Hello,
I have a new topic to submit to the F1 historians today. I’m anger to know what they are able to tell me about it.
Let me explain :
Although the petrol crisis was at one time, during the 1973/1974 winter, a serious threat to motor racing activities, I remember the 1974 F1 season as a flourishing and exciting one. The more colourful one in my memories of young boy anyway (I was 10 by then).
That year, many optimistic people wanted to make the grade in F1, as a driver, as an entrant, or as a chassis builder. Few succeeded, many other failed. By today standards, it was an amateurish approach of the sport, but at least, they were enthusiastic people, the sort of people we are missing in F1 today from my point of view.
I have a particular interest in the unsuccessful attempts of three entrants of that season : Scuderia Finotto, AAW Racing Team and Principe Jorge de Bagration.
1/ Scuderia Finotto : 30 years later, it appears that many people all over Europe are interested in the history of this “gipsy” team. It’s ironic because nobody took care of that squad in 1974.
By now, everybody know that 2 Brabham BT42 chassis (05 and 06) were actually bought by the team (but by whom indeed : Bretscher, Finotto, somebody else ?). The enigmatic entries of Manfred Möhr at the Nürburgring and Jean-Louis Lafosse at Monza also have found some explanations.
No doubt either that an entry was officially registered for poor Silvio Moser at Jarama. But what about Reine Wisell provisional entry under the Bretscher or Finotto banner at the same event : myth or reality ? And who was the actual entrant at that time : Bretscher Racing or Scuderia Finotto ? I definitively don’t know.
After the Belgian GP (the only effective start of a Finotto car in the entire season), it appears that the team applied for an entry at Monaco (with Larrousse again intended to have the drive), but the organizers refused it at the end because of some prequalification arguments : is it right ? Was a racing number given to them on a provisional entry list at one time ?
And last but not least, what is the link with the team and a possible entry for Andy Sutcliffe at Brands Hatch : another provisional entry there ? With what fate ?
2/ AAW Racing Team : 1 start and 5 DNS are recorded for Leo Kinnunen. But did the team applied for an entry at Monaco as Scuderia Finotto did ? No trace of AAW entry either in the Netherlands and Germany : What are the reasons for ?
3/ Jorge de Bagration : no doubt he got a provisional entry at Jarama and a racing number was given to him, but who was the entrant : himself, Escuderia Nacional CS or Escuderia Montjuich ? Or actually a Team Surtees entry on a rent-a-car basis, since in my opinion it is doubtful that de Bagration bought a F1 Surtees outright. It appears that his effort to enter his home GP was much publicized in Spain, with a big fiesta organized : was the car present at that social event and pictured in some magazine ?
Your replies and explanations are welcome, 10-Tenths chaps.
Best regards,
Philippe
:banghead:
'74 Monaco Entry
Your man Mohr gets a mention by Rob Walker in R&T 11/74. "... Manfred Mohr was to take over the Finatto BT42 from Gerard Larousse." There's no other reference to him or the car in the race report or the results. I assume he dnq or dns.
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