for 1971 to Jean Lachaud (Sainte-Colombe, Rhone), who had previously raced a Pygmée MDB12 in hillclimbs, and fitted with a 1800cc Cosworth FVC engine. Lachaud upgraded again for 1972 to a MDB16, and the MDB15 was sold to Régis Péchaire, who raced it in 1972 and 1973. Subsequent history unknown, but Gérard Gamand records the car's later owners as Camille Bourge in 1980, Alberto Bonisoli in 2002, and Jean-Jacques Bailly (Monaco) in 2010.
9. Tecno 68/69/F2 [T00 808] (Clay Regazzoni): Built for the Tecno Racing Team for Clay Regazzoni to race in F2 in 1970, first appearing at the opening round, at Thruxton, where Autosport called it "one of last year's updated 1968 cars" but recorded its chassis number as "T00 808". Regazzoni used it for his first six F2 races of the season, including a win at Hockenheim in April, but then moved to the newer '804 for the rest of the season. "Jean Max" drove '808 at Paul Ricard in July as a third works entry, and it is presumably the "'800" raced by Giovanni Salvati at Enna in August. Cevert then took over '808 for three races at the end of the season. It was reported by Motoring News as the F3 car of Claudio Francisci during the Torneio Brasileiro de Formula 3 in 1971, but there was to be some doubt about this. For 1971, it was sold with '806 to Racing Team IRIS and was driven by Claudio Francisci and Nanni Galli. Towards the end of the season, Luigi Fontanesi drove it at Vallelunga but failed to qualify. Francisci returned to it for the Torneio Brasiliero, but crashed in practice for the opening race and it was not seen in F2 again. Autosprint then recorded '808 as the F3 car raced by several drivers in 1972. Subsequent history unknown.
10. Pygmée MDB15 [370] (Jean-Pierre Beltoise): New for Jean-Pierre Beltoise to drive in F2 in 1970. To Michel Roussin (Lyon, Rhône-Alpes) and fitted with a 1800cc Cosworth FVC for French hillclimbs in 1971. To Jean Lapierre (Montélimar, Rhône-Alpes) for 1972, using both 1600cc and 1800ss engines; and retained for 1973. Unknown in 1974 and 1975. Raced by Pierre Chapouan in 1976, again reportedly with 1600cc and 1800cc; then in 1977 with reports of a 2-litre JRD Chrysler engine. Raced again by Chapouan in 1979, 1980 and 1981. Subsequent history unknown.
11. Lotus 69 [69.F2.5] (John Miles): New to Jochen Rindt Racing Ltd, managed by Bernie Ecclestone, for John Mikes and Graham Hill to race in F2 in 1970. According to Richard Spelberg's research, this car was Hill's previous Lotus 59B chassis 59-F2-20 converted to Lotus 69 specification for 1970. Also driven by Eugenio Baturone at Montjuich Park. Retained by Ecclestone for Hill to race in the first few F2 races of 1971, then sold to Pete Lovely and fitted with the rear end of his Lotus 49B for suitable races at his home track in Seattle, and for the 1971 US GP. After Lovely died in 2011, the car was sold by his daughter to Peter Gleeson (Seattle, WA), a BMW collector originally from England.
12. Brabham BT30 [17] (Jack Brabham): New to John Coombs Racing and entered for Jackie Stewart and Jack Brabham in F2 in 1970. Fitted with a Cosworth FVC for Stewart to win the 1970 JAF GP. To Mike Goth September 1970 for three late-season F2 races. To Silvio Moser (Lugano, Switzerland) for F2 in 1971 up to Rouen in late June, after which Moser had a BT36. The next stages of this car's life are unknown but a 1996 Coys auction catalogue said that it had been used in hillclimbs until bought by the then current owner in 1976. The car was sold after the auction to Jay Galpin and then on to Bob Baker.
13. Brabham BT30 [23] (Peter Westbury): To FIRST Racing for Peter Westbury to drive in F2 in 1970. Retained very briefly at the start of the 1971 season and then sold to Japan. This is presumably the car fitted with a Mitsubishi Colt R39B engine and raced by Hiroshi Kazato in 1971, by Hiroshi Fushida in 1972 and by Kiyoshi Misaki at the Singapore GP in 1973 but as yet this is only speculation. Nothing more known.

Sources

Note that the identification of individual cars in these results is based on the material presented elsewhere in this site and may in some cases contradict the organisers' published results.

All comments, clarifications, corrections and additions are most welcome. Please email Allen (allen@oldracingcars.com) if you can help in any way with our research.

Individual sources for this event

Autosport (9 Apr 1970 pp12-14) doesn't give chassis numbers but does mention that Regga was in his Thruxton car and Cevert had "a completely new and unsorted" one. Miles' Lotus 69 was equally untested and Jabouille appeared with a third Pygmée.