Ecurie Ecosse
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| Full name | Ecurie Ecosse |
|---|---|
| Base | Merchiston, Edinburgh |
| Founder(s) | David Murray, Wilkie Wilkinson |
| Noted staff | David Murray, Wilkie Wilkinson |
| Noted drivers |
David Murray Ian Stewart Jimmy Stewart Leslie Thorne |
| Formula One World Championship career | |
| First entry | 1952 British Grand Prix |
| Races entered | 3 |
| Constructors |
Cooper Connaught |
| Final entry | 1954 British Grand Prix |
Ecurie Ecosse (French: "Scotland Stable") was a motor racing team from Scotland. The team was founded in November 1951 by Edinburgh businessman and racing driver David Murray and mechanic Wilkie Wilkinson, its most notable achievement was winning both the 1956 and 1957 24 Hours of Le Mans. The team also raced in three Formula One races. Ecurie Ecosse's cars were always distinctive in their Flag Blue Metallic paint.
Ecurie Ecosse had four Formula One Grand Prix entries, over three seasons. The first was by David Murray himself, driving a Cooper T20 in the 1952 British Grand Prix. However, he retired with engine trouble early in the race.
For the 1953 event the team entered two cars a Cooper T20 for Jimmy Stewart a new Connaught A Type was entered for Ian Stewart. Unfortunately neither of the drivers finished the race; Jimmy spun off track on lap 79, and Ian retired with engine problems.
The team's last F1 outing was at the 1954 British Grand Prix, where the Connaught was again entered, this time driven by Leslie Thorne. Although this time the car did take the finish, it came in twelve laps down on the leaders. From this point onward the team concentrated on sportcar events.
() (results in bold indicate pole position; results in italics indicate fastest lap)
Ecurie Ecosse also raced in the European Formula Two Championship, from 1969 until 1971. Their first race was in 1969 at Thruxton where driver Graham Birrell finished 11th in a Brabham BT23C. At Enna Birrell couldn't start the race because he had crashed the car in practice and the team couldn't repair the car before the race. In 1970 Ecurie Ecosse entered the same car for Birrell. At Crystal Palace Birrell finished in 11th position. In the next race held at the Hockenheimring Birrell finished in 12th position. In Imola Richard Attwood took over from Birrell; after finishing sixth in the first heat, he was unable to start the second heat and was therefore not classified. In 1971 Ecurie Ecosse had a new driver; Tom Walkinshaw, they also had a new car: a March 712M. At Thruxton Walkinshaw retired on lap three due to a puncture. At the Nürburgring, Gerry Birrell finished in ninth position. In their last two races, at Jarama and Crystal Palace, Walkinshaw failed to qualify for the race.
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