23 CAR GRID IN CZECH REPUBLIC............…2 NEW DRIVERS FOR TGP 2004…LOTUS 92 BACK ON TRACK…OVER 30 CARS FOR SEASON FINALE AT ESTORIL…
The FIA TGP World Championship will return to the Czech on September 26th with a strong 23-car grid including two new names and 3 ‘new’ cars.
Round 7 of the championship, the penultimate event before the grand finale at Estoril in October, will be a hotly contested affair. The championship is poised for a great finish with reigning champion Mike Wrigley (Tyrrell 012/3) just five points behind current leader Rodrigo Gallego (March 761/8).
Gallego will be hoping to go to his home event in Portugal with a strong points lead but faces a renewed challenge from his Class B competitors. John Crowson (Ensign N177) is having something of a renaissance behind the wheel whilst Frank Lyons leaves his McLaren M26 at home to race the beautiful, Penthouse liveried Hesketh 308E. But even more notable is the entry of Peter Williams in his March 761/5, a sister car to Gallego’s. Williams will be contesting his first TGP event as he seeks to continue his season following the early closure of the Grand Prix Masters series and promises to be a strong threat to Gallego.
Wrigley won’t have it all his own way though. His Tyrrell, an ex-Martin Brundle drive, sits in class D where Mauro Pane, deprived of his drive in a Tyrrell P34 earlier in the year following early successes, races for the first time in a Lotus 92-5. Pane is ultra competitive and if the car hangs together, should be able to push Wrigley, as indeed will the rest of the Class D regulars. Nico Bindels should have won the class in Germany but a drive shaft gave up on the RAM-March during the final lap and he’ll be looking to make amends. On that occasion, Ian Barrowman scored Osella’s first ever points by inheriting the win and will be hoping for more of the same sort of luck. Steve Hartley (Arrows A6) & Alistair Morrison (Tyrrell 012-3) are regular points scorers and Hartley in particular is great at ‘new’ circuits.
Described as a ‘drivers’ circuit’, Brno has attracted a full grid as the international band of TGP world racers come out to test themselves against the sweeping fast bends and each other. Fredy Kumschick is just 12 points behind Gallego and its not inconceivable that he could still get that elusive championship title. Almost a certainty for the Class C title, Kumschick is a real racer. A couple of incidents this season have seen him throw away points which has been disappointing but he is always quick and mega-competitive. But Kumschick will face a challenge from regulars Richard Eyre (Williams FW08-3) and Joaquin Folch (Williams FW08-5) as well as returning Paul Tattersall in his Ensign N179). Tattersall is very excited to be back in the car after over a year out and is a welcome return to the field.It promises to be a real thriller and fans will be able to watch the action on Sky Sports’ ‘Race world’ programme as well as MotorsTV a fortnight after the event.
The final round is at Estoril on Sunday 10th October and is set to be something very special. Already the entry list features 31 fantastic Grand Prix cars and includes an ex-Gilles Villeneuve Ferrari 312T2 as well as Le Mans racer Duncan Dayton, Brabham BT49 driver, Christian Glasel and many more of the sport’s finest.
ENTRY LIST Event: - Brno
Date: 24-25-26 Sept 23Car - #: - Driver: - Nat: - Vehicle: - Team:
Class A: (Period G Formula One cars built and raced prior to 31.12.1971)
3 Delane, John USA Tyrrell 001 Hall & Hall65 Lyons, Judy GB Surtees TS09/3 Lyons Racing
Class B: (Post 1971 non ground effect F1 cars) 10 Williams, Peter GB March 761/5 Williams Racing24 Lyons, Frank GB Hesketh 308E - 1 Lyons Racing26 Crowson, John GB Ensign N177 MN09 Team Impression39 Gallego, Rodrigo P March 761/8 MEC Auto53 Kogan, Abraham Bra McLaren M23/4 James Watt Automotive
Class C: (All post 1971 ground effect F1 cars) 6 Eyre, Richard GB Williams FW08/3 Robin Hooker Racing7 Folch, Joaquin Esp Williams FW08/5 Simon Hadfield Racing11 Collins, Dan GB Lotus 91/10 Classic Team Lotus14 Abbott, David GB Ensign N180 Mirage Motorsport19 Merizzi, Gianfranco I McLaren M29/1 F1 Storiche22 Tattersall, Paul GB Ensign N179 Mirage Motorsport25 Kumschick, Fredy CH Williams FW07/C-14 Team Kumschick29 Bahlsen, Hubertus CH Arrows A4/5 Team Kohler Racing48 Ratti, Pietro I McLaren M29/2 F1 Storiche71 Bahlsen, Andrea D Lotus 81/2 Team Kohler Racing
Class D: (All post 1971 flat bottomed cars) 1 Wrigley, Mike GB Tyrrell 012 James Watt Automotive15 Pane, Mauro I Lotus 92-05 F1 Storiche30 Bindels, Nico Lux Ram Mach 02 Maasen Motorsport31 Hartley, Steve GB Arrows A6 Mirage Motorsport32 Barrowman, Ian GB Osella FA1 C/D Birchwood Racing33 Morrison, Alistair GB Tyrrell 012/1 Sanders Racing
