1975 BRDC International Trophy

1975 BRDC International Trophy
Non-championship race in the 1975 Formula One season
The Silverstone circuit in early 1975
The Silverstone circuit in early 1975
Race details[1]
Date 13 April 1975
Official name 27th Daily Express International Trophy
Location Silverstone Circuit, Northamptonshire
Course Permanent racing facility
Course length 4.724 km (2.935 miles)
Distance 40 laps, 188.95 km (117.41 miles)
Weather Cold, overcast and dry[2]
Pole position
Driver Hesketh-Ford
Time 1:17.3
Fastest lap
Drivers United Kingdom James Hunt Hesketh-Ford
Fastest lap Brazil Emerson Fittipaldi McLaren-Ford
Time 1:17.7
Podium
First Ferrari
Second McLaren-Ford
Third Parnelli-Ford

The 1975 BRDC International Trophy, formally known as the 27th Daily Express International Trophy, was a non-championship Formula One race held at Silverstone Circuit on 13 April 1975. It was organised by the circuit owners, the British Racing Drivers' Club, as a "curtain raiser" for the European portion of the 1975 Formula One season.[3] James Hunt, driving for the small Hesketh Racing team, set the fastest lap time in practice and took pole position for the start. In the race he continued to run at the front, heading the leading pack for many laps and setting fastest lap of the race on lap 14.[2] Third-place runner, McLaren driver Emerson Fittipaldi, equalled his time on lap 23. However, Hunt's engine failed at the start of lap 26 and the lead was inherited by second-place runner Niki Lauda in his Ferrari. Lauda held the lead for the remainder of the race, despite Fittipaldi "pull[ing] out the stops"[2] to try and pass him. At the finishing flag, Fittipaldi was only one-tenth of a second behind Lauda, with Mario Andretti in a Parnelli taking the last podium position in third.[2]

  1. ^ "1975 BRDC International Trophy". ChicaneF1. Retrieved 28 February 2024.
  2. ^ a b c d Jenkinson, D.S. (May 1975). "The 27th "Daily Express" International Trophy". Motor Sport. Vol. 51, no. 5. pp. 459–460. Retrieved 15 March 2018.
  3. ^ 27th Daily Express International Trophy. British Racing Drivers' Club. 1 April 1975. Retrieved 15 March 2018.