Duncan and Grant attended the FIA Historic Seminar in Monaco prior to the Grand Prix Historique.  It was designed to educate ASN’s and Registrars on the preparation of HTP’s and to explain the current requirements of the new form.  The meeting took place at the Novotel Hotel from 5pm to 10pm, with a half hour break for buffet supper and information discussion with other delegates. Then on Wednesday morning everyone reconvened in the Grand Prix pits where Simon Hadfield had produced the Hesketh 308C-1 of Rick Carlino and there was a Porsche 911 – both being dissembled to produce an HTP by way of example – although no-one showed us how to take the underneath photo in a flat garage!!

The HMSC sub-commission are responsible for FIA HTP’s and this is led by Jan Mienkinsky (A) assisted by Ralf Peterson (FIN).  Other members include Harry Vossen (NL). UK delegates ito the meeting included MSA Historic Committee Chairman, Rod Parkin, and FIA Technical Delegate for Masters FIA Championships, John Hopwood.  The only other HTP inspector from the UK was Robert Ellis, and no-one at all was present from the MSA! Jeremy Hall (representing ACCUS, USA) and Bryan Brophy (Steward at Monaco) have been rehabilitated since the recent HMSC changes, and it was good to see them again.

European countries were, however, well represented, with large delegations from Holland, including Hans Hugenholtz who will be replacing Harry on the HMSC, and two of the Zandvoort Historic GP organisers who we will meet in September. Kai Zimmerman and Gunther Schramm were prominent for Germany , Mimo Cifaldi for Italy , Alain Goupy for France, with Dijon organiser, Patrick Peter, also present, and Stan Minarick [CZ]. Swedish HTP inspector, Lars widenborg, headed the Swedes. The Belgian HTP inspector promised to sort out our errant Lotus 22 without the correct papers, the Mexicans promised to follow up information on the missing Stanguellini of the late Pablo Gonzalez, and the Greek representative talked of the lack of circuit racing there , one track in the North and a small one, only, in the South. There were four others from Irish Motorsport, all rally orientated.

New HMSC Chairman, Paolo Cantarella has a sound understanding of grass roots views and many of his comments were refreshing, not least, that the HMSC are discussing a proposal to extend the new FIA HTP’s for a ten rather than a 5 year period, with effect from the beginning of this year – provided they are on the new template. Paolo was off to race his Osella sports car in an Italian round of the European Historic Hillclimb Championship on Sunday, rather than stay for the full Grand Prix Historique weekend.

Following a final debriefing session after lunch on Wednesday there was time to visit the Monaco GP Historique paddock – with a large fleet of cars under their respective belts, Hall and Hall, Sid Hoole and Classic Team Lotus were there – Andy Willis was particularly proud of the ex Piers Courage De Tomaso 505 – 39 – 1 which Steve Tillack was hiring for the weekend, while “Mary” with Sid Hoole, told some interesting stories of his time with Team Lotus, both in ‘Camel’ days and later under Peter Collins’ control, and later still at Arrows under Tom Walkinshaw, and Damon Hill’s near victory at Hungaring ; while over at CTL, Chris Dinnage was far from well, following an infection after a recent operation, and we had much discussion about ZF and Colotti gearboxes to replace any Hewlands in Lotus 24’s.  Andrew Beaumont had his 24, prior to his FIA Lurani Trophy debut at Brands Hatch in Chris’ own Lotus 22, on loan for the year.

Amongst ‘our’ cars and drivers, there was a nice ‘Automobil Club Argentina’ Cisitalia, Chassis #29 for Roberto  Bonetti, while John Evans had the Sid Hoole run Cooper T56 YC/F1/61.  Julia de Baldanza, with lap dog in a holdall, was much in evidence with her T35B Bugatti and Maserati A6GCM 2033.  Luxembourger, and FJ Stanguellini owner Marco Rollinger had the ex Ian Raby Brabham BT3 F1.1.62 while his ex Jeremy Bouckley Smith F2-1 had been rebuilt by Hall and Hall and will shortly be delivered, it being a suitable runner for the FJ front engined invitation class.  No progress has however been made on the daunting restoration of Smith FJ2-2 which Marco also owns, together with the ‘Politoys’ alias Williams FW03 which son Davy Rollinger was to drive.

Michael and Andrew Hibberd were busy looking after Rudolf Ernst’s Lotus 18-915 and March 721, and Helmut Gassman’s Connaught B4, while John and Robert at Alan Baillie had the familiar F3 Classique March 763 for Marcus Mussa and Modus for Richard Smeeton, but for Malcolm Davis there was no F3 for Chris Drake, only the Formula 1 Penske PC3.

500cc F3 Cooper driver, Charles McCabe had a new mount,the newly restored BRM P572 ex-Jackie Lewis V8 powered F1, which had been retrieved from hanging on the wall at Hall and Hall, after being canabalised to make one of the P25 rescitations many years ago.

Tupper Robinson and Tracey greeted us in the pit lane.  He was in the process of acquiring a Chevron B38 from Andy Storer [who once drove Duncan’s Alexis at Cadwell Park] for a debut run at the Principality, and if all went well, hoping for a late entry at Pau in two weeks, sad that the Juniors are not running there this year, so that he could air his U2 Mk4 F3/1000 car.  Tupper’s Lola Mk 5A, which Alan Baillie has been looking after, is now for sale through Len Selby, Tupper feeling that his fleet of FJs in the States; Bandini, Scorpion, Elva 100 and Lotus 20 are enough, in between his flying activities.

Ned Spieker, with Carol, is celebrating his 70th birthday this weekend, and again has a yacht in the harbour, fondly remembered by the FJ contingent during the Golden Jubilee celebrations in 2008.  Ned was testing his Frazer Nash at Donington Park last weekend and will be competing in the sports car race, the dates for this having been extended to later , i.e. 1955, from the period 1952 cut off.  Also competing here is Alan Patterson in his familiar red Allard, owned by him since new, and Duncan had met Alan for lunch at the Chesterfield Hotel in Mayfair last Sunday to catch up with his plans for the Elva 100, which, together with his Lotus 22, he has also owned since new.

There are also many other current and past FJ owners and drivers completing at Monaco this weekend in F1 and F3.  These include John Chisholm in his Lotus 18 2.5, Manfredo Rossi in the Brabhams BT45 and BT42/44 in two separate F1 grids, Greg Audi in his Shadow DN5, which he tested last weekend at Blyton ,as well as giving his Lotus 22 an airing, and planning some more FJ races this year.  Cooper T56 owner Doug Mockett has Penske PC4-001; Lotus 27 pilot, Roy Walzer has his Brabham BT11; Jason Wright (ex Stanguellini), Derrington Francis ATS; Dan Collins [past Lurani Class Champion] , Lotus 21; and Federico Buratti, another 21 which came via Italian FJ organiser, Tommaso Gelmini from Hall and Hall; Joe Colasacco a Ferrari 1512 F1; Tommaso himself, the ex John Delane Scirocco F1, although John Delane himself is absent this year, preferring to head to Aarhus in his Lotus 18, where he will join Greg Thornton [Cooper T52] and Bob Birrell [Lola Mk 2] around this Danish street circuit in Jutland.

Owner of the red Lotus 27, and 22 in the Stavelot Museum, Michel Wanty has his 24-Climax; ex Lola 5A racer from WA USA, Kurt Del Bene, his BRP-BRM F1, ex Alan McGregor; “Mr John of B“ (Stanguellini) the Lola Mk 4; Guy Peeters who has recently sold his Lotus 22 to one of MEC Auto’s clients, in an 18/21, and indeed Stephan Kupka  with Thomas Jamin,  at Mec Auto  were running  a number of cars, and Stephan reported test activity on his bevy of French and Belgian owned FJ clients, but a reluctance to take the next step onto the competetive Lurani circuit!; Peter Studer (who recently acquired the “egg man’s” Lotus 20) another 24.

There are several cars, not least his Lotus 16 and McLaren M19C for Joaquin Folch (Lotus 27); local man, Yves Saguato who still has his Lotus 18 in a showroom, his Matra MS120C; Nick Colyvas (who has also shipped his 27 to Europe), his Shadow DN5; Chris Locke (27) his Lotus 77; and Nathan Kinch a Williams FW06; while Katsuaki Kibota (who once turned up at Monza with a Japanese owned Lotus 20 or 22 of uncertain origins), a CCL Lotus 72; while past Lurani winner, and later, Indycar Team owner, Duncan Dayton is in his familiar Brabham BT 33; and past GP driver, and wheeler dealer, Robs Lamplough, who recently imported a BT 2 and some later F3 Brabham’s to UK, his long owned P 180 BRM.

The small bore Formulae are this year represented by Classique F3, and, although many unknown, we noticed Leif Bosson [Ralt RT1], who was completing a 3 week dash across Europe, having run his BT28 HF3 with Juniors at both Mugello and Donington Park Historic; Alexis FF Mk15 racer, Michael Richings had hired another RT1; Stefano Rosina (Moretti FJ) has a rare Osella F3A; Andrea Giuliani (Wainer FJ) another Modus; Pietro Silva has uncovered a car actually built in Monaco called the MP 301; while Piero Lottini (erstwile March 703 in the Italian series) had his later 763, the history of which Duncan had helped him research.

And there were more – but we hope that Formula Junior itself, with front engined cars in 2016 and rear engined cars in 2018 will be back in force for the Formula Junior Diamond Jubilee Celebrations 2016- 2018 !!

DCPR