Emeryson Days

I guess the best period in motor racing for me was when I managed to have my first drives in Formula 1. That came about because I knew Paul Emery. I had put an entry in myself for the Brussels Grand Prix in April 1962 for a Lotus. The Emeryson driver didn’t arrive from America, so Paul asked me if I wanted to drive his car; it was very much a spur of the moment thing. It was a 1961 car and it went pretty well, and I finished 5th overall after three separate heats. Paul then offered me the drive for the rest of the season, and I got to drive the new car. I thought the new car was absolutely brilliant…the handling was so good.

That meant I did my first Grand Prix in 1962, but I had driven in a number of non-championships F1 races before that in a Cooper. The Coopers had been F2 cars but, when they changed the formula, they became F1 cars overnight. That gave me the chance to drive against some very good drivers. I did the Glover Trophy in ’61 at Goodwood in the Cooper T51, which was won by Surtees in a Cooper over Graham Hill. I had the same car at the Brussels race that year, when Paul had several Emerysons for the Belgian drivers. I liked that strange street circuit and finished 9th, so I knew it for the next year. I took the Cooper to Naples for the F1 race on the Possillippo circuit. That was the same day as the 1961 Monaco Grand Prix, which Moss won. I don’t think I lasted too long.