Ecurie Richmond

Ecurie Richmond

Ecurie Richmond, named after it's patron, Jimmy Richmond was the semi works Cooper works team with drivers Eric Brandon and Alan Brown in 1951 with the Mk V. John Cooper also raced with the team on the few occasions that he was able to get away from building Cooper cars.

Jimmy Richmond was a public works contractor and haulier from Northampton. He was a keen enthusiast but at 20 stones, a physique hardly suited to a life in the cockpit. He provided a transporter and two Norton engines, which were prepared by Steve Lancefield and Francis Beart. Start and Prize money was split three ways. The team was run from Eric's home and had two full time mechanics, "Ginger" Devlin and Freddie Sirkett. They raced across Europe in Formula 3 and with Cooper Bristols in Formula 2. At times they took it in turns to win, having tossed a coin to determine who should be first! In the process, they not only defeated to official Cooper works cars of Bill Whitehouse and Ken Carter but also the JBS threat of Alf Bottoms, Ron Dryden, Peter Collins Don Parker and Frank Aikens.

Before the start at Boreham in June 1951, Eric won the final with Alan second and Bernie Ecclestone third.

  A review of the team, published in Iota in August 1951.

A pretty little haul for the year.