Fitzwilliam Racing Team/Fitzwilliam Lola Team Green

[RogerH]

Does anyone know what shade of green the Fitzwilliam Lola Formula Juniors where when they raced in the early 1960's.

[David McKinney]

Very dark
(I actually wondered if they might have been black?)

[RogerH]

Thanks David. A further question you may be able to help with. I understand the three Fitzwilliam Lola Mk2 cars had different colour nose bands to identify them (red, yellow and blue). Do you know which car had which - the Fitzwilliam cars were BRJ 1, 2 and 3 (I own BRJ 1).

[David McKinney]

Sorry Roger, can't help with nose-bands
What I do know however is that the cars must have been swapped around a lot, as they tended to have a different bunch of drivers every time they appeared - Whitmore, Maggs, Love, Soisbault, Whitehead, Anthony, de Selincourt, Bordeu, May, Fitzwilliam, Lautenschlager, Ashdown, Zimmermann, Bardi-Barry and von Frankenburg all raced them in 1960 - and I'm not claiming that list is complete.

Where's BRJ1 been, by the way? I haven't heard of it for years

[-Tom-]

Hello people,

I am trying to track down information on the Fitzwilliam team, specifically 1958 - 1960 when they were primarily involved with racing the MGA Twin Cam.

I am pretty much after anything on the team, so any information is greatly appreciated! I am trying to find out who was involved at that time, and which cars. I'm also trying to substantiate (or otherwise) rumours about a Fitzwilliam Le Mans team, and a potential Mille Miglia entry...

If anyone has any information, or can simply point me in the direction of some information, that would be very much appreciated

Thanks in advance,

- Tom.

[chunterer]

Hi Tom,

No joy yet it seems, so i'll stick it at top of page for a ferw weeks and see if that generates any response.

Cheers

chunterer

[devon kev]

Found this that might be of some use

http://www.elva.com/elvajunior/juniorjottings1.html

[MGDavid]

there will be people within the TwinCam group of the MG Car Club who should be able to provide some info re: participation at InNternational level, I would bet that the factory would have been involved - usually with covert support as was common with MG at that period.

[-Tom-]

Thanks for the replies...

As for Bill de Selincourt (via Elva), I had already made the link. I have found out that Bill is still around, but now living in France and apparently rather ill having recently had a pacemaker fitted. Luckily, Roger at Elva has passed along a message to another chap who contacted him with some photos of Bill at Goodwood - so something may come of that

With regards to Abingdon support for the Fitzwilliam chaps, this pretty much evaporated after 1957 - mostly due to BMC moving the budget to Healey, and the fact that Fitwilliam kept on breaking cars!

Once they got to 1958, and the launch of the Twin Cam, it looks like Fitzwilliam was able to encourage some of his richer friends to put a team together. This looked like it was made up of three pairs of drivers, namely:

+ Robin Carnegie / R. William de Selincourt - Racing Fitzwilliam's own car
+ Paul Fletcher / John Dashwood - Racing Paul Fletcher's car
+ Christopher Martyn / Douglas Graham - No information yet

This team was what appeared at the N’Ring 1000 Km in 1959.

I know that Fitzwilliam had a an ex-works car and entered the Mille Miglia in 1956, but that he crashed out of the MM! They also had at last one ex-works car throughout '57 which they campaigned a great deal.

As for the MGA chaps at MGCC/Register, I have not seen much about Fitzwilliam from them - other than the pre-'58 information about ex-works cars...

Thanks for the feedback so far, all much appreciated.

Anything anyone knows about the Fitzwilliam team in general would be appreciated also. It's still not clear to me who Fitzwilliam was - whether he was simply Richard Fitzwilliam racing driver turned team manager, or whether he was linked to the various Fitzwilliam lines in the UK (peers of the realm etc.).

Thanks,

- Tom.

(Edit: Got a date wrong!)

[MONDELLO MAN]

RICHARD WROTTESLEY , SPRINGS TO MIND , duncan rabagliatti may be of help .

[RogerH]

I am fortunate to have one of the 1960 Team Fitzwilliam Lola Formula Juniors and in tracking down it's history have discovered some information on Sir Richard Fitzwilliam and his team. He was a team patron but did drive from time to time. I have recently communicated with his son who provided some information.

[-Tom-]

Roger,

That is very interesting information. Is there anything you might be able to share with me at all? I am interested in the period during 1959 really, so just before Fitz moved to Formula Junior full-time...

Please PM me if you'd prefer to discuss privately.

- Tom.

[R.W-FITZWILLIAM]

I am the son of Richard W-Fitzwilliam and if you require any information on him, his drives cars, MGA , Elva,and Lola teams and his entry at Le Mans or the Millia Millia please contact me
Robin W- Fitzwilliam

[R.W-FITZWILLIAM]

The then British Racing Green each car had a red -blue or white nose band to identify it
Robin W-fitzwilliam

[John Turner]

Very warm welcome, Robin.

Tom, I am now going to merge your two threads on this team, especially as we now have Robin on board.

[R.W-FITZWILLIAM]

John
I would like to talk to you
Robin Fitzwilliam

[John Turner]

Robin,

I've sent you a PM. Please check your on site mailbox!

[RogerH]

Hello Robin,
Good to have you on the forum.
I have finally completed restoration of the Lola FJ BRJ1 which was the red nose band car of your father's team in 1960. I understand that your father practiced at Monaco in May 1960 in this car and drove it at Nurburgring in October 1960.
It ran for the first time in over 40 years at the Interational FJ meeting at Taupo, New Zealand the weekend before last. It is in the Fitzwilliam BRG almost exactly as in ran in 1960. I will send through some photos if you wish.
I am curious about the "loan" of some of the Lolas to Ferrari in mid 1960 for "development" purposes and that they subsequently appeared as Lola Fiats at Reims and Monza - I have some period photos but do you have any records relating to this matter.
Regards
Roger

[R.W-FITZWILLIAM]

Roger
Farther did try the Fiat engine for i believe 2 races because the engines in the italian Stangullines were more powerful.

Photos would be much appreciated

Congratulations on yoyr restoration

Robin

[R.W-FITZWILLIAM]

John
I did not understand PM in your mail

Robin

[MGDavid]

PM = Private Message, you should see a button or hotlink to Messages at the top of the page when you sign on....

[AJF]

Hi

This is Mr Fitzwilliam's daughter, my husband saw this thread and showed it to me.

and hi Robin, its Amanda as you would not know its me lol

[AJF]

I also have some original photo's of some of his cars, the Lola's and also MG's and before, some photo's dating back to 1956/7/8

if I can be of any help, please feel free to pm me

[john ball]

Hello Robin and Amanda,

I wonder if you could help me with an update on your Father.

I knew him quite well in the early 70's when he lived in South Croydon.
Specifically from about 1971 to 1978, when I met him with my Father up on Epsom downs when he was flying radio control model aircraft.
He took an instant interest in me and took me under his wing to teach me how to fly these models. My father and I were taken back to his house and GIVEN a model to start with, as mine was unsuitable for a beginner.
He was so kind to us. We became friends and flew the model at Epsom then in the Riddlesdown model flying club. We lost contact when I graduated on to full size aircraft. But I was aware of his racing history and knew one of his MGA's was still in Croydon at that time.

In subsequent years I have been more interested in classic racing and saw one of his Brabhams ? at Silverstone with his name on the side.

My best mate, Jonathan Marten-Hale also remembers him well, as we used to go round to the Pink house often.

Strangely, when my mother met him, she realised that she used to play tennis with him in the 30's up in Lincolnshire ??

Regards

JOHN BALL

[RAP]

Originally Posted by R.W-FITZWILLIAM

I am the son of Richard W-Fitzwilliam and if you require any information on him, his drives cars, MGA , Elva,and Lola teams and his entry at Le Mans or the Millia Millia please contact me
Robin W- Fitzwilliam

Robin
Hope you see this. I have sent you a Private Message. Hope to hear from you.
RAP