F3 History

Considering how many other F3 races were held this year on a two heats and a final basis when numbers didn’t warrant it, it is amazing the organisers didn’t adopt that approach for this race. All the fastest times were set in the afternoon session as many of the drivers became more familiar with the rather flat and featureless track. Pole position went to the Alpine-Renault of Jean-Pierre Jabouille, both Alpines were using new aerodynamic rear bodies on the A360s and they were very quick in a straight line and looked very stable through the corners on their new Firestone slicks. Second fastest was Dave Walker who was feeling much happier after a new engine was installed and his rear camber angles were changed, joining the works Lotus at the front was the private entry of Claude Bourgoignie. The second row was headed by the second Alpine of Patrick Depailler ahead of James Hunt also using Firestone slicks. On the third row was another Lotus 69, this one belonging to Rikki von Opel with Bev Bond’s Ensign on Dunlop slicks, completing the row was the Lotus 69 of Manfred Möhr. An interesting returnee from F2 further down the field was Gerry Birrel in a Lotus-owned 69.
The 30 qualifiers were separated by 2.1 seconds and amongst the unlucky drivers not to make it were Barrie Maskell (Chevron B18), Chris Skeaping (Chevron B17), Brendan McInerney in his new March 713M and David Purley’s Brabham BT28.

There was chaos at the start when the signalling arch over the grid that gave the countdown went wrong. The timer was meant to show 30secs, 15secs and finally at 0.00secs white lights would flash indicating the start, unfortunately there was a couple of seconds gap between the zero and the lights. Some drivers went on 0.00, others waited for the lights, most impressive starter was Ferreira who went on 0.00 whilst the front row waited for the lights, he passed the front row just as they were moving! Walker found himself in 12th place and was expecting the black flag to be shown whilst Jabouille immediately pulled into the pits and retired as a formal protest.
Ferreira didn’t lead for long as Depailler, another 0.00 starter, was quickly past into the lead. Hunt took second from Ferreira with Andersson fourth from Guitteny, a recovering Walker and Sutcliffe. On lap 2 Walker moved up to fourth and on the next lap he was right behind Depailler and Hunt with the three cars rapidly leaving the others behind. Hunt and Depailler exchanged the lead several times over the next few laps until lap 8 when Walker took a turn at the front. Behind the leaders Williamson and Guitteny were fighting over fourth whilst Ferreira was falling back after missing a gear as was Andersson. Now making a move forward was Bev Bond who had been embroiled in a massive 20 car battle behind the leaders, he managed to break free and was now moving rapidly up to sixth and closing in on the fourth place battle.
By half distance Walker was just leading from Depailler with Hunt a few car lengths behind, next came Williamson with Bond climbing all over him and Guitteny in sixth. Behind these the big group was still falling all over each other with the cars running as much as five abreast across the straight. In trouble was von Opel who retired with a flat engine, McGuire who had a brief fire from a shorting battery, Gerry Birrell who had lost the balance weights from his wheels and Vandervell who had a sick engine.
Depailler took the lead again on lap 16 with Walker and Hunt still hard on his tail, behind them Bond had now got ahead of Williamson with Guitteny loosing a few seconds in sixth. With five laps to go Hunt sped up and caught the two in front, however he got too close to Walker and tapped the Lotus gearbox, in a second the March spun. Such was his lead over the rest of the pack that Hunt was able to hold onto his third place but he had lost any chance of a win. The Alpine held the lead from lap 19 to 23 but Walker had it all sorted and he passed Depailler with two laps to go and immediately pulled out a few car lengths which he held to the flag. Depailler came in second with Hunt a chastened third ahead of Williamson who squeezed past Bond on the last lap.