1978 March 782 Formula 2

What is it?

It’s a March 782 Formula 2 single-seater from 1972, chassis number 24. Jacky Ickx, Ronnie Peterson, Mike Hailwood, Jean-Pierre Jabouille and René Arnoux. There’s a common thread among these racing drivers, besides the fact they can all reasonably be considered motorsport legends. They are all former Formula 2 champions, which goes some way to illustrate the reverence in which the category was held in the 1960s and 1970s.

Was Formula 2 really that prestigious?

In short, yes. Both a training ground for future Grand Prix drivers and an arena in which those already in the top tier could sharpen their skills (and earn a little extra cash), Formula 2 was predominantly held in Europe, though there was a strong domestic series in Japan and a number of non-title races in South Africa as well.

Was the March 782 a competitive car?

Max Moseley’s March Engineering emerged as the dominant force in Formula 2 in the 1970s, operating a Works effort and supporting a plethora of ‘satellite’ teams, in addition to a raft of privateers. The 782 was a sophisticated single-seater introduced in 1978, featuring an aluminium monocoque chassis, a striking lightweight glass-fibre body and a high-revving two-litre four-cylinder BMW M12/7 engine.

“Bruno Giacomelli trounced the opposition with his Works 782 in 1978, winning eight of the series’ 12 races en route to the Formula 2 championship title.”

Bruno Giacomelli trounced the opposition with his Works 782 in 1978, winning eight of the series’ 12 races en route to the Formula 2 championship title. It's not difficult to see why the March 782 proved a popular choice. An impressive 28 chassis left March Engineering, destined for customers from around the world.

Can you tell us about the history of this particular car?

One of those aforementioned customers was the Austrian Gottlieb ‘Gerd’ Biechtler, who acquired this March 782 in 1978 and contested two races before the year was out. The German Klaus Walz bought chassis 24 for his 1979 campaign, before the skilled Austrian club driver Walter Raus assumed custody of the car. 

Raus loaned the March to a young Jo Gartner, a protégé of the 1971 Le Mans winner and BRM veteran Helmut Marko, who was carving his legacy on the international stage. Gartner, who’d ultimately go on to become one of sports-car racing’s most prodigious talents, contested the European Formula 2 series. Despite his two-year-old car, Gartner put on a deft display and bolstered his reputation as a firm ‘up-and-comer’.

What happened next?

Raus sold this March to Herbert Rostek, whose Jehro Racing Team ran it sparingly in German mountain races. As its Wagenpass attests, Rostek actually kept chassis 24 for 25 years, selling to Franz Guggemos in 2007. Its final private owner, Larry Kinch, bought this 782 in 2012. 

Has chassis 24 been restored?

Yes, comprehensively. That was Kinch’s first port of call when he acquired chassis 24 in 2012. No stone was left unturned in the quest to return the single-seater to its former glory and prepare it for historic competition. Photos, technical reports and invoices on record illustrate the extensive work undertaken in this restoration project. Crucially, the car retains its original magnesium bulkheads with chassis and tub number notes in the March factory ledger – an incredibly important part for experts of the March Engineering marque.

“Crucially, the car retains its original magnesium bulkheads with chassis and tub number notes in the March factory ledger – an incredibly important part for experts of the March Engineering marque.”

Larry Kinch obtained the car’s FIA Historic Technical Passport in 2018 (valid until 2028) and entered a number of historic events, including at Paul Ricard in France and Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium.

On that note, what can I do with it?

In addition to the Historic Sports Car Club’s competitive Historic Formula 2 Championship, which encompasses historic circuits across the United Kingdom including Silverstone and Brands Hatch, 2024 will see a new F2 Classic Interseries at five venues across Europe. The result of a collaboration between the Historic Sports Car Club and the French promoter HVM Racing, the new championship will stage two-race rounds at Paul Ricard, Zandvoort, Brands Hatch, Silverstone and Spa-Francorchamps. For our Stateside readers, this March would also be eligible for Masters Historic Racing’s Formula Atlantic Plus series.

Sell it to me in a sentence…

Tipping the scales at a nudge over 500kg and with 300HP on tap from the high-revving BMW engine, this striking March 782 offers near-Formula 1 levels of performance for a fraction of the value – the plethora of events around the world at which this single-seater can be raced is the proverbial icing on the cake.