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.