Formula libre winners: Lotus

[allenbrown]

For a bit of variety, I'm researching all the libre winners in the UK and Ireland from the early 1960s to the late 1980s. In case that sounds an absurdly difficult task, I should mention that I have two things to help me:

1. Jimmy Piget has already listed and published all the race winners over this period; and,
2. I'm going to ask you lot!

In trying to identify the cars (Jimmy just gives constructor and engine), I've found that it's easy enough to plod through Autosport week-by-week but it's proving very time consuming. So I thought I'd start out by seeing which cars can be readily identified here and then work through Autosport to find the others.

Constructor by constructor seems a sensible approach so, as a test to see how we get on, Lotus:

1. Rod Pickering F2 Lotus - Ford-Lotus 1600 - 4 wins (16 Apr 1967 - 1 Oct 1967)
2. Willie Forbes libre Lotus 35 - BMW 2000 2000 - 7 wins (29 May 1967 - 3 Jun 1968) - known
3. Dave McCloy F2 Lotus - Ford-Lotus 1600 - 1 win (28 Aug 1967)
4. Patrick Sumner F2 Lotus - Ford-Lotus 1600 - 1 win (16 Jun 1968)
5. Peter Hawtin libre Lotus 24 - Ford 4700 - 1 win (29 Jun 1968) - known
6. John Pollock F2 Lotus - Ford-Cosworth 1600 - 10 wins (29 Mar 1969 - 15 Oct 1972)
7. Damien Magee F2 Lotus - Ford-Lotus 1600 - 2 wins (7 Apr 1969 - 7 Apr 1969)
8. Ian Ashley F2 Lotus - Ford-Lotus 1600 - 1 win (2 Nov 1969)
9. Ian Ashley FB Lotus - Ford-BRM 1600 - 1 win (2 Nov 1969)
10. Ken Fildes F2 Lotus - Ford-Lotus 1600 - 1 win (30 Mar 1970)
11. Frank Keane F2 Lotus - Ford-Cosworth 1600 - 1 win (26 Jul 1970)
12. Johnny Blades F2 Lotus - Ford-Cosworth 1600 - 1 win (9 Aug 1970)
13. Chris Oates Lotus - Ford-Lotus 1600 - 2 wins (16 May 1971 - 12 Jun 1971)
14. Peter Wardle Lotus 69 - Ford-Hart - 1 win (5 Sep 1971) - known
15. John Pollock Lotus - Ford-Cosworth 1600 1600 - 2 wins (17 Mar 1972 - 1 Oct 1972)
16. Jonny Dimsdale Lotus - Ford-RES 1600 - 2 wins (19 Mar 1972 - 30 Jul 1972)
17. Patsy McGarrity F2 Lotus - Ford-Cosworth 1600 - 1 win (23 Apr 1972)
18. Geoff Williams Lotus - Ford-Lotus 1600 - 1 win (14 May 1972)
19. Ian Mawby Lotus - Ford-Norvic 1600 - 4 wins (18 Jun 1972 - 17 Jun 1973)
20. Stephen Choularton Lotus - Ford-Autovita 1600 - 1 win (26 Aug 1972)
21. Johnny Blades Lotus - Ford-Burn 1600 - 1 win (28 Aug 1972)
22. Johnny Blades F2 Lotus 69 - Ford-Cosworth 2000 - 4 wins (14 Apr 1973 - 14 Oct 1973)
23. Andy Barton Lotus - Ford-Hart 1600 - 1 win (10 Nov 1974)
24. Warren Booth F2 Lotus 69 - Ford-Richardson 2000 - 5 wins (25 Apr 1976 - 22 May 1977)
25. Bob Rollo Lotus - Ford-Hart 1600 - 3 wins (13 Jun 1976 - 29 Aug 1976)
26. Mike Bowers Lotus - Ford-Hart 1600 - 1 win (11 Jul 1976)
27. Andy Barton Lotus - Ford-Richardson 1600 - 1 win (3 Oct 1976)
28. Dave Muter Lotus - Ford-Barton 1600 - 1 win (22 May 1977)

I've marked the three that I know but there are another 25!! I'm hoping some of you can identify these easily from memory or at least point me in the right direction.

I'd like to know car type and engine type; and chassis number if it's been established.

Enjoy!

Allen

[allenbrown]

I'll give you the three that I know:

2. Willie Forbes libre Lotus 35 - BMW 2000. Chassis 35-F-15. Source: the Lotus 35 thread.

5. Peter Hawtin libre Lotus 24 - Ford 4700. Chassis 944. Source: Theme Lotus (Doug Nye) p176.

14. Peter Wardle Lotus 69 - Ford-Hart. Chassis 59-XB/F3-38. Source: Chris Townsend's 1971 Atlantic results on ORC.

Allen

[davemorganfan]

Steve Choularton's Lotus 69 has been discussed here before in the "Lotus 69" thread, of all places. It was belived to be chassis no 69.F2.1 - and my memory still tells me it was one of the monocoque and therefore pukka F2 cars.

[chunterer]

I'm probably not much help on actual cars and dates but my thoughts might prompt a few others to add to what's needed here.

When you say Libre does that include the libre events into the 1980's that Tony Trimmer (Lola T330) and Alo Lawler (Mclaren M30) used to battle it out in, or are those cars too big?

[Steve Wilkinson]

Originally Posted by chunterer

When you say Libre does that include the libre events into the 1980's that Tony Trimmer (Lola T330) and Alo Lawler (Mclaren M30) used to battle it out in, or are those cars too big?

In Formula Libre there is no such term as 'too big'!

However some of those races may have been to Group 8 rules and thus not strictly Formula Libre!

[chunterer]

Cheers Steve!!

Of course i've just noted that this particular thread is for Lotus cars campaigned in Libre, so maybe my ideas for prompting others should wait until we get round to a simialr thread for Lola or MClaren entries!!

[allenbrown]

Yes, I am definitely including the big bangers and the races of the late 1980s as well. There are 1,484 races covered by what I've done so far, thanks in large part to Jimmy Piget's research. I've included races that were basically libre in nature and were won by a single-seater but also the Irish championship events which were held to rules not dissimilar to F2. I've excluded any other championship events for Atlantic, F3 or whatever, but I may have too many races and might have to weed out a few that don't fit. The only gap I'm aware of is the first part of 1975 that is missing from Jimmy's research for some reason.

The biggest winners of libre races make an interesting Top 10:
1. Tommy Reid 61 wins (mainly because I've included so many Irish events)
2. Andy Barton 45
3. Jim Moore 44
4. Tony Dean 35
5. Brian Nelson 32
6= Alan Rollinson 31
6= Steve Thompson 31
8. Chris Summers 29
9. Tony Trimmer 27
10. Robin Darlington 23

Note the number of Kincraft drivers in that list. The Kincraft won 58 races in total.

Allen

[allenbrown]

Originally Posted by chunterer

Cheers Steve!!

Of course i've just noted that this particular thread is for Lotus cars campaigned in Libre, so maybe my ideas for prompting others should wait until we get round to a simialr thread for Lola or MClaren entries!!

Those threads are on their way.

Allen

[Steve Wilkinson]

Originally Posted by allenbrown

There are 1,484 races covered by what I've done so far, thanks in large part to Jimmy Piget's research.
Allen

Is this on the interweb? If so where?

[allenbrown]

Patience Steve!!

As soon as I get the cars roughly identified, I'll publish the results.

[Steve Wilkinson]

Originally Posted by allenbrown

Patience Steve!!

As soon as I get the cars roughly identified, I'll publish the results.

Sorry Allen, I was referring to Jimmy P's list.

[allenbrown]

Steve

Sorry, I thought you had them. They are right here

Allen

[Chris Townsend]

Allen
I'm sorry if this takes all the fun out of it!


1 Rod Pickering F2 Lotus 22- Ford-Lotus 1600 don’t know chassis but said to be ex Jack Pearce in AS in 1967


4. Patrick Sumner F2 Lotus - Ford-Lotus 1600 - 1 win (16 Jun 1968)
Patrick visits this forum from time to time and has been of immense help on Atlantics

6. John Pollock F2 Lotus - Ford-Cosworth 1600 - 10 wins (29 Mar 1969 - 15 Oct 1972)
Perhaps two or three cars here: Had choice of Irish Racing Cars ex works 48s in 1969 so either of R1 or R2. Had ex Ikuzawa 69 from 1971 so should be 69.F2.2 if we believe F1R for 1970. Had ex Irish Racing Cars 69/71 in 1972 which should be 69/71.2.F2.
7. Damien Magee F2 Lotus - Ford-Lotus 1600 - 2 wins (7 Apr 1969 - 7 Apr 1969) Probably an Irish Racing Cars 48

8. Ian Ashley F2 Lotus - Ford-Lotus 1600 - 1 win (2 Nov 1969)
9. Ian Ashley FB Lotus - Ford-BRM 1600 - 1 win (2 Nov 1969)
This was a yellow works 59B being shaken down before going to the USA, though trusting it to Crashley must have been a bit of a risk!

10. Ken Fildes F2 Lotus - Ford-Lotus 1600 - 1 win (30 Mar 1970) 35-F-8 owned by Luke Duffy

11. Frank Keane F2 Lotus - Ford-Cosworth 1600 - 1 win (26 Jul 1970) Ex works/Irish Racing Cars, I think R2, went to Beric Ewin following season and Barrie Smith had R1.

12. Johnny Blades F2 Lotus - Ford-Cosworth 1600 - 1 win (9 Aug 1970) 59-F2-21 ex Max Measley

13. Chris Oates Lotus - Ford-Lotus 1600 - 2 wins (16 May 1971 - 12 Jun 1971) 71-69-1 his Atlantic car

15. John Pollock Lotus - Ford-Cosworth 1600 1600 - 2 wins (17 Mar 1972 - 1 Oct 1972) 69/71.2.F2.

16. Jonny Dimsdale Lotus - Ford-RES 1600 - 2 wins (19 Mar 1972 - 30 Jul 1972) 69.37.F3 his ex Sutcliffe F3 Atlantic car

17. Patsy McGarrity F2 Lotus - Ford-Cosworth 1600 - 1 win (23 Apr 1972) Depending on who you believe 71/69.4.F2 or 71/69.18.F2 what ever it was, ex LIRA Richard Scott

18. Geoff Williams Lotus - Ford-Lotus 1600 - 1 win (14 May 1972) probably ex Fittipaldi 59 F3

19. Ian Mawby Lotus - Ford-Norvic 1600 - 4 wins (18 Jun 1972 - 17 Jun 1973) At least two different 69s!

21. Johnny Blades Lotus - Ford-Burn 1600 - 1 win (28 Aug 1972)
22. Johnny Blades F2 Lotus 69 - Ford-Cosworth 2000 - 4 wins (14 Apr 1973 - 14 Oct 1973) Possibly two cars, has for sale both Ikuzawa [71/69.1.F2] and E.Fittipaldi 71/69s in 1973 having used Fittipaldi’s Brazil series car [71/69.2 according to MN] at Ingliston 15.4.73 and there’s a photo to prove it.

23. Andy Barton Lotus - Ford-Hart 1600 - 1 win (10 Nov 1974)
71/69.5.F2 ex Fittipaldi Moonraker car

24. Warren Booth F2 Lotus 69 - Ford-Richardson 2000 - 5 wins (25 Apr 1976 - 22 May 1977) 71/69.3.F2 ex Ken Fildes and subsequently to Richard Hinton

25. Bob Rollo Lotus - Ford-Hart 1600 - 3 wins (13 Jun 1976 - 29 Aug 1976) Suspect this is 71-69.1 ex Oates and John Barr

27. Andy Barton Lotus - Ford-Richardson 1600 - 1 win (3 Oct 1976) 71/69.5.F2 ex Fittipaldi Moonraker car

28. Dave Muter Lotus - Ford-Barton 1600 - 1 win (22 May 1977) 71/69.5.F2 ex Fittipaldi Moonraker car

[allenbrown]

Blimey!! Thanks Chris!

Allen

[allenbrown]

7. Damien Magee F2 Lotus - Ford-Lotus 1600 - 2 wins (7 Apr 1969 - 7 Apr 1969)

This was Magee in Luke Duffy's Lotus 35 (so 35-F-8 from your list above) while the Lotus 48s and other F2 cars were at the F2 race at Thruxton. Ken Fildes was in Duffy's ancient Cooper on this occasion.

Allen

[Dan Rear]

Did Norman D ever win/enter any Libres when he had the ex-Nilsson/Emilio Lotus 78 in 1980 I wonder ?

[allenbrown]

He didn't win any as far as I can see. Not sure if he entered any.

Allen

[Dan Rear]

Originally Posted by allenbrown

He didn't win any as far as I can see. Not sure if he entered any.

Allen

I'd have thought he did enter the odd Ingliston one, Allen, maybe a Dicksons backed meeting. OTOH I think I remember a race where there were 3 F1s racing up there, Dickson, Iain Mc's M26, and the Smith/Jones TS19. Perhaps I'm imagining it !

[MONDELLO MAN]

John Pollock drove for the late Gerry Kinnane , and not Irish Racing Cars ,run by Mick Mooney

[MONDELLO MAN]

John Pollock drove for the late Gerry Kinnane , and not Irish Racing Cars ,run by Mick Mooney

[allenbrown]

Good morning Mr Man, I was hoping you'd drop by.

One of the puzzles regarding John Pollock is that he appears to have used two different Lotus 69s in 1971 and 1972. In 1971, Autosport reported that Ikuzawa had sold his Lotus 69 to Pollock but then in 1972 it was said that he had the ex-Irish Racing Cars Lotus 69.

It seems odd that he'd race a Lotus 69 for a year and then buy another almost identical one. Are you able to shed any light on this?

Allen

[MONDELLO MAN]

Will Do Some Head Scratching On This One.