HSCC Superprix Brands Hatch

	Katsu Kubota’s Williams FW07C-14 was quickest in practice for the FIA Historic F1 race and led much of race, which was red flagged and restarted, but overall race win went to Bobby Verdon-Roe McLaren MP4/1B

Report from Marcus Pye

Formulae 1, 2 and 3 of yore headlined the 50th anniversary celebrations for the Brands Hatch Grand Prix circuit as the Historic Sports Car Club’s long-established annual Superprix gathering provided two days of memorable sport on the challenging Kentish switchback track on 3-4 July.

Now in its 16th year, the FIA Historic F1 championship is particularly strong this term. Briton Bobby Verdon-Roe became the first driver to score a second outright victory at its fourth stop-off – the 1991 Formula Renault UK champion won the opener at Hockenheim – with a blindingly combative drive in his McLaren MP4/1B.

Stuart Dix Cooper Chinook Formula Ford

Class winners were Peter Meyrick (March 761R), American John Delane (Tyrrell 002) and the indefatigable vehicle rental magnate Terry Sayles in his Osella FA1C/D. Verdon-Roe leads Meyrick by one point going into the fifth of seven rounds at Nogaro on September 2-3. Kubota, Folch and Delane share third place in the race for the 2010 title.

Brands Hatch’s place in F2’s annals are assured, for not only did it host European championship rounds in the 1960s but it also staged the final event of 1984. Former Historic F2 champion Martin Stretton has had a miserable time since moving up from the 1600cc division to the later cars, but Brands suggested that he was turning the tide with the ex-Jacques Laffite/Tony Dunderdale March 742, now BDG (rather than BMW powered) and with standard bodywork in place of its unique period Martini wear. Ala he was to be dogged by bad luck.

	Daniel Salodini’s Taraschi ended its race in the Druids gravel trap

However, Stretton turned giant-killer to win both Derek Bell Trophy Formula 5000/F2 races in the yellow and green March, getting the better of Mark Dwyer (ex-Max Stewart Lola-Chevrolet T400) first time out. Frank Lyons (ex-Elliot Forbes-Robinson Gurney Eagle FA74) headed the V8s in the second race, pursued by the T332s of Neil Daws and 2009 champion Neil Glover.

Turning back the clocks to the early days of the Grand Prix loop – the outline of which has reverted close to its original plan in recent years – Historic Grand Prix Cars Association members put on a good show. Former MG racer Mark Piercy won the Saturday race, his ex-Bowmaker team Lola-Climax Mk4 V8 just too fleet for Peter Horsman’s Lotus 18/21 ‘four.’ Horsman – always a stellar performer in his Lotus 17 sports racer – grabbed his maiden win on Sunday when Piercy’s engine went sick.

Start of second HGPCA race led by first race one winner Mark Piercy in his Lola Mk.4, but won by Peter Horsman Lotus 18/21, who had finished second in the first race

Formula Junior was hugely popular at Brands in the 1958-’63 epoch, and the monocoque Lotus 27 was – with MRD’s Brabham BT6 – as good as the cars got. Michael Hibberd won both FIA Lurani Trophy rounds in his ex-works example, from the fibreglass-bellied example of Switzerland’s Urs Eberhardt after young buck Callum Macleod was excluded from victory on day two when his Caravelle was found to be too light and too low at post-race scrutineering.

Historic Formula Ford victory fell, almost inevitably on home soil, to Darren Burke who is unbeaten this season in Peter Alexander’s Macon. Benn Simms (Alexis), Ian Ashley (Lola) and young Ben Mitchell (Merlyn) led the pursuit.

Sportscar action was topped by a 40-minute Guards Trophy round in which Graeme Dodd (Ginetta-BMW G16) beat the Chevrons for the second time in this campaign.

	Harry Wyndom’s Ford Falcon was one of the few “big bangers” and won Historic Touring Cars race

Harry Wyndham (Ford Falcon) became the season’s latest By-Box Historic Touring Car winner, beating Dodd’s Jaguar Mk2 while Roger Godfrey racked up yet another class win in his Cooper S. Both domestic Road Sports rounds also had new victors. Julian Dodd – no relation to Graeme – inflicted a rare defeat on Morgan +8 tamer James Paterson in the Historic set in his gruff TVR, while Alan Harper spun his Lotus Elan, then saw everybody ahead of him fall or break in the ’70s field.

Normality reigned in Classic Racing Cars, however, where Ian Gray won as so often before in his ex-Jack Brabham/John Watson Brabham BT16. Another sensational drive by Dave Methley in his one-litre F3 Merlyn Mk14A kept the defending champion more than honest, while welcome Australian car and driver returnees Laurie Bennett (Elfin 600) completed the podium.

For a full report and results, see our august issue