2300 Club’s Paul Tattersall’s 2023 fantastic historic F1 season came to an end at the last race of the season in October over in Europe after races in Australia, and home at Silverstone. An abrupt disappointing end! It was Friday the 27th of October around 9.30 am to be exact. When Paul’s Ensign slammed into the armco barrier backwards at 70mph at the Portimao circuit in the Algarve during a practice lap.
It wasn’t just dented pride this time. The 1970s safety technology took its toll on Paul as you can imagine He spent the rest of the day in hospital. That evening on his release Paul messaged our Chairman Neil Molyneux explaining the accident and the fact that he had hurt his back “I’m having to wear a bloody corset Mol, it’s not black and it’s not frilly!” Well at least Paul still had his sense of humour. As it turns out he was a very lucky man and on the road to recovery. Unfortunately the car didn’t fare just as well.
Paul said at the time “to this day I still don’t know how or why it happened. But it is very disappointing.”
With the very nature of the layout of an F1 car the damage to the rear end of the car happens to be the expensive end, and started with the rear wing then the gearbox casing smashed, suspension uprights destroyed, a side pod badly damaged. Then there was that precious DFV engine which had just been rebuilt at the start of the season. Was it still intact after such a shunt?
With a future goal in mind set in May 2024 Paul and the Team at The University of Bolton would have their work cut out to rebuild the car at all. Let alone have it ready and tested for the Grand Prix de Monaco Historique by the end of April.
By early April the driver was deemed fighting fit, medical passed. Race licence issued. Great news! Entry for The Grand Prix de Monaco Historique had also been accepted. No pressure then for the Bolton Team!
Paul was in no doubt of the team’s ability to have the car complete in time. “The team at Bolton led by Pete Thundercliffe have done a wonderful job”.said Paul at the end of April.
“Many parts have been remanufactured, including the rear uprights, side pod and rear wing just to name a few.”remarked Paul and went on to explain that the rear wing profile has been very difficult to recreate” lots of people say they can do it” said Paul “you can imagine!”
The engine was stripped and thoroughly checked by Paul’s engine man in London and thankfully no damage was found.
A new gearbox casing completed the rebuild.
An on-track test in late April confirmed the car and driver were ready.
All Paul had to do now was pack up all of the race gear ready for the trip south in early May.
The Grand Prix de Monaco takes place on the 10th to the 12th of May where Paul has unfinished business having crashed out in 2022. Again this year Paul will be competing in Race F in the 1979 Ensign N179 Paul is planning on finishing this time. We wish Paul and the team at The University of Bolton the very best of Luck. For some of these students it will be their first time spannering on a race event. “They do appreciate just how special it will be, to be in Monaco for F1” said Paul.
We will keep you posted on the team’s progress throughout the event on our social media.
You can follow the full event via the Sportity App Using code GPH2024
Or visit The ACM website for all the event details.
Watch the racing Live on the Automobile Club de Monaco YouTube channel.
