HSCC HISTORIC FORMULA 3, DECEMBER 2025
Peter de la Roche in his family run Alexis Mk17 produced a dominant season of driving to scoop both the HSCC Historic F3 Championship and the Historic F3 European Championship.
Jonathan Sharp reports on the highlights of the year.
- Supporting the prestigious Spa 6 Hours as a non-championship event in September. Picture thirty “Screamers” on open pipes charging into La Source before plunging downhill into the flat-out Eau Rouge.
- Watching hundreds of spectators milling about these charismatic Formula 3 cars in the Sunday morning pit lane walk about at the Oulton Park Gold Cup.
- Trying to visually split Peter de la Roche and Enrico Spaggiari on circuit at the Gold Cup. They looked like an eight-wheeler as they circulated in a hard but fair battle which typifies this series.
Favourite car of the year? Whilst already previously seen, the charismatic Enrigo Spaggiari’s period correct and unique ex John Miles Lotus 41X, evocative in its GLTL colour scheme, probably still wins more hearts than most other, no less desirable one-litre F3 cars.
The season began at Snetterton in April and traversed HSCC events each month at Cadwell Park, Zandvoort (Historic Grand Prix), Brands Hatch (Superprix) and Oulton Park (Gold Cup). Jason Timms (Brabham BT21), Peter de la Roche and Ross Drybrough (Merlyn Mk 17) fought hard to claim podium spots at Snetterton and they continued to populate top spots all year.
Cadwell Park was a partly wet event and first round for the European Championship with several teams crossing the channel. Charlie Martin appeared in Paul Waine’s rare De Sanctis as did last year’s champion Andrew Hibberd in his family Brabham BT18, but Peter de la Roche carried off the Justin Haler Trophy.
Zandvoort was also another European Championship round with Peter de la Roche now well into his stride, winning. Both Jason Timms, Ross Drybrough gained podiums with Frenchman Ludovic Ingwiller (Pygmee) and German Roland Fischer (Tecno) bagging third places.
Two more quick racers showed in the results for the Brands Superprix – the aforementioned Enrico Spaggiari who won Race 2 and Richard Trott (Brabham BT28). At 72, Richard has lost little of the speed which made him a period frontrunning Ralt F3 driver.
Spaggiari, de la Roche and Timms were again the dominant trio in a spectator delighting Gold Cup before everyone packed up for the August holiday period. The end of term points gave an overwhelming win to de la Roche from Ross Drybrough (who also won a race at Spa) and Jason Timms.
These cars raced between 1964 and 1970 pedalled by numerous British and foreign drivers, some to become F1 superstars. It’s fitting that competitors from Argentina, France, Germany, Italy, Sweden and Switzerland raced in some or all events this year.
In period, there was a well-established Nations’ Cup – a prestigious trophy raced for every year with packed grids. It is still fought for, this year at Zandvoort where the Great Britain team of Jason Timms, Jonathan Sharp (Chevron B17) and Keith Messer (Vesey) just beat France by dint of final lap place changing.
HSCC Historic Formula 3 2026 Calendar
18-19 APRIL: GOODWOOD 83RD MEMBERS MEETING
30-31 MAY: HSCC DONINGTON PARK RACE WEEKEND
11-12 JULY: HSCC LEGENDS OF BRANDS HATCH SUPER PRIX
08-09 AUGUST: HSCC 60TH ANNIVERSARY CASTLE COMBE
29-31 AUGUST: HSCC OULTON PARK GOLD CUP
10-11 OCTOBER: HSCC SILVERSTONE FINALS
Images: Motorsport Classics Media