1976 British Grand Prix

[David Lawson]

Here are some photographs I took at the 1976 British Grand Prix.

This period of F1 was one of my favourite times when the cars were all quite different in appearance and ground effect was still a year away. That innovation would change everything when the wind tunnel would thereafter dictate the design of every car and standardise their looks.


John Watson in the Penske.


Jody Schekter in the 6-wheeled Tyyrell.


Clay Regazzoni in the Ferrari 312T


Tom Pryce in a Shadow leads Jacques Lafitte in the Ligier.


Ronnie Peterson in a March 761 leads Chris Amon in the Ensign.


Carlos Pace in the Brabham.


Gunnar Nillson in a Lotus/John Player Special.


Niki Lauda in the Ferrari.


Jaques Lafitte in the Ligier leads a privateer Brabham.


Alan Jones in the Surtees.


James Hunt in the championship winning McLaren.


Emmerson Fittipaldi in the Copersucar.


Patrick Depailler in a Tyrrell.


Vittorio Brambilla in a March.


Chris Amon in the Ensign.

David

[f143]

Thanks for posting the pictures David
Regards
Nigel

[Andrew Rowland]

Great photos of the end of my favourite period, but you knew that right?

Andi

[abbo]

I was there for the race. Every previous GP at Brands, we'd bought tickets for the grandstands around Paddock... for this year we decided on a change and went for Clearways...
About 10secs after the start, I wish we hadn't !!!
Also - I think I was the only person supporting Lauda on that day :-)

ABBO

[Russell Sheldon]

Brilliant pictures as usual, David!

I'm guessing that some of the photos were taken during practice. The number 33 is Lella Lombardi in RAM Racing's Brabham BT44B/2, which did not qualify for the race.

Kind regards,

Russell

[David Lawson]

Russell

All these pictures were taken during practice, I spent every day at that meeting so I could easily get round the whole circuit. You have a lot more elbow room on practice days as well. Thanks for pointing out the Brabham was Lombardi, I didn't remember she entered this GP.

David




Abbo

I always supported Lauda during his career as well so there were at least two spectators rooting for him that weekend!

I never missed a GP at Brands from 1970 through to 1986 and when I go to the circuit today it always brings back very happy memories.

David

[Andrew Rowland]

'86 must have been the last? I was there for Saturday qualifying. A 13 year old kid taken with my friend by his father. Only real racing i've ever been to. I was a kid without a telly and had no idea who anyone was but from that day I was hooked completely. Williams were the cars to beat and i've been their fan ever since. Mclaren who? I didn't even know they were British until years later......

[David Lawson]

Likewise I have always had a soft spot for them going back to when Frank Williams ran Piers Courage in a Brabham in 1969 and throughout his struggles in the early to mid 1970s before it all began to turn round with the FW06.


As you say Williams were the team to beat at Brands Hatch in 1986.

This is a picture I took of Mansell turning in to Druids Bend on his out lap with a fresh set of tyres during practice, those cars were unbelievable with the boost turned up and on qualifying tyres. I loved the entry to Druids with all the flames from the exhaust on the overun and I'll never forget Senna in the Lotus with massive oversteer coming out of South Bank/Surtees onto the main straight on his qualifying lap.

David