Following their opening round at the French Historic Grand Prix at Paul Ricard and their star appearance at the invitational Monaco Historic Grand Prix, the 1966-’85 Formula One cars of the 3-litre era return to Brands Hatch for the second round of the 2024 Masters Racing Legends series this weekend (25/26 May). Once again, the sound of Ford Cosworth DFVs will reverberate off the green hills of Kent, just as it did when the British Grand Prix was still a biennial event at Brands.
As is customary in a season that includes the crown-jewel Monaco event, the entry list for the Brands Hatch round reads as a mixture between cars that ran in the opening round at Paul Ricard but not at Monaco, or the other way around. However, at least four of them haven’t missed either of them – Ewen Sergison is back in his ex-Clay Regazzoni Shadow DN9, and so is departing Masters boss Ron Maydon in his ex-David Purley Lec CRP1.
They are joined in the list by reigning champion Ken Tyrrell’s ex-Michele Alboreto Tyrrell 011 and Mark Higson’s ex-Niki Lauda McLaren MP4/1B. American driver Tyrrell will hope to add a big haul of points to cement his title defence, while Higson aims to score points against strong opposition in the Head class for post-78 ground effect cars.
Warren Briggs, however, has done the contrary and will make his first 2024 start in the McLaren M29 that the Kiwi helped fabricate when he was still a youngster. Likewise, Mark Harrison’s ex-Elio de Angelis Shadow DN9 will also see its season’s debut at Brands, as will the Arrows A3 in the hands of Jordan Grogor.
In yet another twist, Matthew Wrigley will revert to the Tyrrell 011 that he campaigned at Paul Ricard, having raced a March 721G and a Penske PC3 at Monaco. It’s the same with Steve Hartley, the 2006, 2007, 2014 and 2022 champion who in Monaco went back to the Arrows with which he won his first two championships but will return to the ex-John Watson McLaren MP4/1 that helped to win his fourth title.
Mark Hazell (Williams FW08C), Nick Pink (Arrows A5) and Ian Simmonds (Tyrrell 012) are among the drivers who follow up on their Monaco appearance, as is Yutaka Toriba (Williams FW07C), but with a different car from the FW05 the Japanese driver raced in the principality. On the other hand, Simon Fish (Arrows A4) and Peter Williams (in the other Lec CRP1) are part of the contingent that come to Brands straight from Paul Ricard, as is Victor Jabouille (Fittipaldi F8), the son of former Renault F1 star Jean-Pierre Jabouille, who made his Masters debut at Ricard.