Race Report: Brands Hatch, 13 October 1974

brands-hatch_13_10_74

There was another new face this week in the Lombard North Central round, Sweden’s Gunnar Nilsson in his March 743 and indeed it was Nilsson who sat on pole although many felt his time was a little optimistic. Danny Sullivan only managed three laps before his engine threw a belt damaging the head, a new head was fitted for the race but Sullivan was well down the grid. Also in difficulties was Mike Tyrrell with a broken clutch line and then on the warm up lap his March stripped a gear.

Nilsson took the lead from pole position chased by Ribeiro, Chateaubriand, Henton who had clutch slip, Santo and Andersson whilst Robert Joubert was left on the grid and needed a push start on his Brabham BT41 before he could start. At the end of the first lap Nilsson and Ribeiro had opened out a small gap on Henton and Chateaubriand but at the end of the next lap there was one long train consisting of Nilsson, Ribeiro, Henton, Chateaubriand, Santo, Andersson, and Danny Sullivan who was making up ground well. Already out was Tony Rouff with an off at Druids and Nick von Preussen was in the pits with a broken wing that was dragging along the track.
Nilsson’s engine began to misfire on lap 3 and he lost places to Ribeiro and Henton and the Swede now found Chateaubriand looking for a way past his sickly March. Henton closed right in on Ribeiro and by lap 10 he was trying for the lead,. Nilsson had lost another place to Chateaubriand but he was trying to retake the Brazilian. Santo was still ahead of Andersson who was under heavy pressure from Sullivan, Santo’s challenge was soon blunted however when his engine began to overheat and he fell away whilst the unfortunate Nilsson had to pit as his misfire worsened.
Henton decided to go for broke on the last lap at Clearways in an attempt to wrest the lead from Ribeiro but Superhen got all crossed up loosing several places before he recovered. So at the finish a delighted Ribeiro took the win from Chateaubriand who just managed to hold off Andersson and Sullivan, the three cars separated by 0.6 seconds with a chastened Henton another 0.6 down in fifth. Mention should be made of Joubert who finished ninth after a good recovery race following his push start.

f3 HISTORY

RACES

Race Report: Brands Hatch, 13 October 1974

Race Heat 1

1 Vittorio Brambilla

Birel Alfa Romeo 20:09.40

2 Fabrizio Noe

Lotus-Ford 69 20:09.50

3 Luigi Fontanesi

Tecno-Ford 20:13.10

4 Carlo Franchi (Gimax)

De Sanctis-Alfa Romeo 20:23.40

Race Heat 2

1 Giovanni Lo Voi

Brabham-Ford BT28 15:05.00

2 Adelmo Fossati

Brabham BT28 15:05.00

3 Patrice Compain

Martini-Ford MW7 15:21.00

4 Manfred Möhr

Lotus-Ford 15:34.10

5 Marcello Gallo

Brabham BT28

Race Final

1 Vittorio Brambilla

Birel Alfa Romeo 30:44.30 144.318

2 Marcello Gallo

Brabham BT28 30:44.34

3 Fabrizio Noe

Lotus-Ford 69 30:45.10

4 Adelmo Fossati

Brabham BT28 30:55.40

5 Patrice Compain

Martini-Ford MW7 31:08.00

6 Carlo Franchi (Gimax)

De Sanctis-Alfa Romeo 31:11.50

7 Manfred Möhr

Lotus-Ford 31:59.60

8 Giovanni Lo Voi

Martini-Ford MW7 31:08.00