EFDA/European Formula Ford Championship

[Bezzen]

Hey guys.
I've been looking around for some info on this championship on the web. But all I really found are one-liners in some driver's CVs. So I've got way too many blanks and question marks in the championship standings for my own good.

Here's what I got so far:

2001
1. Richard Göransson

2000
4. Jaroslav Janis

1999
1. Marcos Ambrose
3. Nicolas Kiesa
5. Kimi Räikkönen

1998
1. Derek Hayes
2. Jenson Button
3. Dan Wheldon

1997
4. Dan Wheldon

1996
3. Robert Lechner

1995
1. Patrice Gay or Nick Heidfeld ??

1994
1. Jonny Kane

1993
2. Marc Gene

1990
1. Jörg Müller

1981
2. Marc Duez

1980
1. Fernando Dias Ribeiro

1972
1. Hans Binder

1969
1. Gerry Birrell


As you can see. Not much found.

so... I turn to the experts to fill in some blanks. Anyone?

[Mackmot]

2000 was won by Mark Taylor I think Robert Dahlgren was second.
Also I think we were 4th in 99 with Mark again.

[David McKinney]

1970
1 Colin Vandervell
2 Claude Bourgoignie
3 Tony Trimmer

1971
1 Mo Harness
2 Hakan Dahlqvist
3 John Trevelyan

[Rob29]

1969
1,Gerry Birrell Crossle-Hart 16F-6-0-0-9-4.5-9-6=34.5pts
2,Tony Trimmer Titan-Lucas Mk4-9-9-3-3-1-3-9=33pts
3,Dave Walker Lotus-Holbay 61---9-4---6-3=22pts
4,Claude Bourgoigne (B) Lotus-Holbay 61-0-6-4-6-3-1-0=20pts
5,Sid Fox Mistrale-Steele/BRM&Hawke-Lasenby DL2-0-2-1-2-?-2=9pts
Also ran
Dave Morgan Merlyn-Steele Mk11A & Alexis Mk15-6pts
James Hunt Merlyn Gowrings/Steele Mk11A-6pts
Mo Harness Lotus Holbay 61 -6pts
Emerson Fittipaldi (BR)Merlyn-Rowland Mk 11A-6pts
Ian Ashley Alexis Mk15-4pts
Brian Nelson Crossle-hart 16F-4pts
Ed Patrick Merlyn-Steele Mk11A-2pts
Huub Vermaulen (NL) Lotus-Holbay 61-1.5pts
Roger Keele Merlyn-Steele Mk11A-1pt.
Peter Wardle Mistrale-Lucas-1pt.
Claudio Francisci (I)Loyus-Holbay 61-1pt.
Ricardo Achar (BR) Meryn-Steele Mk11-1pt.
M.Fraser Merlyn-Steele Mk11A-half a point
Dates
16 Mar.Brands
7 Apt Zandvoot
1 Jun Vallelunga
29Jun Anderstorp
17 Aug Campis Bleriot? hillclimb (half points)
7 Sep Zolder
5 Oct Mondello Park

[Marcus Mussa]

The series was run initially by Nick Brittan and I seem to remember Tony Dron was involved (maybe he was Nick Brittan’s assistant at the time). I just spoke to Colin Vandervell, who is blessed with an incredible memory, and who told me a bit about the 1970 season.
The series was sponsored by Johnson Wax. First prize was a F3 Lotus, with Holbay engine, and a full budget for 1971!
First round – Zandvoort. Nick Brittan would not let Colin enter as he considered him not experienced enough! Race was won by Tony Trimmer.
Second round – Zolder. Colin got in and finished 2nd, miles behind Claude Bourgoignie, thanks to a lot of cars dropping out/crashing etc.
Third round – Anderstorp. Colin won
Fourth round – Salzburgring. Colin won
Fifth round – Hockenheim. Colin finished 4th. The first 20 cars were inside 1”! No chicanes at the time! Colin describes the race as “highly dangerous”. He was in the lead for most of the race with Trimmer then the main pack caught them two laps from the end and they were swamped.
After Hockenheim there was a hill-climb in Switzerland, which Bourgoignie won.
Then at Imola Colin was 1.5” quicker than anyone in practise but Chapman arranged for a bunch of Lotus drivers to enter with instructions to take Colin out! At the first corner two Lotuses (Loti?) hit him, Mo Harness barrel rolled 15 times and ended up in a ditch, bits of his rear suspension ripping off one of Colin's brake lines.
Imola and Hockenheim were very very fast tracks at the time. Colin says he used a 25/25 (24/24?) top gear at these tracks, higher even than Silverstone.
Final was at Brands Hatch and Colin won again.
In the end Bourgoignie was champion by only 3 points by virtue of winning or being well placed every time. (This seems to contradict the record for 1970 given by David; but I think Colin would have remembered if he had won the championship!). He is sure he would have won if Brittan had let him into the first race.
Colin was of course driving his Merlyn (ex Emerson Fittipaldi, future Jody Schekter and Frank Sytner!). In those days FF ran on road tyres – Avon crossplies in the dry and Firestone radials in the wet (for the wealthier drivers!).

[Rob29]

1970 data
1.Claude Bougoigne (B) Lotus-Holday 69F-6-2-9-6-4-9-9-6=51pts
2,Colin Vandervell Merlyn-Rowland Mk11A-DNA-3-6-9-9-6-0-9=42pts
3,Tony Trimmer Lola-Steele T200-9-6-0-0-DNA-1-DNA=15pts
4,Tom Belso (DK) Hawke-Lloyd DL2A-4-0-1-?-3-2-?-1=11pts
5,Jac Nelleman (DK) McNamara-Steele FFA-???-2-1-3-4--0=10pts
6,Ian Taylor March-Spence 708 0-9-?-4xDNA=9pts
7,Hans Meier (A) Hawke-BRM L2A-????2-?-6-0=8pts
8,Peter Lamplough Palliser-BR MWDF2-???-1-6-?-DNA-0=7pts
9,Brian Nelson (IRL) Crossle Nelson 16F-2-4-0-0-=6pts
10th,Huub Vermeulen (NL) Lotus-Holbay 61M-0-1-4-??-0.?-0=5pts
11thTom Strous (DK) Lotus-Holbay 61M -3-0-NS-?-0-?-1-0=4pts
Charles Carling Crossle Lucas 16F-?????-4-?-0=4pts
Bob Evans Palliser-BRM WDF2-4pts
Derek Lawrence Titan-Lucas Mk6-3pts
Hakan Dahlqvist (S) Lotus-Holbay 61M-3pts
Peter Wardle Lotus-Holbay 69F-3pts
Vern Schuppan Palliser BRM WFD2-3pts
Mike Fraser Royale-RP RP3-2pts
Giancarlo Naddeo (I) De Sanctis-2pts
Mo Harness Lotus-Holbay 69F-2pts
Theo Koks (NL) Lotus Holbay 61M-1pt.
schedule
30 Mar Zandvoot
12 Apr Hockenheim
24 May Zolder
23 Jun Andestorp
12 Jul Salzburgring
23 Aug Les Raingers (hill climb)
29 Sep Imola
18 Oct Brands Hatch

[David McKinney]

Originally Posted by Marcus Mussa

In the end Bourgoignie was champion by only 3 points by virtue of winning or being well placed every time. (This seems to contradict the record for 1970 given by David; but I think Colin would have remembered if he had won the championship!). He is sure he would have won if Brittan had let him into the first race.

Funnily enough, I thought Bourgoignie before looking up my source, which gave the order as I posted.
Am perfectly happy to be corrected

[Rob29]

omitted from 1970 scorers;Gregor Krongard (S) Lola-Steele T200-3rd at Anderstorp.

1971 schedule;
Zandvoot
Brands
Paul Ricard
Nivelles
Salzburgring
Brands

1,Mo Harness Lotus-Holbay 69F 9-6-6-0-6-4=31pts
2,Hakan Dahlqvist (S) Lotus-Holbay 69F & Merlyn-BRM Mk20-6-1-9-2-9-0=27pts
3,John Trevelyan Crossle -JM 20F-4-4-3-0-3-0=14pts
4,Jody Scheckter (ZA) Merlyn-Rowland Mk11A-?-9-4-?-DNA-DNA-13pts
Hulmut Koinegg (A) Lotus-Novamotor 69F-?-1-0--?-9=13pts
6,J.F.Vaney (B) Vaney-Piper-???-9-?-0=9pts
also ran;
Tony Brise Elden Scholar-3pts
Lenard Sundahl (S) Merlyn-BRM Mk20-4pts
Bruno Pescia (I) BWA-GFB- 1pt.
Hans Meier (A) Hawke-Holbay LDL2A-2pts
Tom Strous Lotus-Holbay 69F-6pts
Berard Vermilio Merlyn-Scholar Mk17-4pts
Bengt Gilborn (S) Lotus-Novamotor 69F-3pts
Huub Vermeulen (NL) Lotus-Holbay 69F-1pt.
G.Irsa Lotus-4pts
H.Maurer-Stroh (A)McNamara-2pts
C.Smith Merlyn-SteeleMk11A-6pts
Val Musetti Titan-RowlandMk6-3pts
Mike Catlow Elden-Piper Mk8-2pts
Rihard LeachLola-Holbay T200-1pt.

[Rob29]

1972 missing

1973 schedule;
Zolder
Hockenheim
Maintz Finthen
Djursardlandring
Osterrichring
Mantorp Park
Oct 21-Brands Hatch

1,Bengt Gilhorn(S) Merlyn &TitanMk6C-64pts
2,Hans Binder (A) Merlyn-Scholar Mk24-62pts
3,Peter Finlay(AUS) Palliser-Rowland WDF2-61pts
4,J-E.Johannsson (S) TitanMk6C-59pts
5,Bob Arnott Merlyn-ScholarMk24-58pts
6,Gerhard Irsa (A) Lotus 69 -42pts
also ran
Tommy Borgudd Royale RP3-23pts
Bengt Airvelid Merlyn Mk10A-14pts
Jan Pedersen Royale RP16-10pts
Ric Van Kempen (NL) Royale-Vegantune RP16-9pts
Claue Crespin (B) Merlyn-HolbayMk24-20pts
Walter Wurzbach (USA) Royale RP16-6pts
Jean-Claude Vaney (B) Merlyn & Vaney -0
Mats Nygren Merlyn-ScholarMk24-0
Thorkild Thyrring Ray
Lennart Dahlqvist Merlyn
Leif Jorgenson DRC
Lars Olsson (DK) MerlynMk20
Per Sorensen (S) Hawke
Dieter -Karl Anton (A) Lotus 69-14pts
Lorenzo Sassi (I)DeltaMk2-9.5pts
Lennart Sundahl (S) Merlyn-Scholar Mk11A-16pts
Syd Fox Hawke DL11-20pts
Frank Hopper Royale RP16-16pts
Don McLeod Van DiemenScholarFA73-12pts
Rob Wicken Merlyn-PiperMk17A-9pts
Richard Morgan Ray-Vegantune 73F-8pts
Tiff Needelll Elden Scholar PH10C-5pts
Mike Young Merlyn-ScholarMk24-4pts
Roger Manning Elen-Piper Mk10-3pts
John Lipman Dulon-Davron LD9-1pt.

[Bezzen]

Thanks guys! It's really appreciated.

[petaboil]

Originally Posted by David McKinney

1970
1 Colin Vandervell
2 Claude Bourgoignie
3 Tony Trimmer

1971
1 Mo Harness
2 Hakan Dahlqvist
3 John Trevelyan

my dad, john boyall worked with mo harness during his carrerr there isn't a week that i dont hear about him, i have been researching the name and the man and its ?intriging?

[Thundersports]

Couple of names spring out for me; Mike Catlow still active in Historics (nice fellow too) and Peter Wardle rings a bell as still active?

[chunterer]

I see you've got a big gap after 1981 through the rest of the 80's there Bezzen?

I have a suspicion Dave Coyne may have won an EFDA title around '84/85 for Van Diemen?

German driver; Uwe Schaefer also rings a bell from the mid 80's for some reason?

I also thought that JJ Lehto won a shortened version of the series in about 1986 or something as well?

Can anyone confirm (or blow away) any of these ideas?

[chunterer]

Quick google brought this up:

http://www.fastlinesinternational.co...Champions.html

FF1600 Champs:

1979: John Village
1980: Bo Martinsson
1981: Cor Euser
1982: Volker Weidler
1983 & 84: Gerrit Van Kouwen
1985: Paulo Carcasci
1986: Jyrki Jarvilehto
1987: Svend Hansen

Well got one one them right anyway!

[peter finlay]

Originally Posted by Rob29

1972 missing

1973 schedule;
Zolder
Hockenheim
Maintz Finthen
Djursardlandring
Osterrichring
Mantorp Park
Oct 21-Brands Hatch

1,Bengt Gilhorn(S) Merlyn &TitanMk6C-64pts
2,Hans Binder (A) Merlyn-Scholar Mk24-62pts
3,Peter Finlay(AUS) Palliser-Rowland WDF2-61pts
4,J-E.Johannsson (S) TitanMk6C-59pts
5,Bob Arnott Merlyn-ScholarMk24-58pts
6,Gerhard Irsa (A) Lotus 69 -42pts
also ran
Tommy Borgudd Royale RP3-23pts
Bengt Airvelid Merlyn Mk10A-14pts
Jan Pedersen Royale RP16-10pts
Ric Van Kempen (NL) Royale-Vegantune RP16-9pts
Claue Crespin (B) Merlyn-HolbayMk24-20pts
Walter Wurzbach (USA) Royale RP16-6pts
Jean-Claude Vaney (B) Merlyn & Vaney -0
Mats Nygren Merlyn-ScholarMk24-0
Thorkild Thyrring Ray
Lennart Dahlqvist Merlyn
Leif Jorgenson DRC
Lars Olsson (DK) MerlynMk20
Per Sorensen (S) Hawke
Dieter -Karl Anton (A) Lotus 69-14pts
Lorenzo Sassi (I)DeltaMk2-9.5pts
Lennart Sundahl (S) Merlyn-Scholar Mk11A-16pts
Syd Fox Hawke DL11-20pts
Frank Hopper Royale RP16-16pts
Don McLeod Van DiemenScholarFA73-12pts
Rob Wicken Merlyn-PiperMk17A-9pts
Richard Morgan Ray-Vegantune 73F-8pts
Tiff Needelll Elden Scholar PH10C-5pts
Mike Young Merlyn-ScholarMk24-4pts
Roger Manning Elen-Piper Mk10-3pts
John Lipman Dulon-Davron LD9-1pt.

Rather late, I have discovered this forum.
My name is Peter Finlay and I placed third in the EFDA/European Formula Ford Championship in 1973.
I returned to Australia at the end of that year as the UK and Europe looked like they were going "belly up". I raced in Australia for the next two years. In 1975 I was a member of the Grace Brothers-Levis Team and placed second (by 1 point) in the Australian FF Championship Series. After competing in the annual Bathurst 500 in a Ford Escort I retired and focused on home and business. In 1980 we purchased the Peter Wherrett Advanced Driving School and then started Peter Finlay's International Racing Drivers' School. Later we became the Antipodean agents for John Kirkpatrick's Jim Russell RDC. Later we started a division with several FFs which included the Mawer 004, an Elfin 600, a Van Diemen RF85 (an ex-Milldent- Malcolm Oastler/ Perry McCarthy FF 2000) and a Reynard . Later, an RF89 joined the team until the older-style cars were replaced with a pair of RF99 Zetec cars sourced from England and two RF98 Zetec which had been built up here in that configuration. We sold the school in 2010.
I returned to Hillclimbing in 1992 with the Mawer which I progressively developed with wider wheels, slicks, a Toyota supercharger and wings. Later a Toyota 4AG-ZE was fitted. I won the NSW state Hillclimb championship in 1994,5,and 6. In 1996 I brought out Alister Douglas-Osborn, Mike Pilbeam and the "works" MP 62-Vauxhall for the Australian HC titles at Bathurst and scored a very close second place to blown VW-engined single seater. The following year my wife, Gaye, and I spent a month in the UK and I drove the new Pilbeam MP82 at Curborough and Ben Boult's Pilbeam MP52-BDA at the 50th anniversary of the RAC British HC Championships at Shelsley Walsh in June. I then switched over to the MP82 co-driven by Ferrari aerodynamicist Willem Toet at Loton Park and Prescott where I placed third in the under 2 litre class behind Justin Fletcher and Willem.
Back in Australia I set up a March 77B with a supercharged 2 litre YBM for the local events. This car was not particularly successful, although I did lead the time-sheets at the last AHCC in which I participated in 2002.
I look back with great fondness to the FF events in which I drove in the UK in 1972 and in Europe the following year. The Palliser was eventually restored in the yellow and green Grace Bros colours and is owned by Brian Sampson in Melbourne.
After motor racing I learned to fly and reached commercial licence standard. I flew "bank document" in Beech Barons and Piper Aerostars. I turned to catamaran sailing and my last boat was a NACRA 5.0... a rocket ship with which I won some national championship races. I am a contributor to a leading aviation periodical in Australia with articles and photographs. My "day job" is usually that of an executive chauffeur carrying politicians, entertainers and captains of industry in Sydney. I also work as a driving specialist with Rick Bates Advanced Driving.

[chunterer]

Very warm welcome Peter, thanks for sharing this with us.

Look forward to (hopefully) some tales about your racing exploits and rivals at the time?

[peter finlay]

Thank you. By all means. While searching the internet recently I happened to locate a Lotus 69 which reputedly had been owned by Gerhard Irsa and which, immaculately restored, is offered for sale in the USA. I am sorely tempted but good sense says that those days are behind me.... for heavens sake I am a grandfather!

I don't know if this is the same car in which Gerhard was severely injured during practice for the Osterrichring round of the 1973 EFDA European FF Championships.

Apparently he was following a team mate who swerved away from a car which had blown its engine at the back of the circuit at very high speed. Poor Gerhard had nowhere to go and his legs were smashed as the Lotus folded around him. I believe that he never raced again. I only met him briefly at post-race scrutineering after the Zolder round which he won and I claimed second place. Despite the lack of much common language I found him to be a very nice chap. I admired his race-craft after seeing him win the first FF World Championship at Brands in 1972.

Is there a connection between Gerhard Irsa and the "Irsa" curve at the new Osterrichring?

As a result of Gerhard's misfortune I went into the lead of the EFDA championship. This led to Bernie Ecclestone (for whom I worked at the WeyLock works) offering me a seat in the new "works" Brabham F3 car. This eventually came to naught when he decided to stop making customer racing cars.

Hans Binder won the Austrian round and I was second after starting well back on the grid. My motor blew on the first lap of the re-started practice in about the same place where Gerhard's accident had taken place. Lucky for me the American serviceman Steve Farnsworth, who ran the Panasonic Elden Team, was able to lend me his engine in return for half of any prize-money I should win. The engine was far better than my Rowland lump and I should have bought it from Steve. I started from about mid field and avoided the carnage when the loonies on the front rows of the grid collided despite warnings from Dr. Helmut Marko and Jackie Stewart that accidents were common at the start of races here. I shot down the gap between the pit fence and the field. I managed to work my way up to second while catching the eventual winner, Hans Binder, at a prodigious rate.

I friend of mine who had raced Formula Vees against me in Australia was at the event as a spectator. His name was Godfrey Handschu who hailed from Austria and was visiting relatives. He was beside himself cheering for his Australian friend and his countryman, Hans Binder.

My wife, Gaye, and our new-born son, Simon, travelled around Europe in a Bedford bus. Anne and Walt Wurzbach lived on the air base at Schweinfurt and they very kindly hosted us over much of the summer.

A Canadian friend, Tommy Sommerville who we had met while living in Toronto in 1971/72, travelled to most rounds in his VW Kombi. He and I went in the bus to Anderstorp where I used the engine out of Anne's Royale.

At the last event in the championship at Brands on the GP circuit I made the dumb mistake of not buying a new set of tyres... making do with what I thought were the "demon tweak" Firestones from the World Championship event of 1972. Of course they had aged and were not up to the job.

I diced with Tiff Needell for much of the race. Tiff went on the fame and fortune as the lively presenter for "5th Gear".

[peter finlay]

The 1973 schedule was actually:
Zolder
Hockenheim
Maintz Finthen
Djursland Ring
Osterrichring
Anderstorp not Mantorp Park, they are 186 km apart!
Oct 21-Brands Hatch

Djursland Ring

[Dave M]

By 1979 & maybe earlier the series was run by Dan Partel, an American based in the EFDA offices in Luxembourg. He was enthusiastic to get entries & organise races at good venues. He even attracted Senna to do some races. He later worked for Champcar in the States.
I did the Nurburgring & Zandvoort FF1600 races in '79 & quite a few from '83-'85, being based in Brussels. No great results but just fabulous rocking round some of the European Circuits.

[peter finlay]

I have revised the point-score (below) for the 1973 Formula Ford Euroseries based on information found in the 1973 Ford Motor Sport Yearbook which promoted the championship.


Indeed, the 1973 Championship was not promoted by EFDA, rather the Ford Motor Company was the sponsor and the major prize was a "works" F3 drive for 1974.


Contrary to my earlier understanding it is now confirmed that the point- scoring system was:

1st 20, 2nd 16, 3rd 14, 4th 12, 5th 10, 6th 9, 7th 8, 9th 6, 10th 5, 11th 4, 12th 3, 13th 2 and 14th 1 point.

Tied positions in individual had the points for the two positions totalled and then averaged. This happened only once at Osterrichring where Bengt Gilhorn and Lorenzo Sassi were classified in equal fifth place. At the Austrian round, prize-monies were doubled to compensate for the cancelled Vallelunga event due to an outbreak of cholera in Italy. Points were allocated as if this was a single round.

By my reckoning this is how the championship ended up:

1. Hans Binder (A) Merlyn-Scholar Mk24-64 pts
2. Peter Finlay (GB-AUS) Palliser WDF2-19-Rowland-63 pts
3. Bengt Gilhorn(S) Merlyn & Titan Mk6C-61.5 pts
4. Bob Arnott (GB) Merlyn Mk24-Scholar -60 pts
5. J-E.Johannsson (S) Titan Mk6C-49 pts
6. Gerhard Irsa (A) Lotus 69 -42 pts
7. Claude Crespin (B), Merlyn-HolbayMk24-34 pts
8. Lennart Sundahl (S) Merlyn-Scholar Mk11A-30 pts
9. Slim Borgudd S) Royale RP3-29 pts
10. Born Arvelid S) Merlyn Mk10A-26 pts
11. Jean- Francois Vaney (B) Merlyn- 25 pts
12=. Syd Fox (GB) Hawke. 20 pts
12=. Thomas Meray (D) Not Known - 20 pts
15. Walter Wurzbach (D-USA) Royale RP16-19 pts (US citizen based at Schweinfurt USAF B).
16. M.Gramman (A) not known-16 pts
17. Roger Manning (UK) Elden-Piper Mk10-15 pts
18=. Dieter-Karl Anton (A) Lotus 69- 14 pts . (Team mate to Gerhard Irsa).
18=. Donald McLeod (UK) Van Diemen FA73- 14 pts
20=. Steve Farnsworth (D-USA) Elden-Hammerschmidt- 13 pts
US citizen based at Ramstein USAFB. Ran the Panasonic team.
20=. Hans Maier (A) Brabham BT 29? 13 pts
22. Rob Wicken (GB) Merlyn Mk17A -Piper -12 pts
23. Richard Morgan (GB) Ray73F -Vegantune -10 pts
24= Mats Nygren Merlyn Mk24-Scholar - 10 pts
24.Ric Van Kempen (NL) Royale RP16-Vegantune -10 pts
26. Lorenzo Sassi (I) Delta MK 9. 9.5 pts
27. N. Rouff ((B) Not known. 9 pts
28. Erik Karlsson (S) not known. 8 pts
29=.. Tiff Needell (GB) Lotus 69 Scholar. 7 pts
29=. H. Regout (A) Not known. 7 pts
29=.T. Torgnysson (S) Not Known. 7 pts
32=. G. Vairani (I) Not known. 6 pts
32=. L.A. Olsen (S) Not known. 6 pts
32= Mike Young (GB) Merlyn Mk24-Scholar 6 pts
35=. "Rob" not known. 5 pts
35=. J. Ridell (S) Not known. 5 pts
35=. E. Bolfitz ( A) Not known. 5 pts.
38=. M.Bulla (A) not known. 4 pts
38=. Jan-T Pederson (DK) 4 pts
38=. S. Steiner (A) Not known. 4 pts
38=. G. Rydin (S) Not Known. 4 pts
38=. A Carlson (S) Not Known. 4 pts
38=.J. Lipman (GB) Dulon-Davron LD9. 4 pts
44=. R. Prior (GB) Not Known. 3 pts
44=. Patto Nunez-Gutierrez (GB-RA) Not known. 3 pts
44=.Per Sorensen (S) Hawke. 3 pts
44=. W. Fridolin (S) Not Known. 3 pts
48. J. Wansart ((B) Not known. 2 pts
48=. J. Ørsom (S) Not known. 2 pts
48=. Ric Vermeulen (NL) Not known. 2 pts
51=. A.Zeigler ( B) Not Known. 1 pt
51=. John Kalagian (USA). Not known. 1 pt
51=. H. Verhoven (NL) Not Known. 1 pt
51=.D. Shattuch (GB) Not known. 1pt

The following drivers are not listed on the official results of the championship as supplied by Ford Motor Company but I am aware that they did compete:

55=.Lennart Dahlqvist Merlyn 0 pts
55=.Leif Jorgenson DRC 0 pts
55=.Lars Olsson (DK) Merlyn Mk20 0 pts
55=.Frank Hopper (GB) Royale RP16-0 pts
55=.Anne Wurzbach (D-USA) Lotus 61 0 pts (Wife of W. Wurzbach)
55=.Thorkild Thyrring Ray 0 pts
55=.Lennart Dahlqvist Merlyn 0 pts
55=.Per Sorensen (S) Hawke 0 pts


Being the European Championship, the writer, Peter Finlay, entered on an RAC MSA International Licence. Similarly other drivers who hailed from non-European countries entered under the nationality of the country of their residence in 1973.

Ties in the final point-score were to be determined by awarding the higher place to the driver with the greater number of superior places, in all cases where this shows a tie that was not possible as drivers involved scored equal highest places so I have, for the sake of simplicity and in the absence of any official information to the contrary, listed drivers with equal points the same place in the championship. Naturally, where multiple scores are awarded, the following drivers' scores reflect the appropriate position had there been no ties involved.

The official results sent to me by Ford Motor Company, Boreham Airfield Chelmsford GB dated July 8th, 1974 do not show the actual points awarded to each driver.

Interestingly, the Ford Company letter states that I finished ninth in the final round at Brands Hatch but the accompanying score-sheet shows that I finished 7th. No mention is made of the two Swedes, Gilhorn and Johansson, in results for the Brands Hatch event. The error made by the writer of the letter (whose title was Administration & Budgets) meant that I was credited with 3rd place in the championship and awarded prize-money of £180 instead of £250 for second place. Probably due to the economic climate pervading at the time, the promised Ford Test drives appear never have eventuated.

The deletion of the two Swedish drivers from the final event at Brands Hatch was, apparently, due to some anomalies detected in post-race scrutineering.Clearly no one thought to inform the organisers of the Championship. C'est la vie.

I was delighted to have been able to compete in the Euroseries and manage the pair of second places, both of which were achieved after some dramas in qualifying which resulted in much lower grid positions than otherwise might have been gained. Some rather unsporting driving by a fellow competitor at Djursland forced my retirement from that race and a persistent hesitation in the car's Weber carburettor exiting right hand turns at two other circuits created undesirable handicaps. The low octane "power kerosene" which passed for petrol in Germany certainly didn't help at that country's two events. I noted that some teams brought their own high-octane fuel with them. Experience counts!

With the exception of Brands Hatch, where I had driven in a single race early in 1973, I had never seen or driven on any of the circuits in Europe previously. I entered all events and finished all but one. Indeed, it appears that I may have been the only driver to enter for all seven rounds.

[F1History]

Hello, I´m looking for 1980 F Ford Racing results Britian and European.

Is there a Website, or book available?

Thanks for your assistance.

Karl-Heinz
German historian