Race Report: Oulton Park, 28 August 1971

The second F3 at Oulton Park with in a week saw a good entry arrive for this Lombank Championship round. A shower of rain just before the start saw several runners changing tyres although it looked as if it would be brief and indeed as the flag fell the rain had stopped. Colin Vandervell, his Brabham fitted with intermediates took the lead from a slick shod Andy Sutcliffe who had made a storming start from the fourth row. First time at Lodge saw some synchronised spinning from the two AIRO Brabham BT28s of Brian McGuire and Alan Jones loosing fourth and fifth places respectively. This left Vandervell leading

from Sutcliffe and Williamson who had started from the third row following an engine blow up in practice, fourth was Scheckter his Merlyn wearing slicks. The next lap at Lodge saw even more action when Sutcliffe tried to outbrake Vandervell, unfortunately he made contact with the Brabham and Williamson found himself involved with Scheckter running over the nose of the March as he passed all three cars and took the lead. Vandervell got himself moving again and set off after the Merlyn. Williamson dropped to sixth but some determined driving saw him back up with the Merlyn and the Brabham. Scheckter continued in the lead with Vandervell’s efforts to keep Williamson at bay ensured that the Merlyn driver was able to cross the line first to score his maiden F3 victory. Vandervell took second by inches from Williamson with Ferreira fourth ahead of David Purley in his new Ensign LN1. Barrie Maskell retired his Chevron B18 after one lap with low fuel pressure and Peter Lamplough non-started his Palliser with its new Vegantune when a pulley came off.

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