FIA Masters Historic F1 – Catalunya

FIA Masters Historic Formula One Championship weekend at Barcelona last weekend was all sunshine and the sounds of yesteryear F1. Race results from the Catalan Classic Festival…

Saturday Race:

Steve Hartley (Arrows A4) claimed honours in the opening FIA Masters Historic Formula One Championship race of the season. Simon Fish (Ensign N180) claimed pole position but was headed on the opening lap by young gun Michael Lyons (Hesketh 308E) who started to edge away from Fish who, in turn, was busy battling with local hero Joaquin Folch (Brabham BT49C). Lyons led impressively, given that his early Hesketh was also the pace-setter in the Pre-1978 division, and was helped in his task by a fierce fight behind in which Hartley and Folch traded places. However, Lyons was halted on lap nine when the Hesketh was hit by an electrical problem and the car retired.

Fish, therefore, inherited the lead, but in a race of attrition, he too was hit by a mechanical gremlin and he slowed two laps later, allowing the Hartley/Folch fight to assume the lead. The two continued to duel but Hartley hung on to win by just eight-tenths of a second. Third fell to Belgian touring car legend Jean-Michel Martin (Fittipaldi F8) ahead of the Williams’ of Christophe D’Ansembourg (FW07C) and Richard Eyre (FW08) and reigning champion Greg Thornton (Lotus 91/5).

After Lyons retired, Japanese driver Katsu Kubota (Lotus 72) inherited the Pre-78 win, chased home by Charles Nearburg (McLaren M23) and James Hagan (Ensign N177).

Behind the podium finishers, Manfredo Rossi di Montelera turned in a storming drive. Starting his Brabham BT42 from the pit lane after a clutch drama, the Italian hustled his Martini-liveried car to 14th in the 31-car field.

Sunday Race:

Steve Hartley (Arrows A4) again secured victory in the second leg of the Championship, while Leo Voyazides/Simon Hadfield took three wins, sharing a car in the FIA Masters Historic Sports Car Championship, Gentlemen Drivers Pre-66 GT Cars and Masters Pre-66 Touring Cars.

Steve Hartley’s second win in the FIA Masters Historic Formula One Championship came from pole position but he was pressed hard throughout by Belgian ace Jean-Michel Martin (Fittipaldi F8). The two distanced themselves from the opposition, leaving Spanish favourite Joaquin Folch (Brabham BT49C) trailing in their wake. The hero of the race, though, was Michael Lyons who has started at the rear of the grid in his Hesketh 308E after dramas in race one. Lyons stormed through the field and secured fourth overall as well as winning the Pre-1978 division of the race from Katsu Kubota (Lotus 72) and Manfredo Rossi di Montelera (Brabham BT42).

Established Masters racers Leo Voyazides and Simon Hadfield left Barcelona laden with trophies. Their win in the opening round of the FIA Masters Historic Sports Car Championship came from pole position and their Lola T70 Mk3B dominated the race. The ex-Sid Taylor Lola T70 Mk3B of Carlos Monteverde/Gary Pearson qualified second but couldn’t stave off the attack of the similar T70 of Jason Wright/Andy Wolfe which assumed second place, while American Charles Nearburg slayed many against in his Lola T212 on his way to third. The best of the Pre-66 cars was the Lola T70 Spyder of Pedro Macedo Silva.

Wright/Wolfe paired up for the Gentlemen Drivers Pre-66 GT opener and bagged pole position their AC Cobra outpacing the similar car of Voyazides/Hadfield. However, a problem with Wright’s Cobra sent it pit-bound. That allowed Voyazides/Hadfield to dominate the race and claim honours from Carlos Monteverde/Gary Pearson (Jaguar E-type) and Jamie Boot/Martin O’Connell (TVR Griffith).

Minis made up the bulk of the Masters Pre-66 Touring Car Championship field but there was no substitute for power as the Ford Falcons of Mike Gardiner and Leo Voyazides argued over the lead. Gardiner led early on until Voyazides powered past him, Leo relaying Simon Hadfield for the second stint who managed to fend off Phil Keen in Gardiner’s Falcon and the Lotus Cortina of Graham Wilson/Andy Wolfe.

The next stop for Masters Historic Racing will be the Donington Historic Festival on May 3/4/5.

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