1977 Australian Grand Prix
Round 1 of the 1977 Rothmans International Series
Race details
Date 6 February 1977
Official name XLII Australian Grand Prix
Location Oran Park Raceway, Sydney
Course Permanent racing facility
Course length 2.620 km (1.628 miles)
Distance 58 laps, 151.96 km (94.424 miles)
Weather Sunny
Pole position
Driver
Lola-Chevrolet
Time 1'05.7
Fastest lap
Driver Australia Alan Jones Lola-Chevrolet
Time 1'06.4
Podium
First
Lola-Chevrolet
Second
Chevron-Chevrolet
Third
Matich-Repco Holden

The 1977 Australian Grand Prix was a motor race held at Oran Park International Raceway[1] in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia on 6 February 1977. It was the forty second Australian Grand Prix and also the first round of the 1977 Rothmans International Series. The race was open to Australian Formula 1 cars and Australian Formula 2 cars.[2]

The race was won by Warwick Brown (Lola T430), his first and only Australian Grand Prix victory. Alan Jones (Lola T332) actually finished his 58th and final lap 40 seconds ahead of Brown, however officials penalised Jones 60 seconds for jumping the start and he was officially classified in 4th place.

Classification

Warwick Brown won the race driving this Lola T430 (pictured in 2008)

Results as follows:[3]

Qualifying

Pos No Driver Car / engine Qual Gap
1 3 Australia Warwick Brown Lola T430 / Chevrolet 5.0L V8 1:05.7 —
2 6 Australia Alan Jones Lola T332 / Chevrolet 5.0L V8 1:06.0 +0.3
3 4 United Kingdom Peter Gethin Chevron B24 / Chevrolet 5.0L V8 1:06.1 +0.4
4 2 Australia John Goss Matich A53 / Repco Holden 5.0L V8 1:06.1 +0.4
5 16 Australia Max Stewart Lola T400 / Chevrolet 5.0L V8 1:06.9 +1.2
6 5 Australia Kevin Bartlett Lola T332 / Chevrolet 5.0L V8 1:07.3 +1.6
7 1 Australia Vern Schuppan Elfin MR8 / Chevrolet 5.0L V8 1:07.3 +1.6
8 84 Australia Alfredo Costanzo Lola T332 / Chevrolet 5.0L V8 1:07.7 +2.0
9 12 Australia Garrie Cooper Elfin MR8 / Chevrolet 5.0L V8 1:08.0 +2.3
10 15 Australia Terry Hook Lola T332 / Chevrolet 5.0L V8 1:09.8 +4.1
11 17 Australia Ken Shirvington Lola T400 / Chevrolet 5.0L V8 1:10.4 +4.7
12 10 Australia Chris Milton Gardos OR2 / Chevrolet 5.0L V8 1:10.9 +5.2
13 14 Australia Jon Davison Matich A51 / Repco Holden 5.0L V8 1:11.1 +5.4
14 62 Australia Dave Powell Matich A51 / Repco Holden 5.0L V8 1:11.3 +5.6
15 19 Australia John Edmonds Elfin MR5B / Repco Holden 5.0L V8 1:11.7 +6.0
16 8 New Zealand Graeme Lawrence Lola T332 / Chevrolet 5.0L V8 DNP
17 77 Australia John McCormack McLaren M23 / Leyland 5.0L V8 DNP
– 7 Australia John Leffler Lola T400 / Chevrolet 5.0L V8 DNP engine[4]

Race

Pos No. Driver Car / engine Entrant[1] Laps Time
1 3 Australia Warwick Brown Lola T430 / Chevrolet 5.0L V8 Racing Team VDS 58 1h 05m 31.9s
2 4 United Kingdom Peter Gethin Chevron B24 / Chevrolet 5.0L V8 Racing Team VDS 58 1h 05m 46.7s
3 2 Australia John Goss Matich A53 / Repco Holden 5.0L V8 John Goss Racing 58 1h 05m 49.2s
4 6 Australia Alan Jones Lola T332 / Chevrolet 5.0L V8 Theodore Racing (Hong Kong) / Bill Patterson Motors 58 1h 05m 51.9s
5 1 Australia Vern Schuppan Elfin MR8 / Chevrolet 5.0L V8 Ansett Team Elfin 57
6 12 Australia Garrie Cooper Elfin MR8 / Chevrolet 5.0L V8 Ansett Team Elfin 56
7 15 Australia Terry Hook Lola T332 / Chevrolet 5.0L V8 Terry Hook Racing 54
8 10 Australia Chris Milton Gardos OR2 / Chevrolet 5.0L V8 C & C Racing 52
9 14 Australia Jon Davison Matich A51 / Repco Holden 5.0L V8 J. Davison 52
10 19 Australia John Edmonds Elfin MR5B / Repco Holden 5.0L V8 J. Edmonds 48
11 5 Australia Kevin Bartlett Lola T332 / Chevrolet 5.0L V8 Magnum Wheels 45
Ret 77 Australia John McCormack McLaren M23 / Leyland 5.0L V8 Budget Motor Racing Team 42 blown engine
Ret 8 New Zealand Graeme Lawrence Lola T332 / Chevrolet 5.0L V8 18 broken engine pushrod
Ret 62 Australia Dave Powell Matich A51 / Repco Holden 5.0L V8 D. Powell 17 overheating
Ret 84 Australia Alfredo Costanzo Lola T332 / Chevrolet 5.0L V8 Stock 84 8 broken drive shaft
DNS 16 Australia Max Stewart Lola T400 / Chevrolet 5.0L V8 M. Stewart dropped valve
DNS 17 Australia Ken Shirvington Lola T400 / Chevrolet 5.0L V8 K. Shirvington dropped valve[5]
DNS 7 Australia John Leffler Lola T400 / Chevrolet 5.0L V8 Grace Bros. Racing Team – engine[4]

Notes

References

  1. ^ a b Official Programme, 42nd Australian Grand Prix, Oran Park International Raceway
  2. ^ 1977 CAMS Manual of Motor Sport, Conditions for Australian Titles, page 87
  3. ^ Wilson, Stewart (1986). "1977". In Howard, Graham (ed.). The Official 50-race history of the Australian Grand Prix. Gordon, NSW: R & T Publishing. pp. 408–415. ISBN 0-9588464-0-5.
  4. ^ a b According to The Official 50-race history of the Australian Grand Prix, Leffler was unable to contest the timed qualifying sessions due to an engine failure, suffered another engine failure during an later untimed session and did not start the race.
  5. ^ Ray Bell, Beer Baron's Brown Bomber!, Racing Car News, February 1977, pages 62 to 65
  6. ^ Australian Competition Yearbook, 1978 Edition, 42nd Australian Grand Prix. pages 86 to 89
Preceded by1976 Australian Grand Prix Australian Grand Prix 1977 Succeeded by1978 Australian Grand Prix
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