Rondel Racing
| Founded | 1971 |
|---|---|
| Folded | 1974 |
| Team principal(s) |
Ron Dennis Neil Trundle (Chairman: Tony Vlassopulos) |
| Former series | Formula Two |
Rondel Racing was a British racing team that competed in the Formula Two series between 1971 and 1973. The team was founded by two ex-Brabham mechanics Ron Dennis and Neil Trundle. Rondel won five European Championship races before being forced to close down in 1973 due to a number of factors including lack of money, loss of Motul support and Natwest Bank calling in a £5,000 overdraft over a workshop floor installed by Dennis.
At the end of the 1970 Formula One season, driver and team owner Jack Brabham retired from the sport and sold his shares in the Brabham team to Ron Tauranac. Jack Brabham's chief mechanic, Ron Dennis and his friend and colleague, Neil Trundle, decided to form their own racing team. The Brabham BT36 cars initially used by the team were bought on hire purchase from Tauranac. However, Dennis was trying to find sponsorship. Through Ron's then girlfriend, who was the daughter of John Phelps, director of Phelps Antique Furniture in Twickenham, one of its regular customers Tony Vlassopulos, a barrister son of a Greek Shipowner, was asked to sponsor Rondel. Vlassopulos asked his friend Ken Grob, chairman of Alexander Howden, insurance brokers in London if he was interested in joining in. Grob said yes on the proviso that his young son Ian Grob could be part of the team, which was agreed. From that moment forward, Tony Vlassopulos became Dennis' first sponsor.
The name Rondel, came from the first name of Ron Dennis and a corruption of the last three letters of Trundle's name. Rondel were based in Old Windsor, Berkshire.
For their first season the team attracted two-time Formula One World Champion Graham Hill, who was impressed with the professionalism and attention-to-detail shown by the team. He was joined by his Brabham Formula One team-mate Tim Schenken. Trundle was responsible for preparing Schenken's car whilst Dennis prepared Hill's car. At the team's first race at Hockenheim, Hill won his heat and came second to François Cevert overall. Hill secured Rondel their first outright victory only a week later in the second round of that year's European Formula Two Championship at the BARC 200 event, held at Thruxton in the UK. Schenken achieved three second places finishes during the season. Mid-season the team entered a third car, driven by Bob Wollek. Wollek qualified for two races, achieving a best finish of sixth position. Due to his Formula One success, Hill had an 'A' grading, and was unable to score championship points in the races. Schenken and Wollek however were, with Schenken finishing in fourth place in the championship and Wollek in 20th.
...
Wikipedia