During the last one hundred-plus years, the uniquely talented individuals who demonstrated a prodigious level of skill at the wheel of a racing car, have become household names as they created history with their exploits. At the start of the 1970s there were three young drivers from the United Kingdom who all demonstrated such talent that the fans, motoring press, the fans and experienced drivers sat up and took notice.
ROGER WILLIAMSON – CRYSTAL PALACE F3 1972
Foremost of these was Roger Williamson, a young Leicestershire-based car dealer who began his race career in a rapid Ford Anglia. For the 1971 season he was able to buy a March 713 on hire-purchase and quickly began to score some impressive results, sufficient for the owner of the Donington circuit, Tom Wheatcroft, to take a serious interest, not only due to his speed but the manner in which he raced and the focussed determination he displayed. Wheatcroft’s modest investment began to pay dividends as what began as a business arrangement quickly turned into a genuine friendship. In 1972, Williamson, armed with a Formula 3 March GRD 372 entered by Wheatcroft Racing, established his credentials, winning two of the three championships that year ahead of some serious competition from the likes of Jochen Mass, Tom Pryce and James Hunt. Progressing into Formula 2 in 1973, the GRD proved uncompetitive but a change to a March-BMW saw Roger dominate the Monza round of the championship, securing pole, fastest lap and victory. However, the Formula 1 teams were showing interest with Ken Tyrrell considering hiring him following Jackie Stewart’s retirement. Roger was invited to test a BRM and duly beat the lap record even though it was far from the quickest grand prix car that year. He was advised to drive a March so Wheatcroft rented a March 731 for the 1973 British grand prix at Silverstone, to gain experience in the formula. Unfortunately he was one of the nine victims of the infamous crash triggered when Jody Scheckter spun on the first lap. The March was wrecked but Roger walked away. The next race was held at Zandvoort where tragedy struck. Following a tyre blow-out, the March was overturned on a badly installed barrier, landing upside down as fire broke out. Only one driver, David Purley, thought to stop to help only to discover the marshals, in jeans and t-shirts, were not prepared to approach the car. As other drivers continued to race, Purley bravely tried all he could to roll the car onto its wheels unaided and save Roger but to no avail. It was one of Formula 1’s darkest moments and led to a range of belated safety improvements. But the life of one of the most liked and respected –and quickest – drivers in the sport was wasted.
The photograph shows Roger Williamson sliding into the seat of his Wheatcroft Racing GRD 372, aided by his mechanic, at the Formula 3 Hexagon Trophy race at Crystal Palace, 9th September 1972. Roger finished in a strong second place in the second qualifying heat but in the final, despite holding third place for many laps, his Ford-Holbay engine began to lose power and he struggled home eighth.
From ‘Moments in Motorsport’ by Trevor Legate.
