European Formula 5000 1971

The three main F5000 constructors had new cars out for 1971, but fared very differently. The previously dominant McLaren-Trojan operation introduced a new McLaren M18, but it was not as quick as the M10B, and proved a major setback. Surtees had much more success with their new model, the Surtees TS8, and Mike Hailwood took pole position at each of the first four races. The Lola T192 was more evolutionary, incorporating Frank Gardner's developments of the T190 into the production cars, and proved very competitive in Gardner's hands, the Australian taking three early wins. In August, Lola introduced the prototype Lola T300 for Gardner to drive, and from then on he was comfortably fastest, beating Hailwood to the title by a massive margin.

Lotus made no headway at all with their Lotus 70, and Len Terry's Leda LT25 achieved no more than the dreadful LT20 and LT22. New Tasman champion Graham McRae wrote off his new McLaren M18 so went back to developing his ageing McLaren M10B and won three races, giving him ideas for his own car.

The races

28 Mar 1971 > Mallory Park

09 Apr 1971 > Snetterton

12 Apr 1971 > Brands Hatch

02 May 1971 > Mondello Park

08 May 1971 > International Trophy at Silverstone

15 May 1971 > Castle Combe

30 May 1971 > Mallory Park

20 Jun 1971 > Monza

04 Jul 1971 > Mallory Park

01 Aug 1971 > Thruxton

14 Aug 1971 > Silverstone

21 Aug 1971 > Gold Cup at Oulton Park

30 Aug 1971 > Snetterton

12 Sep 1971 > Hockenheim

18 Sep 1971 > Oulton Park

26 Sep 1971 > Brands Hatch

1971 Rothmans European Formula 5000 Championship table

Previous: the 1970 season

Next: the 1972 season

This series ran over 20 rounds and used the traditional 9-6-4-3-2-1 points system. Points tables from Race Report No 4 p149.

For further details, see Wolfgang Klopfer's excellent Formula 5000 in Europe: Race by Race p68.