Motor Racing Development press release 23/12/1967Zandvoort, the Netherlands. With a brand new works development car the Motor Racing Development crew travelled overseas to join their new driver Robert Fleurke at his hometrack Circuit Park Zandvoort. With a re-build Cosworth-FVA engine and a freshly rebuilt FT200 gearbox, the Brabham BT23/2 could be the car to beat. The crew had to resticker the car with startnumber 10 and Fleurke's name on top of Sir Jack Brabham's name. After some private and open testing sessions and many setup changes, the car was consistently lapping in the 1m25s bracket on new Goodyear tires.
The MRD crew was impressed by Fleurke's technical feedback and outright speed, and had high hopes for the F2 Trophy race at Zandvoort. Nobody would deny Fleurke among the Italian macho's in their Tyrrell/SPC-Matra MS7's, the British limeys in their privateer BM-Brabham BT 23/1's, and the rest of the international field in Brabham's, Lotus, Matra's and McLaren's. Even French Mécanique Aviation Traction tried to defy MRD with their MS5 monster.
And in practise, Fleurke set pole position in only his third flying lap, with a time of 1m25.23s. P1, within a second of the trackrecord for F2 cars. The MRD crew was ecstatic. However later in practise, out of Hondenvlak, Fleurke wrecked his brand new chassis' being on a 1m24ish lap, and came until a stop just in front of Tunnel Oost. Arf Arf Arf -yes those are his first, middle and his last name- had to go outside Tunnel Oost and wrecked heavily writing off his expensive MS7. Happily Arf survived this encounter with the stone wall, but he was bruised up and very unhappy with newcomer Fleurke it was rumoured.
Being overconfident before the 27 laps race, Fleurke was not completely satisfied with the setup, and asked the crew to change the ramp angles in the differential and to rebuild the chassis. The MRD crew, suffering from a jetlag was not happy about that. Being tired they make a mistake filling up the fueltank with more than 50 liters of high octane leaded petrol and ramped up the angles on the coast side too much.
This race would prove to be a slipstream spectacle on the Huzaren Vlak, as passing on the twisting parts of the track is almost impossible without a mistake of the car in front.
The start went well and Fleurke maintains his lead out of the Tarzanbocht. Starting from second position, Piero Mercaldo oversteers out of Tarzan Bocht, and his chances of a win disappear like African snow in the Italian summer sun. Towards Hugenholtzbocht -named after the trackdesigner of Zandvoort and Suzuka- championshipleader Evil Clive -starting from fourth position- already closes up to Fleurke after a Donnerwetter Blitz-start. The rest of the field follows.
Clive gets a good draft on the Huzaren Vlak on Lap 2, but has to tuck in behind Fleurke, who is defending the inside line towards Tarzan Bocht. On Lap 3 Clive is able to pass Fleurke inside Tarzan Bocht, as Fleurke was watching his mirrors on the inside line. Fleurke goes wide and loose and has to let Evil Clive go. That was not part of the masterplan.
Due to electrical problems Fleurke is unable to follow Clive closely. Roberto Teso, in the blue Matra MS7 is closing in on Lap 9. The first car is being lapped on Lap 11, the Lotus 48 of Paul Whitfield. This is not what Colin Chapman likes to see. On Lap 12 the top 3 runners are almost running nose to tail. On Lap 13 Fleurke can't take the pressure of Teso anymore and oversteers out of Tarzanbocht into the grass. In the same lap Walter Conn is being lapped, the privateer Brabham driver responsible for stealing startnumber 2 from MRD. Here you see him being lapped by Fleurke just before the flat out taken Tunnel Oost.
On Lap 14 Teso -who holds the fastest lap of the race until then, an impressive 1m25.60s- is out for Clive's blood. Fleurke tries to hang on. On Lap 16 the many spectators on the Hoofdtribune see Teso closing in on Clive, Teso sets what will be the fastest lap of the race, a 1m25.40s. Fleurke seems to be dropped. On Lap 17, the same spectators see the unleashed Italian Teso trying to pass Clive outside in the Tarzan bocht, a feature that is almost impossible. The Latin blood is boiling it seems. On Lap 19, the wildly cheering spectators see Teso closing in at Clive's gearbox. The Tyrrell/SPC-Matra MS7's topspeed is superior to the Brabham's, thanks to it's aerodynamics, despite a wider front track. Fleurke seems to close in ever so slightly, being applauded and cheered on by his fellow landsmen. All this noise makes Fleurke pushing even more despite handling problems. At the end of Lap 19 Teso goes loose as a goose in Pulleveld ableing Fleurke to close up. Teso's blood might have been overcooked as he overcooks the corner on his Dunlops. He's probably a good Italian cook, but I digress. Clive has just lapped Billy Nobrakes, who'd better check his brakes towards Tarzanbocht. The Nr. 7 Brabham of Martin "Maddog" Hunt -not family of great upcoming talent James Hunt, yet coming from the same neighbourhood- is in front of Clive.
On Lap 20 Fleurke, being loose braking and off the gas, now goes loose on the gas towards Gerlachbocht, just when he has caught Teso. With Billy Nobrakes in front it seems both Fleurke and Teso have no brakes, but they can lap Billy, who gives plenty room in Hugenholtzbocht. Clive starts Lap 21, having lapped Maddog Hunt. Hunt, solely driving on his rearwheels, gets Teso and Fleurke soon in his mirrors. Just before Hunzerug he lets them by on the same lap. Clive is about 3 seconds in front of Teso and Fleurke managing his lead when his rivals are racing eachother.
Fleurke is pushing Teso in Hondenvlak and towards Panoramabocht, still on Lap 21. On Lap 22 both go side by side towards Tarzanbocht but Teso denies Fleurke. Clive starts Lap 25 with Teso and Fleurke behind him. On Lap 26 Fleurke desperately tries to upset Teso driving in his mirrors, but Teso does not make any mistake.
Evil Clive wins in the Nr.20 Blue Moose-Brabham BT23/1 cementing the 1967 F2 Light Trophy. He finishes 2.50s in front of second placed Roberto Teso in the Nr.17 Tyrrell/SPC-Matra MS7. Robert Fleurke rounds out the podium finishing 3.30s behind the winner. David Rainier cements the F2 Heavy Trophy. This trophy weighs more.
From our chief editor, The No Body.