Alfa Romeo F1 Single Seater 'The, 1961
Alfa Romeo 156
Alfa Romeo 156•
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Chassis No.: 01
Engine No.: N/A
Registration: N/A
Built by engineer/driver tony Coetze, this was the first all-South African F1 racing car ever built. It was planned to be the first of a four-car team sponsored by the Bond Tobacco Company and thus called, 'Bond Cars'. However, success eluded chassis 01 with a DNQ in its inaugural race, the 1962 Rand Grand Prix at Kyalami . The main sponsor then pulled out and the three other cars were never built. The car continued to compete however at a national level in South Africa and with some success. In 1998, it was purchased by Concorde engineer and seasoned team owner, Peter Ferris.
Over the ensuing 18 months, a comprehensive rebuild took place including swopping out the somewhat heavy two litre Alfa engine and replacing it with a far more 'torqey' 1.5L unit mated to a Hewland Mk. 6/8 gearbox, the work undertaken by ex-Maranello mechanics. The chassis and body were also restored, the results saw the car spend most of its time much further up the field than before.
Since then, it has received repeated invitations to run in the Glover Trophy at the Goodwood Revival. In particular, in 2002 and 2003, raced by South African driver, Arnout Kok and ran for most of the race in 12th position before spinning out and finishing 18th, but not before overtaking two BRMs and a Lotus 21. It's last race at Goodwood was in 2010 and immediately prior to that, it had a full engine rebuild. The FIA papers that accompany this historic F1 car have allowed to race in five events now at Goodwood and with some light re-commissioning, could easily see it back there.
