3 No escape I remember going to Alex s house near Ingatestone, in Essex, where we met up with Roger Silman who was going to be team manager. Alex plied me with wine until about two o clock in the morning, trying to persuade me to do a works engine deal for 1979 but I said no, for 1979 you buy them and service them and we ll throw in a development engine. Brian Hart The Temporada, Hart says, was the start of the association. OK, we re going to have a Ralt but it all started with fitting my engine in that March. Alex Hawkridge thought it would be better because it was lighter. It was quick. Hart had heard a story that Ford desperately needed some cars moving from the docks. Ford said well, we need the job done in twenty four hours and Alex replied we ll do it in twenty. That was the sort of guy he was. He got enough people together to get the job done with as many lorries and friends as he could. Hart was duly impressed. Hawkridge explains that the reason we moved to Hart engines was that at the end of that first year we were very disenchanted with the BMW engine, and I was very impressed with what I d seen Henton do with the Hart engine. Brian Hart was just up the road in Harlow and it just all made more sense. In January, Autosport reported that Henton s joining Toleman was expected to be confirmed soon, partnering Dougall in the new Ralt ground effect chassis with Hart power. Because of his experience, Henton would have the Ralt that was immediately available, with Dougall staying in the March until his was ready. The second season in Formula 2 wouldn t be, and couldn t be, easy. What we shouldn t forget, Brian Hart says, is that the Hart at work, with his extraordinary eye for detail. (Courtesy Brian Hart) 38
The Toleman Story Warwick, pensive, as he had to be when he went in against Henton and learning fast. (Courtesy Herman de Boes) One half of the Warwick support team, dad (centre of pic) the other, Uncle Stan, has gone missing for once. 64
The Toleman Story The new Toleman, as naked as nature intended, at Silverstone (above), and fully clothed with Giacomelli at the wheel. (Courtesy Brian Hart) Giacomelli got on with Derek. We had a very good relationship and we never really had any sort of problems at all, actually. I was quite happy with what I had. It was a small team obviously from the budget point of view. Silman, of course, knew Giacomelli. Silman joined March but returned in 1976, and immediately worked on preparing his winning Formula 3 car. Silman was, as we have seen, March team manager when Giacomelli won the 1978 Formula 2 championship in a March, 116
ayrton The Senna mythology was born at Monaco, and after it the yellow helmet became an object of fascination, almost as if it had a life of its own. (Courtesy Barney Drew-Smythe, Brian Hart and Luc Ghys) 157
Death of the romance In 1986 Toleman officially became Benetton, and Fabi stayed. Here he is in the British Grand Prix at Brands Hatch before the fuel pump failed. (Courtesy Gareth Rees) you beat them at the weekend they re not going to be giving you a new contract on a Monday morning with relish. My roots were in the car delivery business, Ted s roots were in it, we d all grown up in that. From my point of view it wasn t a painful period because I had achieved a lot of what I wanted to achieve, anyway. I had proved to the world that Rory was a bloody brilliant engineer, John was a very good draughtsman, Brian Hart was a good engine man, Zytek were brilliant electronics guys. I had proved that you could take on the big guys and win. Yes, I would love to have won a Formula 1 race and I would love to have had a world champion. It really irks me that we didn t win a race well, essentially we did win a race and of course the team went on to win world championships. I look at it from that perspective. They wouldn t have won those championships Michael Schumacher or no Michael Schumacher without the likes of Rory and Pat and the other guys. Rory is the cleverest guy I have ever met in my life and I ve met a few. He is my closest friend and I still have a terrific relationship with him. Toleman were very close, at a couple of points in our Formula 1 career, at having deals with manufacturers but, with hindsight, I would much rather have done it with Hart. If we had gone with BMW I would have felt we d sold out. No-one has ever given such bang for the buck as the amount Hart gave us for what we paid him. I used to go over and see him on a regular basis and energise him. I know it was necessary from time to time just to give him some support. He was a bloody hard worker and an incredibly clever brain. All that said, when we came out of Formula 1, I didn t have any regrets, none at all. Collins ran Benetton with Teo Fabi and Berger driving the car, 177