Stretton wins war, eyre the battle

Martin Stretton clinched his second FIA thoroughbred Grand Prix Championship with fifth place at a wet Nürburgring on October 1, his success in the ex-Ronnie Peterson Tyrrell P34 six-wheeler of 1977 supplementing the 1995 title, which he won in a Tyrrell 005.

Both cars are owned by Simon Bull, engineered by their designer Derek Gardner and prepared by Stretton’s own crew in Worcestershire.

“It’s been a fantastic team effort, and the people at Avon Tyres must take a lot of credit for developing the 10-inch front tyres. Without them the car would have been a sad museum piece,” said Stretton.

The German finale, at the Eifel-Klassik meeting, was won by Richard Eyre in his Williams FW08 (below). The former International Supersports Cup man, racing a Formula One car in the rain for the first time, battled to stave off Mike Whatley’s Ensign in the closing stages. When Whatley spun, Italy’s Mauro Pane charged through to grab a fine second, having started Pietro Ratti’s McLaren M29C from the back of the grid. MP