Racing entry surprises

Press, 20 March 1987, Page 23

Racing entry surprises

By JOHN HAWKINS When the vaunted world touring car championship finally gets under way at the Monza circuit in Italy this week-end it will be with a reduced Australian and New Zealand contingent. Continual delays by F.I.S.A. (the sport’s controlling body) in announcing sponsorship and confirming the race calendar caused several Australian and New Zealandbased teams who had originally intended to contest the new championship to withdraw.

The series, which will now be run under the auspices of the Formula One Constructors Association Supremo, Mr Bernie Ecclestone, rather than the New Zealand based Strathmore group will, however, still have an Antipodean presence. The former Mobil Holden dealer team drivers, John Harvey and Allan Moffat, have caused a surprise by entering the latest Holden Commodore VL model, originally intended for Peter Brook’s now shattered team.

Brock’s hopes of contesting the world series disappeared recently after his well-pub-licised parting of ways with the Holden Motor Company. Harvey and Moffat, together with a Melbourne businessman, Phillip Ross, purchased the car from an unsuspecting Brock. With little in the way of commercial support for the project, Moffat, aged 44, and Harvey, for 12 years a member of the Holden dealer team and a confidant of Brock, have taken a huge gamble in attempting to contest the world championship, but their presence will add credence to the inaugural series.

The Monza meeting will also be notable for the return of the former world .champion, Niki Lauda, to the driver’s seat. The Austrian is expected to drive a factory BMW.