1972 March 721G .Pages

! 1972 March 721G Formula 1 Chassis No. 721G-1 • The first of the March 721G and driven in period by Mike Beuttler, Ronnie Peterson, Niki Lauda, David Purley, Reine Wisel and Jean-Pierre Jarier. • Completely restored by Simon Hadfield Motorsport ready for the 2012 Monaco Historic Grand Prix, for then owner, Frank Sytner. • Put on the front row of the grid for Monaco Historic Grand Prix 2012 by Frank Sytner. • Raced again at Monaco in 2014 and sold with an entry for this years Monaco Historic GP. Accompanied by new, up to date FIA papers and an Allen Brown Historical Dossier. This is surely your last chance to get a place on one of the most prestigious grids in all historic motorsport. To a great many, the race for Formula 1 cars from 1966 to 1972 is the highlight of the prestigious Monaco Historic Grand Prix. Over the years it has produced some of the closest fought and exciting racing of the weekend. A highly evocative grid spanning the iconic era of transition from pre to post wing and the introduction of the high airbox. These cars mark a significant turning point in the rich history of Formula 1. In 1969 March Engineering was established by its four founders, Max Mosley, Alan Rees, Graham Coaker and Robin Herd, with the intention to become a racing car production business providing chassis for customers competing in all racing categories. March's launch was unprecedented in its breadth and impact. After building a single Formula Three car in 1969 March announced that they would be introducing customer cars for F1, F2, F3, Formula Ford and Can-Am in 1970, as well as running works F1, F2 and F3 teams. T. + 44 (0)1285 831 488 E. [email protected] www.williamianson.com ! Their first inroad in to F1 was the 701 chassis. That same year, Jackie Stewart gave March its first F1 victory in the non-championship Race of Champions in March and won the Spanish GP the following month. For the 1971 Formula 1 season, March came up with the remarkable 711 featuring an elliptical front wing, known as the "Tea Tray”. Ronnie Peterson finished runner-up in the World Championship without any wins, but five second places. The same year, he wrote history by finishing second in the closest and fastest GP race ever (at Monza). That record still stands as of today. For the 1972 Formula One season March fielded three distinct models of car, beginning with the 721, which was a development of the 711. Peterson and Niki Lauda then drove the disappointing experimental 721X factory cars and Frank Williams ran regular 711 and 721 customer cars for Henri Pescarolo and Carlos Pace. The 721X was deemed to be a disaster and abandoned, but all was not lost and the team saw a way out. Customer Mike Beuttler and his backers ordered an F1 car, this car 721G-1. March produced it in just nine days by fitting a Cosworth DFV and larger fuel tanks to the 722 F2 chassis. The 'G' standing for 'Guinness Book Of Records' as the car was built so quickly. The 721G was light and quick, and the works team soon built their own chassis. Had they started the year with these, wins may well have been possible. The 721G set the trend for future March F1 cars, which for the rest of the 1970s were essentially scaled-up F2 chassis. Meanwhile, March was going from strength to strength in Formula Two and Formula Three. So this car chassis, 721G-1, started out as an experiment for a paid driver and was found to be a better option than the works car. As such four more examples were built. Finished in time for the first of the 1972 European series the Spanish Grand Prix on the 1st of May it was raced by financier backed Mike Beuttler. Its 722 monocoque had a stronger rear bulkhead to take the Cosworth DFV engine and reinforced suspension pick-up points to accept the 721 type rear suspension and gearbox. The front suspension was conventional with double wishbones and coil springs unlike the rocker-arm front suspension of the 721. Pannier tanks were fitted to take fuel capacity up to 38 gallons. T. + 44 (0)1285 831 488 E. [email protected] www.williamianson.com ! Beuttler’s first outing was the Spanish GP (seen above), where he set a time but did not qualify. A new fuel system was fitted for Monaco and Beuttler managed to finish 13th. In Belgium Beuttler was only 0.7 seconds behind Peterson who asked to try this car in practice. At the next Grand Prix, Lauda took the opportunity to try this car in practice before Beuttler went on to take 4th place. The French GP did not yield any notable result for Beuttler. Lauda again tested 721G-1 at the British GP and Beuttler took 13th. He then went on to finish 8th at the Nurburgring and retired from the Austrian GP. At Monza he managed to qualify one place behind Peterson and finished 10th. From Europe Beuttler went on to take 13th at the US GP, 10th at the Argentine GP, retiring in the Brazilian GP and not qualifying for the South African GP. T. + 44 (0)1285 831 488 E. [email protected] www.williamianson.com ! March gave Beuttler a 731 for the 1973 season and this car next appeared at the 1973 Monaco Grand Prix (pictured above), in the hands of David Purley. Now incorporating most of the 731 modifications but still with the old wide-track suspension and painted in the dark blue colours of LEC Refrigeration team. Purley sadly retired half way through the race. Reine Wisell hired the car for the Swedish GP, qualified well but had to retire early on in the race. The car was back in Purley’s hands at the British Grand Prix at Silverstone in July. Now with the narrow track rear suspension. He was running 16th until a brake problem caused him to crash at Beckets crumpling the tub. The car was rebuilt with a new tub for the Dutch Grand Prix and according to international renowned historian Allen Brown (a copy of who’s dossier on this car is in the history file), it is this tub, ‘still showing its blue and base colour’, that is still in the car today. According to Brown the chassis number was changed to 731-1 to keep the identity of the car in line. However Paul Sheldon’s ‘A Record of Grand Prix and Voiturette Racing’ has the race entries still listed as 721G-1 for David Purley. It was at the Dutch Grand Prix driving this car that David Purley stopped during the race to rush to the aid of fellow driver Roger Williamson who was trapped upside down in his burning car. Purley heroically singlehandedly tried to right the burning car but was sadly unable to save his fellow driver. He was later awarded the George Medal for his bravery. T. + 44 (0)1285 831 488 E. [email protected] www.williamianson.com ! The next outing for the car was the German GP at the Nurburgring where Purley was 15th . Jean-Pierre Jarier drove the car for his return to Formula 1 at the Austrian GP and David Purley then rounded off its Formula 1 career at Monza with a 9th. March built a completely new design for the 1974 season. All of the old 721 and 731 stock was offered for sale by Sandy Topin in Autosport over a series of adverts. It is believed that this car was sold as a complete car to Arnold Sundqvist in Sweden in 1974 to form the basis of his new Firestone backed jet car. The engine and gearbox were removed and a General Electric J85-71 was fitted in its place. From Sundqvist the list of ownership seems to read as Sveneric Erickson (Sweden), Steffan Olsson (Sweden), Joakim Thorjesson (Sweden) in 2007. Joakim Thorjesson drove the car at the Monaco Historics, painted yellow and still in its 731 specification. In 2011 it was purchased by well know racer Frank Sytner. Knowing the cars history as a 721G, Frank had the car completely rebuilt by highly respected restorer and preparer Simon Hadfield Motorsport. They completely rebuilt the tub and car back to its correct 1972 721G specification and Frank raced the car at the Monaco in 2012. Having qualified the car 2nd on the grid he was sadly hit in a start line incident. Although the damage was only minimal (damaged upright and bent wishbone) it was enough to end his hopes of winning the race, but not before he had shown the pace this car has to offer. From him ownership passed to the current ownership in 2013. He has campaigned the car in a number of rounds of Historic Formula 1 and raced the car at the last Monaco Historic Grand Prix in 2014. The car is fitted with the Langford and Peck long strike engine-which is correct for the car, with circa 3.5 hours running time. Other spares include two complete sets of wheels - one with good wet tyres, three further spare wheels, a Techcraft silencer (and straight pipes), a spare differential, a spare fibreglass side-pod, a pre-heater and a small selection of various suspension arms/radiators. This fabulous car already has an entry for this years Monaco Historic Grand Prix and the owner is happy for the entry to go with the car when sold.

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