Vandervell British Formula 3 Championship Race

Silverstone, 19 Mar 1978

All cars are 2-litre F3 unless noted.

Notes on the cars:

1. March 783 [21] (Nigel Mansell): Shown in March records for 1978 as completed as a team car, 17 March 1978, with tub 78M43. This was the only works car built in 1978 and is the car debuted by Nigel Mansell at Silverstone, 19 March 1978, when race reports describe it as brand new. Used by Mansell in the early part of the season then by Snobeck, van Rooyen, Bullman and Hatagawa.
2. Chevron B43 [43.78.08] (Michael Bleekemolen): New to Chevron Racing Team for Michael Bleekemolen to race in the European F3 championship in 1978, sponsored by F&S Properties. Unknown from 1979 to 1985, when it was used by Dennis Humphries in British libre events.
3. Chevron B38 [38.77.18] (Jim Crawford): New to Chevron Racing Team for Thorkild Thyrring to race in British F3 in 1977, entered by Marlboro Jockey Todenskjold. Borrowed by Jim Crawford for a race at Mallory Park in September, and by Divina Galica for a race at Thruxton. Raced by Crawford again at the start of 1978 but wrecked in an accident at Thruxton at the end of March. Salageable parts were used in a new Chevron B43.
4. Ralt RT1/76 [29] (Geoff Brabham): Ralt records show as sold to Geoff Brabham in 1976, probably being delivered in early June. Used by him until the end of 1978 then sold to Ken Thorogood's Hub of the Universe Racing for Osamu Hatagawa to use in British races.
5. March 773 [U2] (Ian Flux): March works records show this as James King's works car for 1977 built on a lightweight tub AM773-41 with parts from 763-U2. This would be the "ex-King" car sold to Ian Flux early in 1978, and raced by him in the 1978 British F3 series.
6. Chevron B38 [38.77.24] (Philip Bullman): New to Alan Docking Racing for Philippe Colonna to race in British F3 in 1977. Retained by the Docking team for 1978, and raced by Philip Bullman and by Colonna in British F3. Unknown in 1979 but purchased by Eddie Heasell in early 1980 for British F3 and libre. Retained for libre in 1981.
7. March 773 [U1] (Richard Morgan): March works records show this as Mario Ferraris' works car for 1977 built on tub AM773-14 and rebuilt after Ferraris' Monaco accident on tub AM773-65. Sold in March 1978 to Neasrader Film Production for Richard Morgan according to the works records. Motoring News 30 Mar 1978 p11 says that Morgan's car is ex King, but we know from reports and the works records that King's main car was 773-U2. However, that car was damaged in the 1977 season and it is possible that King used 773-U1 after its rebuild as Ferraris' damaged wrist took longer to recover than the car did. Sold to John Bright in 1979 to replace his wrecked 773-13 and its identity eventually perhaps blurred with that car in a rebuild after a heavy accident.
8. Chevron B38 [38.77.30] (Hans Royer): New to Frank Sytner for the British GP F3 support race. The raced by Geoff Lees as a Chevron Racing Team entry at two late-season races. According to Chris Townsend's research it went to Roy Kennedy Racing for Hans Royer in 1978, then to Dennis Aldred 1979 to 1983, Helen Bashford 1983 to 1989, Hugh Mellor (Hitchin) 1989 and 1990, Peter Teichmann 1991 to 1996, and then to Steve Nichols.
9. Wheatcroft R18 [006?] (John Bright): Chassis 006 is believed to be the identity of the rebuilt car raced by John Bright (Leicester) in British Formula 3 following his massive accident at Cadwell Park in July 1977. Bright first drove the "rebuilt" car at Donington Park on the last day of July, and continued with it to the end of that season. He raced it again in 1978, but again crashed, at Brands Hatch in July, and this time the car did not reappear. Bright sold the R18 to Rhoddy Harvey-Bailey (Hilton, Derbyshire) and John Colley for 1979, and as part of the deal Bright rebuilt it to Formula Atlantic specification. It was raced by Harvey-Bailey, Colley and Ian Shaw, using Alan Smith BDA engines. It was also raced on one occasion by John Bright. It was advertised by Roger Cowman in September 1979 as "hardly used". Colley sold it to hillclimber Richard Barnes (Lichfield, Staffordshire), who fitted an 1100cc Cosworth BDJ and hillclimbed it for a while. He has retained the car in his collection since then.
10. March 753 [U22] (Giordano Regazzoni): According to the March build records constructed in 1975 from discarded parts of works cars 753-U1 and 763-U1 for Giordano ‘Dodo’ Regazzoni. Probably used by the works drivers Nilsson and Ribeiro at Cadwell Park and the British GP support race in July 1975, with this car built as temporary replacement for Nilsson’s 753-U1 rolled at the Monza Lotteria in late June. Retained by Regazzoni into 1978. Motoring News 16 Mar 1978 p7 comments that Regazzoni is still using last year’s car.
11. March 773 [10] (Sead Ali Hodzic): According to March records delivered in March 1977 to AFMP Euroracing, and subsequently given to Brett Riley in lieu of his contractual payments when the Euroracing set-up was dissolved. (This does not mean the car was Riley’s early season car in 1977; he used at least two before the team collapsed, neither of which were necessarily this car.) Run by David Price for Riley in the second half of 1977 and used to win the European round at Donington. Chassis number given in Autosport advert late in 1977 by Price. Sold to Roy Kennedy [Motoring News 2 Mar 1978 p15] although Autosport 9 Mar 1978 p41 says the car is ‘ex James King’. (King used a works car - 773-U2 - for most of 1977 but it is possible he had a race in this car early in the season, however his principal car went in 1978 to Ian Flux.) Run by Kennedy for Saed Ali Hodzic until Hodzic was injured in practice at the International Trophy support race; then became a rental car but did very few races. For sale by Kennedy in early 1979, Autosport 22 Feb 1979 p57, but retained and rented to Serge Saulnier for the 1979 race at Monaco.
12. Chevron B38 [38.77.02] (TBA): New to Chris Farrell for British F3 in 1977. To Barry Green for 1979, and run for him in British F3 by Fred Opert Racing. Last used by Green in July 1978, and then unknown until seen with Mike Brown in Sprints in 1984 …
13. Chevron B43 [43.78.16] (Patrick Stüder): One of four Chevron B43s order by Emil Frey AG and invoiced by Chevron to Freddy Kessler of Toyota Switzerland (Sasenwil, Switzerland). This car was raced by Patrick Studer in the Swiss championship, winning the title, and was then returned to Emil Frey AG. It was crashed while testing in early 1979 and the bent tub was acquired by Kessler. Acquired from Kessler by Tim Colman of Chevron Racing Cars in 2011 or 2012 and rebuilt.

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.

These British Formula 3 results have been compiled by Chris Townsend using the main British magazines Autosport and Motoring News but also the US magazine On Track which carried surprisingly good coverage of the British series.

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

Motoring News 23 Mar 1978 pp22-23, Autohebdo, Programme AF, Autosprint (Warwick's grid time).