Formula 1 Masters at Brands Hatch: Twice Wrigley and his Tyrrell 011

Text and photo: Roman Klemm

Two more championship races were held at Brands Hatch Masters-F1, which will also be presented in Brno in mid-July. Both gold cups of the weekend were won by home rider Matthew Wrigley in a Tyrrell-Ford 011.

Saturday Qualification:
14 cars entered the event on the traditional British Grand Prix track in Kent. Two Tyrrell, Williams, Shadow, Lec and McLaren brands each, plus three Arrows and one Fittipaldi.
Fastest in free practice was home Matthew Wrigley in a Tyrrell 011 ahead of Japan's Yutaka Toriba in a Williams FW07C and Steve Hartley in a McLaren MP4/1. In the qualifying session, in which he drove about a second faster, the young Wrigley confirmed his form and established himself by 47 thousandths ahead of the fast Toriba. The second starting row was secured by Jordan Grogor (Arrows A3) and Simon Fish (Arrows A4). Hartley followed, with only 0.88 seconds separating those top five, promising some interesting racing.

Brands Hatch F1 qualifying result:
1. Matthew Wrigley, Tyrrell 011 1:21.373s
2. Yutaka Toriba, Williams FW07C 1:21.420s
3. Jordan Grogor, Arrows A3 1:22.088s
4. Simon Fish, Arrows A4 1:22.171s
5. Steve Hartley, McLaren MP4/1 1:22.253s
6. Mark Harrison, Shadow DN9 1:23.348s
7. Warren Briggs, McLaren M29 1:23.810s
8. Peter Williams, Lec CRP 1 1:25.033s
9. Mark Hazell, Williams FW08C 1:25.455s
10. Ron Maydon, Lec CRP1 1:26.446s
11. Victor Jabouille, Fittipaldi Fittipaldi F8 1:26.623s
12. Ian Simmonds, Tyrrell 012 1:27.022s
13. Ewen Sergison, Shadow DN9A 1:28.371s
14. Nick Pink, Arrows A5 1:33.181s

1st race
The result of the qualification did not promise much. The morning's 15-lap race was a big "Tyrrell-versus-Williams" duel between Matthew Wrigley and Yutaka Toriba. In the end, the Englishman prevailed by less than a second in the car that had been fielded by the "lumberjack" team of Ken Tyrrell since the 1981 season. Unfortunately, Jordan Grogor and his fast Arrows A3 could not start, so third place went to Simon Fish in a newer Mk A4 of the same brand. Masters organizing director Ron Maydon finished 7th in his Lecu, son of former Renault star Jean-Pierre Jabouille, Victor rounded out the top 10 in a Fittipaldi A8.

Result of the 1st race:
1. Matthew Wrigley, Tyrrell 011
2. Yutaka Toriba, Williams FW07C
3. Simon Fish, Arrows A4
4. Steve Hartley, McLaren MP4/1
5. Mark Harrison, Shadow DN9
6. Warren Briggs, McLaren M29

2nd race
In the afternoon, the speedy Wrigley had it easier. The South African Grogor did start this time, but not with the broken fast Arrows A3. He pulled out his pale blue Amon F101 from the transporter, with which Chris Amon had already performed miracles 50 years ago. He only lasted 8 laps... When even Toriba retired in lap 3, Wrigley's Tyrrell 011 was not at the top of the competition. He won by 12.6 seconds over Fish and a further 6.8 over Mark Harrison's Shadow DN9. Jabouille finished seventh this time, 51 seconds behind the winner.

Result of the 2nd race:
1. Matthew Wrigley, Tyrrell 011
2. Simon Fish, Arrows A4
3. Mark Harrison, Shadow DN9
4. Warren Briggs, McLaren M29
5. Peter Williams, Lec CRP 1
6. Ian Simmonds, Tyrrell 012