Monza, April 27th

Monza, April 27th

A fortnight later came the first of the De Cadenet’s two cliff-hanging victories, in the Six Hours of Monza, which returned to the World Championship for Makes for the first time since 1975. Unexpectedly fastest in practice was a brand new, Lola based Op 6 sports-racer, the Italian Capoferri, driven in practice by one time Grand Prix hopeful Remo Zorzi. But the DFV powered Capoferri had a dreadful misfire right from the very start, a prophecy of “an early bath”. So the initial pace was again set by Brambilla’s 2-Stoat Osella-BMW, until a hiccup in the injection system on lap 18 sent “Brambles” spinning out of the race at one of the many chicanes that now litter the Monza trade.

The Osella’s sudden demise left three cars in fierce contention for the lead: the works Lancia of Chefter and Ghinzani, the Porsche 908 that Boson was sharing this time with Herbert Muller, and a Sportwagen Porsche 935 in which Jurgen Barth partnered Henri Pcscarolo. The other factory Lancia, of Patresc and Rohrl. had already been delayed, first by a faulty oil pressure warning light switch, and subsequently by clutch slip that took a few laps to dear.

Dc Cadenet, meanwhile, lay a handy sixth, lapping well within his limits to a prearranged schedule. In practice the dark green car had suffered two untoward moments from which it was lucky to escape intact. A bmking problem had sent Alain bouncing high over the kerbs at the Curva Grande chicane, and then Desire Wilson spun wildly into the scenery when an unco-operative Osella shed its rear bodywork right in front of hate on the 160 m.p.h. back straight.

With 20 laps gone, the Porsches of Pescarolo and Muller were nose to tail at the head of the order, and Checver was barely 50 yards behind in third place. It was more of a race than we’d expected. Come the refuelling stops, and the lead passed in rapid succession to Muller/Boson and Cheever/Ghinzani, the latter’s Lancia gradually stretching its advantage to almost two laps. Then came the big change. As half distance approached, Brumes 908/3 developed a grating misfire as well as worsening gear selection difficulties. Before long it was in the pits foes thorough and vcry lengthy overhaul of its electrical system.

Simultaneously, the leading Montecarlo of Cheater and Ghinzani stopped four or for times in quick succession, with steam pouring from the back every time the engine cover was raised. Within minutes the water leak dropped the car off the leader board.

All this excitement had left Pescarolo/Barth in a strong first place with their 935, and de Cadenet a brief second. Minutes before the theft-how mark, Alain completed his long stint, and Desire Wilson took over. From thcn to the finish, the race was a straight fight between the De Cadence and the Sportwagen 935, although that better placed Lancia remained on the same lap, chasing hard.

At 120 laps, and the race nearly four hours old, it was the Porsche ahead. But then it refuelled again, and at 130 laps it was the green car that led, with 25 seconds in hand. Seven tours later Desire herself had to come in for the tanks to be replenished, and back into the lead went the scarlet 935. There the Porsche stayed for half an hour; but when it refuelled again with roughly an hose to go, the “British” team closed dramatically. The Porsche was in audible engine trouble, suspected by its pitcrew to be a duff turbocharger, and Pescarolo couldn’t resist Desire’s onslaught. With 55 minutes left torus, Mrs. Wilson took 7 sec. off Mr. Pescarolo in one lap, and shot nito the !cad in the process. The De Cadenct wouldn’t have to refill its tank again, and as Desire stretched the gap to she off-song Porsche she seemed set fair for victory. The distance between Wilson and Pescarolo grew to 12 sec. within a handful of laps — but when spots of rain began to sprinkle across the old royal hunting park, it stoned to shrink again. From 10 sec. it plummeted to six, and Desirf was waving at the darkening sky. Next time it was only 2 sec. — and the pursuing Porsche was sounding healthier. Another circuit and Pcscarolo had the lead. Thirty minutes logo, said the clock. The rain had intensified, yet nearly every driver bravely stayed out on slicks. nine was running out. The British car was nearly 20 seconds clown, and could surely no longer pull off the big win, it seemed — until Pescarolo pounded into the pits for a final top uP

of fuel. His team had thought the race 1,000 km., not six hours long; a crucial difference. It was a lightning stop, but in those few seconds Mrs. Wilson thrust back into the lead, and only ten minutes of the race remained.

The rain eased, the tension in tho Dc Cadenet pit reached straining point, and then the chequered flag appeared and the tiny team knew they had done it. Victory was theirs. Pescarolo trailed home a mere 9.9 seconds later, earning Porsche another 20 championship points. But the Montecarlo of Patrese and Rohrl was third, a lap down after a coupk of pit stops on she last hour, and the sister car was fifth, running well once its water leak wu finally sealed. So when the teams came to Silverstone, she scores were Lancia 80 points, Porsche 75. 1st A. do CadoneVD. rad ;111:=Vijii F..Igh*mrr Oth : R Parpinolli 2′?ier 1trtilth ETch1O-1;1 MONZA SIX HOURS -sports cars — 183 taps. 1,061 4 Kilometres 13.04:fleig, OF VI 1.4 tO Lana’: h::47:317:teci art& 2:11,Tr17,110,…3s)

Winne’ POrg4Pigint.P4.’43soc. — 19.27 k.P.h. Fastest lap: R. zoro, 131T:far:refs ..finuthen,