Wookey F1 Challenge story only

Starting from pole position, Fittipaldi was immediately chased by Mennella and Peterson. Unfortunately between practice and the race, the tramontana brought sand to the track, and the Brazilian was surprised in a descent. He swerves and gets in the way. The car stalls. He lost precious time, but by dint of flying and swerving, he managed to get back on the slope and restart his engine in second. He will finish 5th after a nice comeback.
It was then Luigi Mennella who, while trying to follow Peterson, found himself square. He does not stall, but his spin allows Vaillant to take second place.
At the quarter of the race, Peterson returned to the pits. Broken gearbox. Michel Vaillant takes the lead in front of an enthusiastic young audience! The comic book and the TV soap opera based on his (often real) exploits made him more popular than I, who am Champion! That's life...

Speaking of myself, I try to look good, but this roller coaster track that demands more torque than power doesn't favor my Citroën-Maserati V12. Even though I'm here in my backyard, I'm fighting hard around 4th place, leading a tough battle against young South African Jody Scheckter.

I get caught up in the game ... and to my shame, I can admit now, years later, that I got out on my own like a jerk. I admit it to my team, but for journalists, I am suggesting that a suspension broke on its own. Henri will piss me off for a week because of that. And when Henri grins, it's abominable. He doesn't pick up a word. Behaves as if you are not there. Barely responds if you try to talk to him. Finally, I will invite him to La Panouse, my family landmark, where we will reconcile around a magnificent Lebanese mezze organized by our wives.

Michel Vaillant's victory also allows him to win the Auto-Sprint Trophy, contested in races not counting in the FIA-CSI championship. He is ahead of Riccardo Priori whose BRM has shown exceptional consistency and McLeod who believed in his chances until the end. Follows Warson and his three victories which will not therefore have been enough to put him on the podium of this Trophy, the allocation of points of which mainly favors consistency. Fifth Mennella, and sixth yours truly, with two wins each.

After a dull 1971 season, which came close to tragedy in Zandvoort, this 1972 season remains a wonderful memory for me. 3 wins in the league, in Buenos Aires, Monaco and Zeltweg plus two in the AutoSprint Trophy in Montjuich and in the Gold Cup, it's really an impressive record.
However, these superb results hide potential problems that I will have to resolve in the future.
The Citroën Maserati V12 engine has reached the end of its development. By trying to get more out of it, we only manage to lose reliability, and the many withdrawals at the end of the season are a warning signal.
In addition, despite all his finesse as a developer, Jean-Pierre Jaussaud was unable to increase his level of driving to enter the points. I started looking for a replacement at the end of the season, but Bob Bondurant, the most convincing, invested too much in the USA to be able to spend the entire racing season in Europe.
Finally, the chassis itself is at the end of its development. Its very long wheelbase did not prevent me from winning in Monaco, but this success, I owe it more to myself and to the circumstances than to the agility of my car. For the future, I want a more compact car, and a V8.
I actually started talking to Pierre Sheller about this. Taken by too many sporting (rallies, Endurance, South American races) and industrial projects (Santa-Cruz growing in Argentine and Uruguayan mechanical construction) it would be ready for a merger, leaving me in charge of a joint team. Wookey-Vulkan, his V8 and the technicians who designed it, and two of his drivers ("Moro" and Lebel) for development and racing.

As for the chassis, I also have my little idea. I overheard a heated discussion near the Brabham stands at Watkins Glen between Geoff Ferris, the brand's most senior engineer, Bernie Ecclestone the boss, and Gordon Murray, a young South African engineer. Each designer fiercely defended his project. Ferris' argument: an ultra-light car, with proven technology, capable of being immediately fast and reliable, based on the F2 already under construction for the brand's customers in 1973 seemed obvious to me. I strained my ears.
Gordon Murray, on the contrary, offered a radically new car. With a triangle hull, new suspensions and lots of innovative details that would make the car faster, once everything is fine-tuned.
Eventually Ecclestone agreed with Murray, and it was the BT42, a wonderful car, we'll see.
That winter, the second F2 BT40 which left the Brabham factory was bought by Jean Christophe for the La Perle team in Chateauneuf du Pape. He was planning to line up a bit in F2, and especially in the hill climb.
Brought back to his garage, not far from the slopes of the Ventoux, it was discreetly dismantled, and examined from all angles by a few discreet people from Géménos.
When the F1 Wookey PNB73 was presented to the public three months earlier, a few specialists noted the resemblance, but few paid much attention. Suffice it to say that among the discreet people descended from the SM registered 13 were Marcel Jibrayel and Henri Bondurand.

When establishing the calendar for 1973, the International Sports Commission noted the withdrawal of several non-championship races. The British organizers of these races are turning more and more to the F5000, with a much less expensive field, and whose contested races attract just as many audiences across the Channel. Even on the continent, this spectacular and economical formula is attracting more and more people.
Thus the total calendar goes from 24 to 20 races only, on the other hand, 15 now count for the world championship with the return of the Netherlands and the homologation of Brazil and Sweden.
In terms of technical regulations, new rules will be imposed from the Spanish GP, with obligatory deformable structures on the sides of the single-seaters.
The CSI has made important changes to the regulations, but these will only come into effect during the Spanish Grand Prix, hence the postponement of the debut of the new cars. The main innovation is the deformable structure which must surround the tanks in order to prevent them from bursting, and therefore to reduce the risk of fires. This measure was imposed by the ITUC against the advice of the teams who, furious, for a time threatened to cause a split. The minimum weight of the cars goes from 550 to 575 kilos and the chrome elements constituting the suspensions are prohibited.
The dimensions of the starting grids are standardized in order to avoid interference, while protective barriers are made compulsory at the edge of the track. Firefighters are subject to new regulations in order to make their action more effective. Finally now all the pilots are subjected to a medical examination before each Grand Prix.

For some teams, this means that the new cars will only be released for the European season, and that the first races will be contested with the 1972 models. It is also expected that the additional cost will keep some of the private drivers away, attracted to them. also, by the sirens of the F5000.

At the end of the 1972 season the crisis at the Ferrari Formula 1 team had reached a new peak; with a few exceptions, the scarlet red racers had not been competitive for almost a decade. There was a brief glimmer of hope when the Mauro Forghieri designed 180 degree V12 (also known as Flat 12) engine hit the tracks in 1970. It was very powerful and the low centre of gravity contributed greatly to the success of the 312 B. In good Ferrari tradition the successful design was just given a minor upgrade for the following seasons, while the competition continued to improve at a rapid rate.

Pioneered by Lotus, the biggest revolution of this period was the transition from a single nose mounted radiator to two radiators mounted on each side of the cockpit. This reduced the frontal area and also improved the handling as more of the car's mass was concentrated around the car's centre of gravity. For the 1973 season, Forghieri decided to try to bridge the gap to the competition once more. Much of the 312 B2 was discarded with the exception of the engine and suspension for Ferrari's most revolutionary Formula 1 design ever.

Forghieri's motive behind the design was to combine a low center of gravity with a low polar moment by mounting as much of the mechanicals inside the very short wheelbase. He was no doubt inspired by the short wheelbase Tyrrells and the Lotus 72 that had done very well in the previous seasons. The radiators were installed on both sides of the cockpit, although the air-intakes were still in the nose whereas the Lotus used 'side-pods'. The most striking feature of the new 312 B3 was the very square bodywork between the front and rear axle and the steep full width nose.

Late in 1972, the new 312 B3 was extensively tested by Jacky Ickx and Arturo Merzario at Monza and on the newly opened Fiorano private test track. The unusual nose treatment quickly earned it the nickname 'Spazzaneve' or snow-plow in the Italian press. Sadly the Spazzaneve never started a Grand Prix forr Ferrari's team as before the season started Mauro Forghieri was transferred to the experimental department and his work taken over by Sandro Colombo. Colombo incorporated some elements of Forghieri's designs in his '312 B3', but it was far more conservative and not very successful.
The 2 Spazzaneve's chassis were sold to Scuderia Centro Sud, with the blueprints to build a muletto, and an option to more engines and gearboxes.

In the Neapolitan team, Nathy did not plan to take the drive until the very end of the season (for best reasons !) and Steve McQueen had to make a hard choice between acting and driving. He preferred driving, but he had to pay to drive and was paid for acting. His ailing health too was a powerful reason for his choice, and many great movies were still to be produced before he lost his fight against illness.

At this point came Riccardo Priori, who despite an aged BRM and little money had made a promising 1972 season. Enough to get sponsorship from Banco di Roma, and the association of Pecorino Romano DOP cheese-makers. Hearing about the negociation between SCS and Ferrari, he offered his new budget for the second seat.

At FIAT this deals satisfy the Agnelli family, clarifying the brands competion domains : Lancia in rallye, Alfa Romeo in Endurance and Ferrari in single-seaters. Some whisper that orders were given to Alfa to stop mingling with Ferrari's domain.

This is why on paparazzi's pictures, you could see Jacky Ickx lending himself to driving a mysterious car with race number 41

and Merzario testing Riccardo Priori's car too..

Autumn 1972 was well advanced when the Wookey PNB73 made its first test drives at Le Castellet. With three chassis already ready, we are moving quickly in the settings, even if I am concentrating on the chassis, while the young "El Moro" is placed at the disposal of the engine team, which he knows well since it is mainly detached from Vulkan.
The V8 runs pretty well. Almost as good as a Cosworth but with less vibration.
Patrick Depailler, also a fine tuner, is in charge of adjusting the front axle and testing the tires. The Clermont native is in a country of acquaintance with Michelin employees and progress is only favored by their mutual esteem.

Mennella

ENG wrote:The surroundings of Foggia are dotted with gas fields providing an industrial function to the town, which is also historically famous for its agricultural market. In particular the cultivation of tomatoes which provides a renowned canning industry. It is in the plain of Tavoliere, Italy's former breadbasket, that a local entrepreneur has created the Apulia Speedway, a circuit that boils down to a winding round trip connecting two hairpins.
In order to inaugurate the circuit and to attract attention, the promoter, Donato Zingarelli proposed to the Scuderia Centro Sud to come, as a neighbor, to inaugurate the track. The invitation being valid for more cars, Conrad McLeod took the opportunity to come and test his new McLeod Mk7, a Lola T330 from F5000 considerably modified and equipped with a classic Cosworth DFV engine.

The SPazzaneve have not changed much aesthetically since their birth at Ferrrari, but all the experience of the Scuderia Centro Sud is particularly felt in the finish and tuning of the cars. Impossible, of course, to get an idea of ​​their speed, for lack of previous references on this new circuit, but the team is showing great optimism.
McLeod as for him, worked especially the adaptation of the car to its new engine, knowing all the session of the problems of transmission.

Presentation of the season
The 1973 World Championship promises to be in many ways the second act of the 1972 season. The main forces are indeed Wookey, Tyrrell and Lotus-Ford-Cosworth again.
The week before the Argentinian GP, ​​all the teams take advantage of access to the track to adjust their cars.
I have already told you about my new structure, here are my opponents.
Ken Tyrrell can have great ambitions. First of all because his team is now installed in new modern premises in Ockham in Surrey. Then because he can always count on his excellent driver duo made up of double world champion Jackie Stewart and brilliant Frenchman François Cevert. Finally, Derek Gardner worked on evolutions of the 005 and the 006, in particular a 006/2 with a deformable structure in accordance with the new regulations. This will only be presented at the Spanish GP and in the meantime it will be necessary to race with the cars of the previous season.

Lotus took two wins and shone in 1972. Colin Chapman's team retained their champion Emerson Fittipaldi and recruited the brilliant Swede Ronnie Peterson, who won the Italian GP for March. She still uses the 72D which did so many wonders the year before. The only change comes from the tires: Lotus now uses Goodyear and no longer Firestones. The American manufacturer indeed announced its withdrawal at the end of 1972, before finally deciding to continue one more season. Hence a great imbroglio and the loss of its main customers.

After a satisfying 1972 season, McLaren has not changed its drivers who are still Peter Revson and Denny Hulme. Gordon Coppuck prepares an M23 which will appear only in Europe and the M19s resume service for the South American tour.

Bernie Ecclestone has made big changes at Brabham. Herbie Blash is named sporting director replacing Keith Greene. The young South African engineer Gordon Murray becomes director of the technical department and builds a BT42 with a pyramidal structure which will also appear only in Europe. In the meantime the BT37 is used. Graham Hill left to found his own team, which allowed Argentinian hopeful Carlos Reutemann to be promoted to first driver. He is supported by Wilson Fittipaldi.

Scuderia Ferrari is in crisis. Relations between Fiat and Enzo Ferrari are deteriorating, the Italian socio-economic climate is bad, strikes follow one another, and the technical team is destabilized by the sidelining of Mauro Forghieri. Sporting director Sandro Colombo has launched the design of a new car while the 312B2 will complete their careers in the meantime. Jacky Ickx is always on the go but his only teammate is Arturo Merzario, pillar of the brand in sports cars. Clay Regazzoni could not be retained. As for Mario Andretti, he will only race in the United States in 1973. Like Lotus, Ferrari abandoned Firestone for Goodyear.

Taking over the Forghieri project, our friend Luigi Mennella merged with the private structure of Riccardo Priori and aligns two SCS Spazza née Ferrari. Luigi finished season 72 with a cannonball, and Riccardo was very consistent in the Auto Sprint Trophy. The pair could well win their bet: to become the best Italian team this season.

At BRM the ambitions are modest despite the financial support of Marlboro. Mike Pilbeam has fallen back on the old P160 which he reworked to create a D version. A new evolution of the V12 engine is announced. Jean-Pierre Beltoise is still the first driver although he would have preferred to return to Matra. But the French manufacturer has left Formula 1 ... The hot Clay Regazzoni is his teammate after refusing an offer from Ecclestone to join Brabham. As for the third thief, it is the paying driver Niki Lauda ... "Paying" is a big word since the young Austrian made Louis Stanley believe that he had the support of an ... imaginary sponsor. For the Argentine GP, Beltoise and Regazzoni drive a 160D and Lauda a 160C.

The other teams form the base. Matra left Formula 1 to focus on endurance. Surtees presents its new car, the TS14A, an evolved version of the TS14 released by John Surtees and Tim Schenken at the end of 1972. It is entrusted to Mike Hailwood and Carlos Pace, revelation of the 1972 season.

After coming close to bankruptcy at the end of 72, Frank Williams joined forces with Renzo Rivolta and the great tobacco company Philip Morris to build an “Iso-Marlboro” whose models are entrusted to Howden Ganley and Nanni Galli. It is in fact an improved version of the Politoys driven and destroyed by Henri Pescarolo in the 1972 British Grand Prix.
March is plagued by serious financial worries and only commits one 721G for the young Frenchman Jean-Pierre Jarier, protected by Marcel Arnold. Mike Beuttler still drives his private 721G sponsored by businessmen Clarke, Mordaunt and Guthrie.

The American team Shadow is due to make its appearance in Brazil and an Ensign is expected for the Spanish Grand Prix. The future of the small Tecno team is unclear although Chris Amon has been recruited as a driver.

In the Netherlands, the Arno team are leaving with their car from last year with the Tecno engine. Rumors speak of a new model for the Spring which could be of revolutionary aerodynamics and receive a BRM engine. But nothing concrete so far.

Lola leaves with her BRM engine and her model from last year and the same pair of pilots, the experienced Cris Lewis and the surprising Grazia de Lacrowe who came in for the points of the last 3 races of 1972. The new model of which we says he is moving further away from the F5000 should be ready for Barcelona.
Another Lola will be present. McLeod rewarded us with one of his clever crafts of which he has the secret and which allows him to slip onto the grids of the premier class every year since 1967. This time it is a T330 chassis, the last F5000 in which the enormous stock block Chevy 5.0l was replaced by the Vulkan V8 Mk1 which powered the Vulkans in 1972. While Vulkan now focuses on supplying the new Mk2 to the Wookey team, the stock of last year took over the management of Vannes and McLeod takes great care to maintain and prepare it on his own. The bodywork also received modifications so that the Breton single-seater deserves its new designation of McLeod EL73.
On the tire side, the abortive withdrawal of Firestone has caused great harm to this firm. Only BRM, Surtees, Williams and Mike Beuttler's team still use their tires. Goodyear is now in a dominant position.
Pirelli has disappeared from the landscape, the Spazzaneve having been designed for the GoodYear, Luigi has decided to keep the American tires for the moment. Finally, at Michelin, we concentrate our efforts only on Wookeys. A third car, entrusted to Patrick Depailler, is moreover entirely devoted to the development of gums from Auvergne.

At the end of the private tests in Buenos Aires, the Santa Cruz group decided to give a small extension in order to line up this third car, sponsored by Grappa, for the Argentinian GP.

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Interactions with you, readers, is what motivates me to invest all the time needed to fuel this story forward.

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1973 Argentina GP