Lurani's idea

But time passed by 500 cc Formula 3 cars and the next international beginners class, Formula Junior, was devised in late fifties by the Italians for much the same reasons as Britons built own Formula 3-cars over ten years before.

The Primus Motor of  Formula Junior in Italy was well reputed jounalist and racing driver Giovanni Cernuschi Lurani, Count of Calvenzano. Best known as "Johnny". His idea was a foundation to the new Formula 3 some years later.

Formula Junior-cars were  single seaters built from parts of a classified (1000 cars in 12 months) production touring car. Engine was 1.0 or 1.1 litre and power around 70-100 hp. A number of modifications were allowed so as to give the engine more power. Formula Junior  cars often resembled  scaled down Formula 1 cars. North American and Australian National regulations originally differed from the international Formula in permitting 1500 cc and overhead camshaft engines.

Formula Junior general regulations:

Minimum wheelbase: 200 cm. Minimum track: 110 cm. Maximum body width 95 cm. Maximum engine capacity 1100 cc. Minimum weight 400 kg. For cars under 1000 cc was weight 360 kg or less. Engine block and cylinder-head must be those of the engine belonging to a car classed by the FIA in the Touring category. The gearbox must be of an Touring car. The braking system must remain the same as on the car which is taken the engine. The system of feeding must be the same as on the car from which is taken the engine. The engine-capabilities specified in the present regulations may be achieved by modifying the original bore. Forbidden was: To use an engine with one or more overhead camshafts. To use a self-locking differential. To change the number of crankshafts bearings. To change the location of the camshaft. Only commercial fuel, as defined by the FIA shall be used.

Formula Junior-regulations were exported from Italy very rapidly and hundred of new cars were built in majority of racing garages in Western Europe. Even east germans made their own two stroke Wartburg-engined cars.

Italians in the Front

The second famous racecar builder from Modena - the Ferrari factory weren't very far in Maranello- Vittorio Stanguellini had a clear advantage in spring 1958. He had already a local national Formula 750-class monoposto car under construction. This could be converted to fit the Formula Junior classes new regulations with a small changes.

Stanguellini sold many cars before the most threatening rivalties like Rome's De Sanctis and Dagrada could answer the challenge. In the following years Stanguellini manufactured approximately 150 small monopostos to the european racetracks. They were good sellers also in US.

The success it had in the beginning didn't guarantee the makes  future in Formula 1 class. As the british makes continued steadily, Stanguellini was badly behind in progress in F 2-circus. It was relying too much on the success it had at the beginning and was now paying the price to it by loosing its market.

The 1959 race in Monza had already british Cooper and Lotus besides the Stanguellinis and Volpinis. English Elvas penetration to Continent was also successful. In the beginning it was powered by German DKW's two stroke and three cylinder engine, which despite the environmental damage it caused by the strong smoke were more powerful than the feared Fiat.

Tecnical Progress

Formula Junior class lived only six years and during that time a great progress on construction of the cars took place. At first the engine in front of the driver, but after few seasons all winning cars had rear engine. Britons were the most eager developers, perhaps because of the undine advantages that a small 500 cc Formula 3 car had. Front drive also disappeared from the picture. Great changes in the construction of the chassis were taken place. In the beginning they were made from round shaped metal tubes, but later they ended up using self bearing monocoque construction.

One of the developers were also the swedish Saab-factory, which blue and yellow coloured cars were seen in Nordic tracks. Saab didn't gain much of a success maybe bacause of the rally orinted policy it had and bacause this knowledge couldn't applied on racetracks.

Best Engine

The absolutely best engine of this Junior class was the Ford 105 E, which short stroke and over square made it very suitable for tuning. It was tuned by many workshops, from which the british Cosworth, Holbay, Felday and Superspeed took the top position. Cosworths Mk 11 got fast to the top and rumours told that it had gaines even 104 horsepower with 9000 rpm. For the sake of comparison Fiat 1100 engines were provided only with 75-80 hp.

Gears were taken from standard production cars. Most favoured were Renault Dauphine, Volkswagen, Citroen and Fiat 600. British workshop Hewland concentred on VW-tuning, as the Colotti concentrated on Renaults and Knight on Citroen and Hillman Imp.

First Champions

Formula Junior was a very international class, but only scotsman Jim Clark, englishman John Surtees and Denny Hulme from New Zeeland rised to F 1 World Champions.

Formula Junior is going to remain in motor racing history as the class with more makes than any other class. In the following the most famous FJ makes in the world.

Alfa Dana (DK), Alexis (GB), Anderson (S), Apache (US), Ausper (GB), Autosud (I), Bananen (S), Bandini (I), BC (I), BCM (I), BMC (GB), B.M.C (US), BF (I), BJC (I), BLW (US), Bode (D),  Bond (GB), Brabham (GB), Branca (I), Britannia (GB), BRW (D), Cammarota (I), Caravelle (GB), Ciaffi Bardahl (I), Civet (US), Condor (GB). Conrero (I), Cooper (GB), Dagrada (I), Dalbot (F), Dane (US), DB (F), Deep Sanderson (GB), Delta (GB), De Sanctis (I), De Tomaso   (I), Diggory  (GB), Dolphin (GB), DRW (GB).

Efac (F),  Elfin (GB), Elhoo (FIN),  Elios (I), Elpark (US), Elva (GB), Emeryson (GB), Envoy (GB),  Evad (GB), Faccioli (I), Falk (S), Ferry (F), Focus (S), Foglietti (I), FRM (D), Garford (GB), Gemini (GB), Halson (GB), Hartmann (D). Heron (GB), IFA (S),   Intermeccanica (I), ISIS (I), Jocko (US), Joker (S), Julien (F), Junior BB (I), De Tomaso (I), Kieft (GB), Kuhnke (D), Lambkin (GB), Liebl (D), Lippi (I), Lola (GB), Lotus (GB),  LPW (I), Lucangeli (I).

Malz (D), Mathe (A), MBM (CH), Melkus (D), Merlyn (GB), Meub (D), Mitter (D), Monteverdi (CH), Moorland (GB), Moretti (I), Moroni (I), MRD (GB), Nardi (I), Nova Special (I), Ocelot (US),  OSCA (I), Patriarca (I), PBA (D), PLW (I), PM Poggi (I), Raineri (I), Rak (PL), RAM (I), Rispal (F), RR Junior (I), Saab (S), Sadler (CDN), Safi (MAR), Sauter (CH), Saxon (GB), Scampinato (I), Scampolo (D), Scorpion (GB), Sirmac (F), Sprintauto (I), Stanguellini (I), Swebe (S).

Taraschi (I), TCA (I), TecMec (I), Terrier (GB), Tojeiro (GB), Tomahawk (GB), U 2 (GB), Venom (GB), Volpini (I), Wainer (I), Weeke (D), Westerham (GB), Wohlin (S), Yimkin (GB), Zimmermann (D).

Seppo "Kessu" Nieminen drove 1966 this Cooper F 3 car (right) in the opening race of Keimola track in Finland. The car was originally a Formula Junior racer.

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