Posts Tagged ‘Emerson Fittipaldi’

(N Sparks)

Great shot of Dave Walker in front of a gaggle of cars in the Mondello Park pitlane over the May 11 1969 weekend.

His works-Jim Russell Lotus 61 Formula Ford is in front of Emerson Fittipaldi’s Merlyn Mk11A with another future Grand Prix driver, Tony Trimmer in the black Titan fourth in the group.

Walker went backwards to go forwards with FF. He had been quick in his poorly funded F3 exploits in Europe since arriving from Australia in the mid-1960s but revitalised his career in works Lotus FFs. He won the 1969 Les Leston Formula Ford Championship aboard the Lotus 61 in 1969, dominant seasons in F3 aboard Gold Leaf Team Lotus 59 and 69s followed in 1970-71, then F1.

Walker during the 1964 Australian Grand Prix at Sandown Park in February 1964. He was ninth aboard his Brabham BT2 Ford 1.5, the race was won by Jack Brabham’s Brabham BT7A Climax FPF 2.5 (autopics.com.au)

Trimmer was second in the title aboard his Frank Williams racing Titan Mk4. Other drivers of note competing that year included Colin Vandervell, fifth using Lotus 61 and Merlyn Mk11A chassis, Ian Ashley, sixth in an Alexis, not to forget Tom Walkinshaw who was equal 14th in a Hawle DL2 – years before his switch to touring cars – with a youngster named James Hunt 21st in another Merlyn Mk11A.

Emerson was eighth but spent a good part of the year focused on F3, winning the BRSCC/MDC Lombank British F3 Championship aboard a works-Jim Russell Lotus 59 Ford. Walker was 11th in a Lotus Components 59, and Hunt 15th using Brabham, Lotus and March chassis.

Lotus Components built about 250 Lotus 61/61Ms from 1969-71, they were huge sellers, successful too with the wedge styling taking its cues from the 1968 Indy Lotus 56 Pratt & Whitney.

Credits…

Nick Sparks photo via Hans Hulsebos, autopics.com.au, Getty Images

Tailpiece…

Nice portrait of 29 year old Dave Walker at Crystal Palace in October 1970. Lotus 59A Ford F3.

That weekend, Mike Beuttler, Brabham BT28 Ford, won his heat, Walker his, and the final from Beuttler, Trimmer and Gerry Birrell.

Walker won the 1970 MCD Lombank F3 Championship, Carlos Pace (Jim Russell Lotus 59/59A) the BARC Forward Trust F3 title, and Tony Trimmer the BRSCC/MotorSport/Shell Super British F3 Championship, Brabham BT28 Ford.

Finito…

emmo

Emerson Fittipaldi lost in thoughts of set-up changes during Jarama practice, McLaren M23 Ford 27 April 1974…

This is a ‘signature’ Rainer Schlegelmilch shot, Emerson had an ok weekend, 3rd behind the Ferrari 312B3’s of Niki Lauda and Clay Regazzoni, valuable points in his successful quest to win his second drivers title.

Credit…

Rainer Schlegelmilch

racing car show

(David Lawson)

Lotus stand at the ’69 Racing Car Show, sports-racer Type 47 and F3 Type 59 to the fore…

Both models are Loti i always had a hankering for, there were several 47’s which raced for years in Australia in  a variety of classes and a 59 won the Australian Drivers Championship, the ‘Gold Star’ in 1970.

fittipaldi

Emerson Fittipaldi contesting the 1969 Guards Int Trophy at Brands Hatch on 1 Sept 1969. His Jim Russell Lotus 59 Ford was 3rd to Reine Wisell Chevron B15 Ford and Tim Schenken BT28 Ford, all racing in F1 in 1971- Emerson and Reine for GLT Lotus, Tim for Brabham (unattributed)

Back to the UK in 1969, the works ‘Gold Leaf Team Lotus’ 59’s were raced by American Roy Pike and Brit Mo Nunn (later Ensign F1 designer/supremo) with Aussie Dave Walker in a ‘Lotus Components’ entry (the constructor of Lotus customer racing cars).

Emerson Fittipaldi raced a Jim Russell Lotus 59 entry winning the 1969 British championship and making his GP debut at Brands Hatch in 1970.

dave walker monaco

Dave Walker in the GLTL Lotus 59 during the 1970 Monaco F3 GP, 9 May. He is threading his 8th placed car thru typical Monaco carnage. Tony Trimmer won in a Brabham BT28 Ford, Walker dominated F3 in 1971 including a GLTL Lotus 69 Ford Monaco F3 GP win (Simon Lewis)

 

47 paintinfg

The Oliver/Miles GLTL Lotus 47 is depicted ahead of the Bonnier/Sten Axelsson Lola T70 Mk3 Chev 6th and winning Ickx/Redman Ford GT40, Brands 6 Hour, 7 April 1968, the day of Jim Clark’s death (Michael Turner)

The 47 was raced in the 1968 Brands Hatch 6 Hours in GLTL colors by Jackie Oliver and John Miles finishing in tenth place in the race won by the Ickx/Redman Ford GT40.

In 1969 the works team raced the Lotus 62 with the GM derived Vauxhall/Lotus LV220 DOHC 4 valve engine, the 47 powered by the venerable Ford/Lotus twin-cam, a Hewland FT200 gearbox used in place of the standard Renault unit.

Whilst the 62 looked a bit like the 47 it shared a few body panels only; its spaceframe chassis was bespoke (2 built) and engines as noted above totally different.

47 silvers

John Miles Lotus 47.  ‘Silverstone Players Trophy’ meeting 27 April 1968 (Simon Lewis)

 

lotus 47 cutaway

Lotus 47 cutaway; backbone chassis, front suspension upper and lower wishbones and coil spring/damper units. Rear suspension top link, lower wishbone and radius rods. Engine Ford/Lotus twin cam 2 valve, power depending on spec from 160-190bhp. Gearbox Hewland FT200 5 speed , Brakes ventilated disc all round (unattributed)

 

Lotus 47 engine, gearbox and suspension detail (B Hayton)

Geoghegan’s Sporty Cars 47…

It was inevitable that the Geoghegan brothers would import a Lotus 47 to Australia albeit the cars didn’t fit neatly into our sportscar class structure where the majority of races were short sprints rather than the longer events for which the cars were really designed.

(C Haigh)

The point is illustrated by Leo’s challenge in keeping up with the Lotus 23B Ford at Lakeside above circa 1968, whilst the gorgeous silhouette of the car is shown in the shot below at Hell Corner, Bathurst where he is trying to hold off his old Elan 26R being driven by Niel Allen.

(C Haigh)

 

(C Haigh)

The last two shots are at Lakeside, the one above is Leo and the 23B lapping slower machines- get in touch if you can identify the cars/drivers.

(C Haigh)

Photo Credits…

David Lawson, Simon Lewis, Chris Haigh

Finito…