Ferguson P99

Last updated
Ferguson P99
Ferguson P99 - Flickr - andrewbasterfield (1).jpg
Category Formula One
Constructor Ferguson
Designer(s) Claude Hill
Technical specifications
Chassis Tubular Spaceframe
Engine Coventry Climax FPF 1496 cc L4 naturally aspirated front-mounted.
Transmission 5-speed manual
Tyres Dunlop
Competition history
Notable entrants Rob Walker Racing Team
Notable drivers Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Stirling Moss
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Jack Fairman
Debut 1961 British Grand Prix
RacesWins Poles F/Laps
1000
Constructors' Championships0
Drivers' Championships0
n.b. Unless otherwise stated, all data refer to
Formula One World Championship Grands Prix only.

The Ferguson P99 was a four-wheel drive Grand Prix car built by Ferguson Research Ltd. It was raced on behalf of the company by the Rob Walker Racing Team. Officially named as Ferguson Climax, it derived its P99 name from its Harry Ferguson Research project number. It used either a 1.5-litre or a 2.5-litre Climax engine. It remains the most famous example of its type as a result of its twin claims to fame: the first AWD car to win a Formula 1 event, and the last front-engined car to win a Formula 1 event.

Contents

History

Tony Rolt first considered the possibility of using Ferguson 4WD in circuit racing, and with Harry Ferguson keen to promote the 4WD transmission systems of Harry Ferguson Research, work began on the P99 in 1960. With a 50–50 torque distribution front to rear the car, Claude Hill's design was built to have an even weight distribution over both axles, which along with the position of the gearbox necessitated a front-engined design despite Cooper's and Lotus's overwhelming recent success with mid-engined cars. Just as the project was nearing completion it was dealt something of a body blow by the governing body's decision to reduce the size of F1 engines by 40% for 1961, making the extra weight of the AWD transmission a much bigger penalty. Nevertheless, the team persevered and fitted a standard 1.5-litre Climax 4-cylinder engine, mounted at a slant to make room for the front driveshaft. In addition the driving position was moved slightly off-centre to accommodate the gearbox and rear driveshaft to the driver's left hand side.

The car was first raced in the 1961 British Empire Trophy, where Rob Walker put Jack Fairman in the car, but the start was an inauspicious one as Fairman crashed on lap 2. In the British Grand Prix at Aintree, Fairman drove the car again, but surrendered it to Stirling Moss after his Walker-entered Lotus 18 failed. The car was disqualified for outside assistance on lap 56. The car last major F1 race was its moment of motor racing immortality, as Moss drove the P99 to victory in a damp International Gold Cup at Oulton Park. In February 1963, the car, having been fitted with a 2.5-litre Climax engine, was driven by Innes Ireland and Graham Hill in the series of off-season races in New Zealand and Australia, including the 1963 Australian Grand Prix at Warwick Farm and the Lakeside International at Lakeside, placing sixth and second respectively. The P99's final competition action during this period came in the British Hillclimb championship in 1964, 1965, and 1966, with Peter Westbury winning the title in 1964. The car has competed in recent years in historic races.

The P99 was later the inspiration for the AWD Ferguson P104 Novi Indycar, which Bobby Unser drove in the Indy 500 in 1964 and 1965. The car was damaged beyond immediate repair in the horrific crash in 1964, and was retired from regular competition in 1965 with engine problems.

In a 1997 interview for Motor Sport magazine, Sir Stirling Moss nominated the P99 as his favourite of all the F1 cars he drove. [1]

Complete Formula One World Championship results

(key)

YearEntrantEngineDriver12345678Pts.WCC
1961 Rob Walker Racing Climax L4 MON NED BEL FRA GBR GER ITA USA 0
Jack Fairman/
Stirling Moss
DSQ

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cooper Car Company</span> British car manufacturer

The Cooper Car Company is a British car manufacturer founded in December 1947 by Charles Cooper and his son John Cooper. Together with John's boyhood friend, Eric Brandon, they began by building racing cars in Charles's small garage in Surbiton, Surrey, England, in 1946. Through the 1950s and early 1960s they reached motor racing's highest levels as their mid-engined, single-seat cars competed in both Formula One and the Indianapolis 500, and their Mini Cooper dominated rally racing. The Cooper name lives on in the Cooper versions of the Mini production cars that are built in England, but is now owned and marketed by BMW.

Harry Ferguson Research Limited was a British company founded by Harry Ferguson who was mostly known as "the father of the modern farm tractor". He was also a pioneer aviator, becoming one of the first to build and fly his own aeroplane in Ireland, and also went on to develop four-wheel drive systems for cars including pioneering their use in Formula One racing cars. The company was based in Siskin Drive, in Coventry, England.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coventry Climax</span> British forklift truck, fire pump, and speciality engine manufacturer

Coventry Climax was a British forklift truck, fire pump, racing, and other speciality engine manufacturer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">British Racing Motors</span> Formula One team

British Racing Motors (BRM) was a British Formula One motor racing team. Founded in 1945 and based in the market town of Bourne in Lincolnshire, it participated from 1951 to 1977, competing in 197 grands prix and winning seventeen. BRM won the constructors' title in 1962 when its driver Graham Hill became world champion. In 1963, 1964, 1965 and 1971, BRM came second in the constructors' competition.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1961 British Grand Prix</span> Motor car race

The 1961 British Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race, held on 15 July 1961 at the Aintree Circuit, near Liverpool. It was race 5 of 8 in both the 1961 World Championship of Drivers and the 1961 International Cup for Formula One Manufacturers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1961 Formula One season</span> 15th season of Formula One motor racing

The 1961 Formula One season was the 15th season of Formula One motor racing. It featured the 1961 World Championship of Drivers and the 1961 International Cup for F1 Manufacturers, which were contested concurrently from 14 May to 8 October over an eight race series. The season also included numerous non-championship races for Formula One cars.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1960 Formula One season</span> 14th season of the FIAs Formula One motor racing

The 1960 Formula One season was the 14th season of the FIA's Formula One motor racing. It featured the 11th FIA World Championship of Drivers, the third International Cup for F1 Manufacturers and numerous non-championship Formula One races. The World Championship commenced on 7 February and ended on 20 November after ten races.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Peter Westbury</span> British racing driver (1938–2015)

Peter Westbury was a British racing driver from England. He participated in two World Championship Formula One Grands Prix, scoring no championship points. In 1969 he raced a Formula 2 Brabham-Cosworth, driving in his first Grand Prix in the 1969 German Grand Prix. He finished ninth on the road, fifth in the F2 class. The following year he failed to qualify for the 1970 United States Grand Prix driving a works BRM, after an engine failure.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tony Rolt</span> British racing driver (1918–2008)

Major Anthony Peter Roylance Rolt, MC & Bar, was a British racing driver, soldier and engineer. A war hero, Rolt maintained a long connection with the sport, albeit behind the scenes. The Ferguson 4WD project he was involved in paid off with spectacular results, and he was involved in other engineering projects.

John Eric George "Jack" Fairman was a British racing driver from England. He participated in 13 Formula One Grands Prix, making his debut on 18 July 1953. He scored a total of five championship points, all of which came in the 1956 season.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nota</span> Australian automobile manufacturer

Nota Sports and Racing Cars is an automobile manufacturer in Australia that was established in 1952. Their best-selling car was the Nota Fang, with 105 cars built between 1968 and 1975.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Team Lotus</span> British motor racing team

Team Lotus was the motorsport sister company of English sports car manufacturer Lotus Cars. The team ran cars in many motorsport categories including Formula One, Formula Two, Formula Ford, Formula Junior, IndyCar, and sports car racing. More than ten years after its last race, Team Lotus remained one of the most successful racing teams of all time, winning seven Formula One Constructors' titles, six Drivers' Championships, and the Indianapolis 500 in the United States between 1962 and 1978. Under the direction of founder and chief designer Colin Chapman, Lotus was responsible for many innovative and experimental developments in critical motorsport, in both technical and commercial arenas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lotus 33</span> Formula One racing car

The Lotus 33 was a Formula One car designed by Colin Chapman and Len Terry and built by Team Lotus. A development of the successful Lotus 25, in the hands of Jim Clark it won five World Championship Grands Prix in 1965, taking Clark to his second World Championship.

Rob Walker Racing Team was a privateer team in Formula One during the 1950s and 1960s. Founded by Johnnie Walker heir Rob Walker (1917–2002) in 1953, the team became F1's most successful privateer in history, being the first and only entrant to win a World Championship Formula One Grand Prix without ever building their own car.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lotus 18</span>

The Lotus 18 was a race car designed by Colin Chapman for use by Lotus in Formula Junior, Formula Two, and Formula One.

Four-wheel drive (4WD) has only been tried a handful of times in Formula One. In the World Championship era since 1950, only eight such cars are known to have been built.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">BRM P67</span>

The BRM P67 was an experimental Formula One car, designed by Tony Rudd and built by the British Racing Motors team in Bourne, Lincolnshire, England, for the 1964 Formula One season.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cooper T51</span> Formula One racing car

The Cooper T51 was a Formula One and Formula Two racing car designed by Owen Maddock and built by the Cooper Car Company for the 1959 Formula One season. The T51 earned a significant place in motor racing history when Jack Brabham drove the car to become the first driver to win the World Championship of Drivers with an engine mounted behind them, in 1959. The T51 was raced in several configurations by various entrants until 1963 and in all no less than 38 drivers were entered to drive T51s in Grand Prix races.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cooper T53</span> Formula One race car designed and built by the Cooper Car Company

The Cooper T53 is a Formula One car built by British motorsport team Cooper for the 1960 Formula One season. Jack Brabham drove it to his second World Championship that year, and with teammate Bruce McLaren gave Cooper its second Constructors' Championship.

Intercontinental Formula was an open wheel, single seater motor-racing formula introduced in 1961 as an alternative to Formula One. As its name implies it was hoped to encourage participation from the United States and Europe, but ultimately the handful of races which ran under the formula all took place in Great Britain, and only for one year.

References

  1. Frankel, Andrew (September 1997). "The world's greatest racing cars". Motor Sport. p. 45. Retrieved 13 May 2021.