Monoposto Racing Club 1958-1983

The 25th Anniversary of the Monoposto Racing Club, formerly the Monoposto Register, was celebrated at Brands Hatch on 4th June 1983. There were 4 races organised by the 750MC to mark the rather special occasion. Times have changed quite a lot since then, but here is what was written at the time. It is taken from the latest issue of the Formula Junior Historic Racing Association's Newsletter. The connection is that the now thriving historic FJ movement began as a class in Mono, and the wheel has gone full circle as we shall race at the same meetings as their entry class in 2008. By coincidence, Formula Junior began in 1958 as well.

Many thank to Duncan Rabagliatti and FJHRA for the article and their kind permission to reproduce it.

The need for an inexpensive class of single seater motor racing had been spoken of often since the end of World War II and initially the 500cc motorcycle engined cars which provided an initiation for drivers like Stirling Moss and the late Peter Collins, were thought to provide the answer. By 1950 this class had become the International Formula Three, and one needed to be a wealthy man to compete in this class successfully.

When the late Holland Birkett outlined the first set of rules for the 750 Formula, thus putting into motion around 1950 the first class of racing for the impecunious D.I.Y enthusiast, he little realized the train of events that he had unleashed. Within a couple of years a similar formula was founded for cars powered by the old 1172cc Ford engine - which was to develop into today's Formula 1300 in the fullness of time.

Around 1957 there was a tide of feeling among a few competitors that the 1172 Formula should be extended to include a class for single seater cars. Frank Tiedeman now President of the Monoposto Racing Club and then a regular 1172 competitor having progressed from the 750 Formula, proposed the new class in an open letter to Autosport. The cars in the new class would, it was proposed, run alongside the existing 1172 cars. The correspondence that followed in Autosport ranged over a number of months with opinions expressed both for and against.

The 750MC considered the proposal carefully but eventually decided that it was not practical. But it did not end there for a group got together and a meeting was arranged, with the help of the Special Builders Club and support from such notables as John Bolster and Dennis Jenkinson in March 1958 at the Masons Arms in Maddox Street, London. At this meeting, attended by many 750MC members to whom the idea of racing an open wheeled single seater was appealing, the Monoposto Register was founded. The newly formed Register was to administer a formula for single seater racing cars powered by 1000cc O.H.V or two stroke engines, or 1500cc SV engines. The new formula was called Monoposto - literally "one seat" from the Italian. The emphasis was on the special builder but proprietary chassis were allowed if built prior to 1953 (then five years old). The aim was to provide Grand Prix style racing for the impecunious enthusiast which still remains the objective.

The first race was held at Brands Hatch on 28th June 1959 - The Trio meeting jointly run by Club Lotus, the 250MC and the 750MC. The grid consisted of seven cars and was won by C. Scott-MacArthur in his Saxon* with Frank Tiedeman in his stripped 1172 car, Millicent second. The event was noteworthy enough to make the nine 0 clock news on BBC TV and to feature in the Daily Express the following day.

The Monoposto Formula progressed modestly, becoming the poor relation to then, by now thriving, Formula Junior and often sharing a grid with these cars. Many names that are well known to 750MC members competed in and were successful in, Monoposto. Some of the earlier Champions were Bill Cooper, Alan Wershat and Tony Goodwin all drawing from their 1172 experience. During these early years numbers were small and grids were often shared with 1172 Formula or Libre cars.

By the mid sixties after a couple of changes to the formula, one to the universal use of the 1172 Ford engine for a period before reverting in 1965 to the later pattern of two classes with capacity limits of 1000cc and 1500cc, there were regular Monoposto races at club events. By the end of the decade the Monoposto calendar regularly featured some fifteen or eighteen events and grids were around twenty at circuits all around the country. It was in January 1967 that the Monoposto Register became the Monoposto Racing Club and for a few years promoted its own annual race meeting.

In the early seventies the formula changed slightly by raising the capacity limit from 1500cc to 1600cc, which remains to this day, and by abolishing the dwindling 1000cc Class.

It was not until 1981 that a new class "B" was introduced for cars using Formula Ford tuned engines.

In the mid seventies the Club began to diversity by reviving Formula Junior as a historic class, a move which undoubtedly had some influence on the acceptance of these cars in International historic competition. This was the class that gave the first t.aste of single seater racing to such notables as the late Jim Clark, Denny Hulme and John Surtees. A series for Formula Junior cars has been run for some eight years and in that period many Formula Junior cars have been immaculately restored and raced and a fair selection will be racing today. Latterly, in 1982, the Club revived the popular one litre Formula Three of the 1964-70 era. This was the formula that brought to light such starts as Jackie Stewart. the late Ronnie Petersen and Tony Trimmer. Championships for both these classes are organised by the Club and they are a popular feature of the historic race meetings across the country.

For some years now the Club has enjoyed sponsorship from Varley Batteries - now owned by Gates Energy Products Limited - the involvement increasing year by year with all three formulae now having their own Gates Varley Championship. There exists a splendid relationship between Club and Sponsors which it is hoped will continue for many years to come.

It is particularly nice to see that Frank Tiedeman who was Secretary for the first 10 years and without whose determination and persistence the Monoposto Racing Club would not exist, or be where it is today, is still just as enthusiastic and indeed still continues to race - now in a Formula Junior Lotus. And so as the Monoposto Formula cars are seen in their traditionally close competition and the Formula Junior and Formula Three cars in their historic splendour think of the humble beginnings of the Club involved and how the enthusiasm shown here creates this sport we all love. Long may it continue ...

Post Script

*Cyril Scott-Macarthur's Saxon sounds an interesting car. Scott-Macarthur was in the British Forces in Germany and raced it as an F3 500 at Sachenring on 17th August 1958 where it came 11th, just ahead of Willi Stiehler in his Eigenbau. Could this have anything to do with our eponymous trophy? By 1959 the Saxon was a BMC powered Formula Junior, changed that same year for a DKW. In 1960 he was competing in Italy at Messina against Denis Hulme and Jo Siffert.

Another apparently popular car in the early days must have been the front engined Lola. These were run by both Alan Wershat and Tony Goodwin, the latter as "Lolita".

Founder John Bolster, Autosport Technical Editor in his famous special "Bloody Mary"

Founder Dennis Jenkinson (left) of MotorSport magazine with Graham Hill

A Lola Mk2 (Lola Heritage)

Tony Goodwin's Lola FJ (Lynton Money/Tony Goodwin)

A 3 cylinder 2-stroke engine - the DKW as eligible in 1959. Some would say we still have 3 cylinder engines and 2 strokes competing..

A typical early '80's group. (pic:TC)