The 1969 Guards Formula 5000 Championship was a motor racing competition for Formula 5000 cars and cars with unrestricted racing engines of up to 2000cc capacity. The championship was organized in the United Kingdom but also included European rounds. It was the first and only series to carry the Guards Formula 5000 Championship name and the first in a sequence of seven annual European Formula 5000 Championships to be contested between 1969 and 1975. The championship was won by Peter Gethin, driving a McLaren M10A.

Calendar

Championship winner Peter Gethin, pictured in 1971

The championship was contested over twelve rounds.

RoundNameCircuitCountryDateWinning driverCarTeam
1Oulton ParkGreat Britain4 AprilPeter GethinMcLaren M10A ChevroletChurch Farm Racing Team
2Brands HatchGreat Britain7 AprilPeter GethinMcLaren M10A ChevroletChurch Farm Racing Team
3Kent Messenger 5000Brands HatchGreat Britain11 MayPeter GethinMcLaren M10A ChevroletChurch Farm Racing Team
4Mallory ParkGreat Britain26 MayPeter GethinMcLaren M10A ChevroletChurch Farm Racing Team
5Vanwall TrophySilverstoneGreat Britain15 JuneMike WalkerLola T142 ChevroletMcKechnie Racing Team
6Dublin Grand PrixMondello ParkIreland13 JulyDavid HobbsSurtees TS5 ChevroletTeam Surtees
7Trofee der NoordzeeKoksijdeBelgium3 AugustTrevor TaylorSurtees TS5 ChevroletTeam Surtees
8Duinen TropheeZandvoortNetherlands10 AugTrevor TaylorSurtees TS5 ChevroletTeam Surtees
9SnettertonGreat Britain1 SeptemberTrevor TaylorSurtees TS5 ChevroletTeam Elite
10Nations Grand PrixHockenheimGermany14 SeptemberTrevor TaylorSurtees TS5 ChevroletTeam Elite
11Oulton ParkGreat Britain20 SeptemberMike WalkerLola T142 ChevroletMcKechnie Racing Team
12Brands HatchGreat Britain28 SeptemberMike HailwoodLola T142 ChevroletEpstein Cuthbert Racing

Points system

Championship points were awarded at each round on a 500-350-250-200-150-125-100-90-80-75-70-65-60-55 basis to the first 14 drivers, with 50 points awarded for each place from 15th to 20th. The final championship placings were determined from the best eight results from the twelve rounds.

Championship standings

The following table lists the top twenty positions in the championship.

PositionDriverCarEntrantPoints
1United Kingdom Peter GethinMcLaren M10A Chevrolet 5.0Church Farm Racing Team2365
2United Kingdom Trevor TaylorSurtees TS5 Chevrolet 5.0Team Surtees Team Elite2170
3United Kingdom Mike HailwoodLola T142 Chevrolet 5.0Paul Hawkins & Epstein - Cuthbert2045
4United Kingdom Keith HollandLola T142 Chevrolet 5.0Alan Fraser2000
5United Kingdom Alan RollinsonBrabham BT30 Ford FVA 1.6 Lola T142 Chevrolet 5.0Irish Racing Cars Doug Hardwick1920
6United Kingdom Mike WalkerLola T142 Chevrolet 5.0Allan McKechnie Racing1845
7Sweden Ulf NorinderLola T142 Chevrolet 5.0Sports Cars Switzerland1450
8United Kingdom David HobbsSurtees TS5 Chevrolet 5.0Team Surtees1275
9United Kingdom Willie ForbesLola T142 Chevrolet 5.01080
10United Kingdom Robert LamploughLotus 43 Ford 4.7 Lotus 41 Ford 1.6795
11United Kingdom Derrick WilliamsLola T142 Chevrolet 5.0Race Development Engineering DJ Bond Racing675
12Italy Andrea de AdamichSurtees TS5 Chevrolet 5.0Team Surtees620
13United Kingdom Doug HardwickLola T142 Chevrolet 5.0575
14United Kingdom Terry SangerBRM P83 Ford 4.7540
15United Kingdom Steve ThompsonLola T60 Ford 1.6420
16United Kingdom Kaye GriffithsBRP Mk2 Ford 4.7415
17Australia Frank GardnerLola T142 Chevrolet 5.0Sid Taylor350
=United Kingdom Peter WestburyBrabham BT30 Ford FVA 1.6 Lola T142 Chevrolet 5.0350
19United Kingdom Ian AshleyKitchiner K3 Ford 4.7330
20Republic of Ireland Brian CullenLola T60 Ford 1.6 & Brabham BT23C Ford FVA 1.6310