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INTERSERIES EARLY YEARS
1970-1975
By
Carlos de Paula
Several
European championships emerged during the early seventies, many of which did not
survive many years, including the European GT Championship and European 2 liter
championship. The Interseries was not a FIA championship, and maybe because of
that reason, survived until the early 2000s, although in the latter guise it was
but a shadow of its former self.
The
Can-Am series, run with large displacement 2-seater sports cars, was a major
success in the late 60’s, often eclipsing Formula 1 in interest. In fact, many
prominent European drivers contested the series, which was dominated by the McLaren
team from 1967 to 1971. Group 7 was actually created in England, but no major
championship was created in the European continent, until the Interseries, in
1970.
Billed
as the European Can-Am, the Interseries never achieved the same success as the
U.S./Canadian series. For one, prize money was not as abundant, so the series
failed to attract major talent of the day. Additionally, the Can Am races often
attracted more than 30 participants, at least until 1972, while Interseries was
mostly poorly support. As a result, one would often find 2 liter sports cars
filling grids against 8 liter engined brutes, in addition to drivers of
questionable pedigree.
On the
positive side, the Interseries provided a longer lifeline for 5 liter Group 5
cars such as the Porsche 917, Ferrari 512 and Ford GT40, which were disallowed
in the World Championship of Makes, as of 1972.
The
series was mostly a Porsche benefit, initially with the 917 and 908 models,
eventually with the 917 K variant. In spite of this dominance, works teams from
Ferrari, Alfa Romeo and BRM often took part. On the driver side, the Interseries
attracted mostly German or Nordic drivers, although the odd Italian, French,
British and South American drivers participated.
The
first championship comprised of 6 rounds, with races held at Norisring,
Hockenheim (two rounds), Croft (England), Keimola and Thruxton. The first
champion was Jurgen Neuhaus, who drove a 4.5 liter Porsche 917, winning the
initial race, plus the 5th round. Gijs
Van Lennep came in second, also driving a Porsche 917. Providing some
welcome diversification, Helmut Kelleners won a couple of races driving a March
707-Chevrolet, the same car that Chris
Amon used in the Can Am, without managing a win.
For
1971, Leo Kinnunen began is
run of success in the series. Driving a Spyder adapted Porsche 917, Kinnunen won
the series three straight years. Having risen to prominence as Pedro
Rodriguez teammate in the successful World Championship of Makes campaign of
1970, Leo won the 1971 championship on the strength of many good placings and a
single victory at home, in Keimola. The score was curiously reflected in Swiss
Francs, rather than points, which clearly showed why major drivers such as
Jackie Stewart shunned the Interseries in favor of Can-Am: Leo won only 81,000
Swiss Francs. Among other attractions, Brian
Redman drove a Chevrolet powered BRM to two victories, while Arturo
Merzario drove a works Ferrari to victory at Imola.
Autodelta Alfa Romeos also appeared at the Zolder round, driven by Stommelen
and Hezemans. Peter Gethin
also won a couple of rounds and was the runner up in the championship. Sadly,
Pedro Rodriguez lost his life driving a Ferrari 512 in the Norising round.
For 1972
Kinnunen was more competitive, winning a total of 6 out of 9 rounds, driving a
5.4 liter Porsche 917-10. Leo was not the only driver to be so equipped, as
Willy Kauhsen also drove that model effectively. BRM took part in a few rounds,
winning at Nurburgring and Osterreichring, with Howden
Ganley at the wheel. On the driving strength, there were less stars taking
part in Interseries races, a pattern that was to remain until the end of the
period. On the positive side, the calendar had expanded to 9 races.
The 1973
tournament was down to 7 races again, and it was duly won by Kinnunen, who was
by then racing a Turbo Porsche 917-10. Leo won four races, while Willy Kauhsen
took two, and Vic Elford one.
The championship was a real Porsche benefit, and the best placing by a
non-Porsche was Teddy Pillete’s
fourth place driving a turbo McLaren at Nurburgring.
In 1974,
Herbert Muller began his run of success in the championship. Having been loyal
to Ferrari until 1973, for 74 Muller changed to a Porsche 917-20 Turbo, winning
the first of two championships. Herbert won half of the six races, the other
three being shared by Kaushen, Kelleners and Kinnunen. Kelleners won at the
Nurburging with a McLaren. 1974 World champion to be Emerson
Fittipaldi took part in that race, driving a Porsche 917-10 Turbo to sixth.
Curiously, his former Lotus teammate Dave
Walker drove a TOJ to fifth place. Point scoring was again adopted, to
detriment of Swiss Franc earnings.
The 1975
calendar comprised seven races, and Muller was again the winner, having won two
races to Tim Schenken’s
three. Tim had been hired by Georg Loos, and won the last three races of the
year. The Willy Kaushen Racing Team, which was racing Alfa Romeos in the Makes
championship that year, took part in a few rounds, winning one of the Hockenheim
races with Jochen Mass at the
wheel, and at Kassel Calden with Derek
Bell. Also driving Alfas, during the year, were Henri
Pescarolo and John Watson.
Howden Ganley also drove in a few races with a Gulf Ford, achieving 2nd place at
the Nurburgring. The calendar was becoming almost entirely German, with a single
race held at Zandvoort bringing some international flavor to the series. Three
of the races were held at Hockenheim.
From
1976 on, the Interseries changed its original focus, as Group 7 cars were fewer
and fewer, except for a McLaren here and there. Most cars were 2 liter sports
cars, in fact a category for two liters was created and for the first time a 2
liter won a race outright in 1976. The series became mostly a Gentlemen Racers
club, although professionals such as Bob Wollek and Reinhold Jost showed up in
sopme rounds. During the Group C years there was revival, that collapsed with
the rest of the Sports Car world. In its latest guise, the series was run with
fendered Formula 1 cars, thus allowing a very unlikely event, Minardi’s single
Formula 1 win!
Prominent
drivers who took part in the Interseries in the formative years: Jurgen Neuhaus,
Helmut Kelleners, Ronnie
Peterson, Niki Lauda, Helmut
Marko, Emerson Fittipaldi, Wilson
Fittipaldi Junior, Pedro Rodriguez, Gijs Van Lennep, Teddy Pillete, David
Prophet, Gerard Larrousse,
Chris Craft, Arturo Merzario,
Herbert Muller, Brian Redman, Joakin
Bonnier, Vic Elford, Leo Kinnunen, Peter Gethin, Willy Kaushen, Derek Bell,
Jochen Mass, Richard Attwood,
Rolf Stommelen, Toine Hezemans, Andrea
de Adamich, Reinhold Jöst, Georg Loos, Henri Pescarolo, John Watson, Lella
Lombardi, George Follmer,
Nanni Galli, Brian
Henton, Harld Ertl, Loris
Kessel, Hartwig Bertrams. Giampiero Moretti, Clemens Schicentanz, Otto
Stuppacher, Clay Reggazoni,
Carlo Faccetti, Mario Casoni
Cars
that raced in the Interseries period 1970-1975: Porsche 908-1, 908-2, 908-3,
917, 917K, 907, 910, 906; Daren MK3, Chevron B8, B16, B19, B12, B21, B23, B26,
B27, B31, Spectre, March 707, 717, 75S, 74S; Nathan; Lota T70 Ford and Aston
Martin, T210, T212, T290, T222, T280, T282, T294; Lotus 23 and 62; Saturn
Martin; Ford GT40, Ford Capri; Ferrari 512M and 512S; Astra, Brabham, McLaren
M12, M6, M8, M20, M1; Alfa Romeo T33/3; BRM P167, P154; TOJ, Karasek, KMW
Porsche, Momo-Abarth, GRD S73, Behnke Condor, Abarth Osella, Abarth 2000SP,
Cheetah, Rawlson Ford, De Cadenet, Rieger, GLS Porsche, REX SP, LBW 747
For
Interseries results, visit http://www.wsrp.wz.cz