13-1-70 16th INTERNATIONAI 16th INTERNATIONAL LADY WIGRAM TROPHY LADY WIGRAM TROPHY RACE RACE New Formula and New Drivers Should Last year's Lady Wigram Trophy winner was the Austrian Jochen Rindt, who set a race-winning average of 103.11 miles an hour in this aerofoiled Lotus 48BT Cosworth-Ford Provide Many Thrills TN the sixteen years that have elapsed since the Lady Wigram Trophy race was given international status, patrons have seen world champions and stars of the motor racing firmament contest the South Island's premier motor sporting event. This year's race has attracted the most international line-up so far, with drivers from Britain, the United States, Sweden and Australía, as well as New Zealand in the field to fight for the richest stake yet offered by the Motor Racing Club-$16,000. The race holds promise of new sights and sounds for Wigram patrons. With the liberalisation of the Tasman Formula this year to include 5 - litre V8 - engined cars, the variety of machinery is greater than ever before. It remains to be seen whether if the brute force of the 450-brake horsepower Ameri-i can engines can overcome the much less powerful but betterhandling 2.5 litre and 2-litre established Tasman cars that have filled Wigram fields since the Tasman championship started in 1964. Shot-in-arm North Island patrons have already seen the Formula A- 5000 cars, in action at Bay Park, Mount Maunganui, Levin and Pukekohe and have come away from the meetings convinced that New Zealand motor racing has been given the shot in the arm that it has needed over the last year or two. So far, honpurs between the American V8s and the 2.5-utre Tasman cars have been fairlyi evenly divided and everything points to the fact that Wigram; will see a race of changing! fortunes, with constantly changing positions and plenty of wheel-to-wheel racing. The circuit is one that should suit the American V8s which are tremendously fast in a straight line. But if the earlier races can be taken as a pointer, the better handling 2.5 Tasman cars should gather them in on ine timisty sections at the cir Single-seater Formula A, as it is known in the United States and Formula 5000, as it is known in Europe, is a comparatively new single-seater racing category. It has been designed to pro- vide experience of really fast racing for aspiring grand prix drivers; the theory being that a young man "who can harness up to 500 brake horsepower should be able to feel at home in a 3-litre grand prix car developing between 350 and 400 brake horsepower. Formula A-5000 is an extremely demanding one, because to-day there are certainly no more than twenty men capable of getting the best out of a grand prix car, and perhaps not more than six capable of winning. In the past it has been comparatively easy to select three or four drivers. out of a Lady Wigram Trophy field twenty-four, as potential race winners. Message ONCE again it gives me great competitors and patrons to our from pleasure to welcome Lady Wigram Trophy race meeting on behalf of the club, says the president of the Motor Bacing Club, Incorporated (Mr J. A. Brewer). With a $16,000 stake and its importance in the Tasman championship series, the trophy race has attracted a truy international field and I am sure we will see some of the most thrilling racing in the history of Wigram. Once again the club is indeted to the Commanding Officer and staff of the Royal New Zealand Air Force Station, Wigram, for their co-operaiton and also to President of Club • I would like to remind competitors and patrons that Wigram is an operational airfield which is kindly lent to the club for the meeting each year. After the meeting the club engages in a tremendous clean-up operation to make the airfield ready for fiying operations on Monday morning. It will be readily appreciated that the airfield must be left in perfect condition so as not to endanger aircraft and aircrew. Please be tidy and r directions of officials at Public co-operation anintment nf that prom respect Air Force property and the the meeting. will, I am sure, heighten the óçoc țo bø Closely bunched fields, such as this one at the Levin international race on January 3, have been a feature of the "new look" Tasman Championship series so far this rear. Indications are that the Lady Wigram Trophy will see lots of wheel-to-wheel racing with constantly changing positions. • This year, however, there are probably at least ten driv ¡ers capable of turning the trick and, what is more, among them are at least two resident drivers,. Graham McRae. of Wellington, who currentlv leads the . national Gold Star series. and Graeme Lawrence, of Hamilton, who won the Levin international race on January 3. Further interest is injected into New Zealand's chances hecause McRae is running a Formula A-5000 McLaren MICA, powered by a Chevrolet V8 engine, while Lawrence has the 2.4 litre Ferrari V6 with which Chris Amon won the 1969 Tasman championship and also shared fastest lap with the Australian The other leading contender international race, the who is pinning his faith inlother overseas contestants are one of the tried and estab- putting their faith in Formula lished Tasman 2.5-litre cars i Englishman Derek Bell Fifth at Wigram in a 2.4 ¡litre Ferrari last year, this time Bell is driving Wheatcroft Racing's Cosworth Ford V8-engined Brabham. Aust. Engines Three-litre versions of this engine won every world championship raçe last season and the Brabham is the one the young Belgian star Jackie Ickx drove in the 1969 German Grand Prix. With the exception of the Alec Mildren racing team. comprising the Australian national champion Kevin 51A-5000 cars. Bartlett and Stewart, however, will be using Australiandesigned and built four-cylinder 1850 c.c. Waggott engines. They are said to develop about 260 brake horsepower and as they are fitted in cars weighing only about s00ib, they are extremely fast and handle exceptionally well. Although he has not had much luck since winning the Bay Park International on December 28, the Californian driver Ron Grable will probably go out the American favourite at Wigram. There has never been a more evenly matched field and