Potentially the top sports-car teams of 1974, Matra-Simca and Alfa Romeo met for the first time in strenght at the Monza 1.000 Kms. and the result was decisively in favour of the Italian make. Merzario (pictured, leading Beltoise) started from pole position, and although his car shared with Andretti was led by Pescarolo and Beltoise in turn, both Matras retired with egine failures.
Peterson keeps the faith for Lotus
Monte Carlo, May 26th
With no unofficial practising being possible on the Monte Carlo street circuit, there were three sessions made available to the twenty-eight aspirants for the twentyfive positions on the starting grid. Everyone turned up for the Thursday afternoon practice period, ready and raring to go, with spare cars at the ready. Since last year the...
Surprise victory for Gulf-Mirage
Spa-Francorchamps, Belgium, May 6th
One of the encouraging things about life is that it is never completely bad, and motor racing reflects this more every day, therefore it gave enormous pleasure to witness the running of the 1,000-kilometre sports car race on the super-fast Spa-Francorchamps circuit in the Belgian Ardennes south of Liège. The circuit was in fine...
Monza, April 27th
A fortnight later came the first of the De Cadenet's two cliff-hanging victories, in the Six Hours of Monza, which returned to the World Championship for Makes for the first time since 1975. Unexpectedly fastest in practice was a brand new, Lola based Op 6 sports-racer, the Italian Capoferri, driven in practice by one time Grand Prix hopeful Remo Zorzi. But the DFV powered...
A Tyrrell double
Castellet, France, July 4th
Before anyone gets too excited it is worth remembering that the original series of French Grand Prix races ended in 1967, when the Automobile Club of France succumbed to the nouvelle vague and handed over the sport in France to the FFSA who started a new series of French GP in 1968, hence this year's event being the fourth Grand Prix of France, even...
A few years ago the Automobile Club de l'Ouest, who organise the Le Mans 24 hour race, realized that preparation for the annual event was not something that happened a day or two before the race, but was a serious long-term programme of experimentation and testing. To assist the serious competitors a Test Weekend was inaugurated in the spring-time in order that .experimental work could be...
Only 12 Formula One cars were attracted to the impressive 5-mile circuit of Interlagos near the large Brazilian City of Sao Paulo. The race was organised by the same team who efficiently ran the Formula Two series at the end of last year but, even so, the race did seem to be in doubt in some quarters until only days beforehand. John Player Team Lotus, with the top Brazilian driver on their...
Following the Dutch GP and the French GP, both of which are reported elsewhere in this issue, the anticipation of a great race for the British Grand Prix, held on the long circuit at Brands Hatch, was in everyone's mind as the contestants assembled for the Thursday practice.
The 12-cylinder Ferraris and 12-Cylinder Matras had been getting closer and closer to victory, the 12-cylinder BRMs had...
Tyrrell double again
Nurburgring, Germany, August 1st.
There was no doubt in my mind that the return of the German Grand Prix to the Nurburgring after its brief removal to the Hockenheim Motodrom was popular, for the movement and race fever was already evident when I arrived at the circuit the day before practice began. By the time race day arrived the Eifel mountains were like a human ant-hill,...
A Hard-Fought Race
MONZA, ITALY, April 25th
THE ITALIAN long-distance classic race is held on Liberation Day, April 25th, and this year it was on a Saturday, with practice on the two previous days. This year the 5.75-kilometre road circuit was used, as for the Italian Grand Prix, for time and weather have caused the concrete-banked track to deteriorate and the AC of Milano cannot afford a...