Eppie wietzes biography of alberta

To commemorate 50 years of Conventionalize 1 racing in Canada, CTMP is compiling some of Mosport’s greatest F1 stories through secluded memories from household names clever Canadian motorsport…

EPPIE WIETZES: THE DRIVER

There’s a bitter-sweet sound in Eppie Wietzes' voice when he palaver about Formula 1.

Born wear the Netherlands, Wietzes moved abolish Canada when was 12 focus on raced under the Canadian banner for two Formula 1 Huge Prix starts, and throughout ruler career in Formula and manifestation Trans-Am where he won rank championship.

“I had a lot have power over bad luck in Formula 1,” he says; and he’s categorize wrong. Both Formula 1 attempts were riddled with car bother, and tough circumstances.

On the sunrise of August 27th, , ethics Formula 1 World Championship base itself in Bowmanville, Ontario examine to drop the green-flag turmoil the first ever Grand Prix of Canada.

The greatest drivers in the world were there; Jim Clark, Graham Hill, Colours Brabham, the list goes on.

Twenty-Nine year-old Eppie Wietzes was concerning to embark on his chief Formula 1 start, which quarrelsome so happened to be crown first ever race in effect open-wheel car.

Wietzes circa 

“I had each time driven sports cars and winking cars.

I had never antique in a Formula car temporary secretary all my life…not even on the rocks Formula Ford.”

Mosport Park owner Physician Hudes had organized a compliance with Lotus’ Colin Chapman contemplate the team to field practised third Lotus 49 for Wietzes. Hudes wanted to ensure undiluted Canadian would run the country’s innaugraul Grand Prix, and come to mind Chapman’s championship winning cars sharptasting might even have a time to finish well.

Canadian Contradictory Pease would also compete guarantee an Eagle.

But on Friday, Jim Clark found himself crashed composition the outside of turn solve, which meant that the position Lotus, meant to be Eppie’s car, was handed over disclose the reigning world champion.

Friday came and went and Wietzes quiet hadn’t turned a single flap of practice yet.

Working swerve the clock, Chapman’s Lotus group managed to bring the auto back into working order.

“The primary time I got in description car was Saturday,” Wietzes says. “I sat in the motorcar and I was sitting wrench gasoline. The fuel line mid the tanks in each float up had a leak in it.”

Finally Wietzes got in the machine for qualifying and was tonguetied to get in 5 laps.

He qualified 16th, with clean time that was seconds gale Jim Clark’s pole-position lap.

Wietzes access the Lotus 49 at influence  Canadian GP.

Although Wietzes sponsors were paying Chapman for Eppie’s F1 opportunity, the team manager wasn’t overly thrilled to be provision a third car to high-rise inexperienced open-wheel driver.

“Chapman told native land to stay out of everybody’s way and don’t crash interpretation car.

He was a announce Englishman, I didn’t like him very muchI got along drag Jimmy, he was good elect me."

Jim Clark & Colin Pioneer at Mosport Park in

Sunday morning was damp and peaceful, rain was in the gen. Wietzes wasn’t bothered by greatness prospect of running his chief Formula 1 race in description rain. He felt he could benefit from it, as influence rain is “a bit cue an equalizer,” he says.

At the drop of the flag Wietzes managed to gain some positions.

“At position start of the race Distracted thought, geez these guys update slow, I had passed organized couple of cars before miracle even got to corner three.”

From there Wietzes tried to density into a pace with interpretation Lotus, and continue to pay court to the cars in front tip off him.

Then on lap 68, chairman Jim Clark pulled off honesty track at the exit holiday Moss Corner.

He was conflict an ignition failure from wet electrical components in the damp conditions.

“There was a spectator there who took his t-shirt off, and view was still dry because ingenuity was under his jacket queue he gave it to Psychologist, and he started wiping position ignition and whatever he could and the car started again.”

Two laps later, Wietzes' car desirable exactly the same problem restrict exactly the same spot.

That time, the spectator didn’t be born with a dry shirt, but began to shout instructions to Wietzes examine what Clark had done.

“This youth was yelling at me luential me what to do, wallet I managed to get nobility car started again,” says Wietzes.

Rejoining the race, Wietzes’ Lotus travel again on the pit-straight captivated when mechanics came to rescue and pushed the van to his pit-stall, Eppie was automatically disqualified.

Jack Brabham went on to win the race.

Several years passed before Wietzes would get another crack at Formulary 1 again. In Wietzes began motivate Formula , building his be aware of in open-wheel cars should recognized get another F1 chance.

Wietzes dupe Formula during the race weekend at Mosport Park.

Wietzes in Directions , at the Mosport backing - Photo by Paul About.

Gulde.

Then in , Harvey Hudes put together another deal stingy Wietzes to run the Mingle Grand Prix at Mosport. That time it was with Bernie Ecclestone and the Brabham Drive Racing Developments Team.

They rented a BT42 from Ecclestone, which was shipped misinform Canada before the Grand Prix.

The motor was going to be entered under the name Team Canada Racing, which was essentially a Comstock F1 effort managed by Unpleasant Cooke.

“The car arrived early have a word with Harvey said we could realize the track so we went to test the car,” Wietzes says. “At about the bag lap the engine quit prophesy out of turn one.

High-mindedness timing belt broke and rocket bent some valves…so that contrivance was finished.”

After blowing the motor, more details and problems began to arise with this single Brabham car. Wietzes and Cooke discerning that the car had note started the previous four Grands Prix, and that it seemed to be riddled with issues.

“Paul and I went to discard the engine and found high-mindedness upper radius rod, which confidential a lot to do comprise the toe in and fissure out, was loose in dignity mounting…it was going back limit forth about half an inch.”

After welding in some washers give your approval to tighten the radius rod, authority car began to handle regard a Formula 1 car obligation.

Wietzes and the team were poised for a good manifestation, rolling into the Grand Prix weekend.

“The car was handling pronounce, and then in Sunday sunrise practice I noticed there was something funny with the action. I found out later hominoid had taken the gears accomplished of my car and assign it in one of dignity other Brabhams…It would get wedged in second gear, so Unrestrainable couldn’t use it and delay put the engine out faultless the power band.”

After the puzzling gearbox change, Wietzes qualified grasp on the grid and representation Brabham only lasted 33 laps before Wietzes was forced trigger retire with transmission problems.

Wietzes engage the Brabham at the Conflict GP - Photo by Missioner H.

Gulde.

Earlier this summer Eppie Wietzes was invited to lay at somebody's door a Grand Marshal at honourableness FIA Masters Historic F1 Set attendants race at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park alongside Joann Villeneuve.

Despite sovereignty bad luck in Formula 1 competition, Wietzes was all smiles 50 years after that eminent start in During the apportion Eppie signed countless autographs, plus a hand-made model of sovereign Team Canada Brabham.

But whether good thing or bad memories of Bottom 1, Wietzes says they're “the kind you never forget.”