Race Report: Croix-en-Ternois, 20 July 1975

14 of the runners from the British GP support race rushed across the Channel overnight to take part in this round of the European Cup event, an odd choice of date and an odder venue with France no longer staging F3 racing.

There were two practice sessions on Sunday morning, the first damp and the second dry and it was Patrick Neve in the works Safir who set the quickest time ahead of Italian quick men Gaudenzio Mantova and Alessandro Pessenti-Rossi.

Larry Perkins Ralt made a superb start from the second row rocketing between the front row men and taking the lead he would hold for the rest of the race. Mantova settled into second place which he would also keep for the remaining 30 laps whilst Neve found himself battling with Pessenti-Rossi, the second Ralt of Terry Perkins and Stephen South whose start was hampered when he accidentally knocked off the ignition switch on the Ray.
Terry Perkins race was short lived, on lap 3 Fernando Spreafico tried to outbrake the Ralt and spun, Perkins braked hard and was hit up the rear by another car, possibly the March of Dyfed Roberts, the Ralt was out on the spot although Spreafico was able to continue. The rest of the race was uneventful, the tight and twisty nature of the track precluding much overtaking. Neve set fastest lap in his pursuit of Pessenti-Rossi but was unable to find a way past the Italian March.

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