The Penske PC3 was a Formula One car used by Citibank Team Penske during the 1976 Formula One season, It was designed by Geoff Ferris.[2]
 Penske PC3 in 2015 Silverstone Classic. | |||||||||
| Category | Formula One | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Constructor | Penske | ||||||||
| Designer(s) | Geoff Ferris | ||||||||
| Predecessor | PC1 | ||||||||
| Successor | PC4 | ||||||||
| Technical specifications[1] | |||||||||
| Chassis | Aluminium monocoque | ||||||||
| Axle track | Front: 1,499 mm (59.0 in) Rear: 1,562 mm (61.5 in) | ||||||||
| Wheelbase | 2,692 mm (106.0 in) | ||||||||
| Engine | Ford Cosworth DFV 2,993 cc (182.6 cu in) V8 naturally aspirated Mid-engine, longitudinally mounted | ||||||||
| Transmission | Hewland FG 400 5-speed manual | ||||||||
| Weight | 582 kg (1,283 lb) | ||||||||
| Fuel | Sunoco | ||||||||
| Tyres | Goodyear | ||||||||
| Competition history | |||||||||
| Notable entrants | Citibank Team Penske F&S Properties | ||||||||
| Notable drivers |  John Watson  Boy Hayje | ||||||||
| Debut | 1976 Brazilian Grand Prix | ||||||||
| |||||||||
| Constructors' Championships | 0 | ||||||||
| Drivers' Championships | 0 | ||||||||
Development
editIn 1976 Penske signed a sponsorship deal with Citibank and built a new car, the Penske PC3. Northern Irish driver John Watson was signed to drive the car. which retained some of the design features from its predecessors, the Penske PC1, and the March 751. The PC3 was a development of the March 751 and bore a close resemblance to it. In total, two cars were constructed with one being driven by Watson.
Racing history
editCitibank Team Penske
edit1975
editPenske fielded the brand new PC3 for Watson in the final race of the 1975 season. The United States Grand Prix, Watson used the car in practice, but due to a technical failure was forced to switch to the old PC1, which was in the paddock as a demonstrator, for the race. He finished in ninth position, but his performance earned him a full-time Penske F1 drive for 1976.[3]
1976
editThe first race of the 1976 season was the Brazilian Grand Prix, Watson retired when a fuel system failure turned into a fire.[4] and finished fifth at South Africa.[5] Watson was eleven laps down and not classified at the United States Grand Prix West[6] and retired at Spain with engine failure,[7] Watson finished seventh at the Belgian Grand Prix[8] and tenth at Monaco.[9] The PC3 was not as good as had been hoped and in the midseason Penske produced a new Penske PC4 from the Swedish Grand Prix onwards.
The Penske team scored 20 World Championship points in 1976, two with the PC3 and 18 with the PC4. Earning them fifth place in the Constructors' Championship.
F&S Properties
editF&S Properties bought a PC3 from Penske and entered Dutchman Boy Hayje for his home race, the 1976 Dutch Grand Prix but he retired with a broken halfshaft.[10]
Complete Formula One World Championship results
edit(key)
| Year | Entrants | Engine | Tyres | Drivers | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | Points | WCC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1975 | Penske Cars | Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 | G | ARG | BRA | RSA | ESP | MON | BEL | SWE | NED | FRA | GBR | GER | AUT | ITA | USA | 21 | 12th1 | ||||
| John Watson | PO | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1976 | Citibank Team Penske | Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 | G | BRA | RSA | USW | ESP | BEL | MON | SWE | FRA | GBR | GER | AUT | NED | ITA | CAN | USE | JPN | 202 | 5th2 | ||
| John Watson | Ret | 5 | NC | Ret | 7 | 10 | |||||||||||||||||
| F&S Properties | Boy Hayje | Ret | |||||||||||||||||||||
| 1977 | Hexagon Racing | Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 | G | ARG | BRA | RSA | USW | ESP | MON | BEL | SWE | FRA | GBR | GER | AUT | NED | ITA | USE | CAN | JPN | 13 | 12th3 | |
| Derek Bell | WD | ||||||||||||||||||||||
^1 All points scored in 1975 with the Penske PC1.
^2 18 points scored in 1976 with the Penske PC4.
^3 1 point scored in 1977 with the Penske PC4.
Non-Championship results
edit(key)
| Year | Entrants | Engine | Tyres | Drivers | 1 | 2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1976 | Citibank Team Penske | Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 | G | ROC | INT | |
| John Watson | Ret | |||||
| 1977 | Hexagon Racing | Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 | G | ROC | ||
| Bob Evans | 11 |
References
edit- ^ a b Stats F1. "Penske PC3". Retrieved 4 June 2016.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ "Penske Ford". Jonathan Davies. Retrieved 4 June 2016.
- ^ "Grand Prix results, United States GP 1975". grandprix.com. Retrieved 16 July 2016.
- ^ "Grand Prix results, Brazilian GP 1976". grandprix.com. Retrieved 5 June 2016.
- ^ "Grand Prix results, South Africa GP 1976". grandprix.com. Retrieved 5 June 2016.
- ^ "Grand Prix results, United States GP West 1976". grandprix.com. Retrieved 5 June 2016.
- ^ "Grand Prix results, Spanish GP 1976". grandprix.com. Retrieved 5 June 2016.
- ^ "Grand Prix results, Belgian GP 1976". grandprix.com. Retrieved 5 June 2016.
- ^ "Grand Prix results, Monaco GP 1976". grandprix.com. Retrieved 5 June 2016.
- ^ "Grand Prix results, Dutch GP 1976". grandprix.com. Retrieved 4 June 2016.
- ^ Small, Steve (1994). The Guinness Complete Grand Prix Who's Who. Guinness. pp. 179 and 396. ISBN 0851127029.