The 1970 Guards European Formula 5000 Championship was a motor racing competition for Formula 5000 cars. The series was organized in the United Kingdom by the British Racing and Sports Car Club but also included European rounds. It was the first and only series to carry the Guards European Formula 5000 Championship name and the second of seven annual European Formula 5000 Championships to be contested between 1969 and 1975. The title was won by Peter Gethin, driving a McLaren M10B.

Calendar

Championship winner Peter Gethin, pictured in 1971

The championship was contested over twenty rounds with each round staged over two heats.

RoundNameDistance (miles)CircuitCountryDateWinning driverCar
1110Oulton ParkUnited Kingdom27 MarchMike WalkerMcLaren M10B Chevrolet
2106Brands HatchUnited Kingdom30 MarchPeter GethinMcLaren M10B Chevrolet
3North Sea Trophy104ZolderBelgium5 AprilPeter GethinMcLaren M10B Chevrolet
4104ZandvoortNetherlands19 AprilPeter GethinMcLaren M10B Chevrolet
5Daily Express / GKN International Trophy150SilverstoneUnited Kingdom26 AprilMike HailwoodLola T190 Chevrolet
662Brands Hatch (Club Circuit)United Kingdom3 MayPeter GethinMcLaren M10B Chevrolet
755Castle CombeUnited Kingdom9 MayPeter GethinMcLaren M10B Chevrolet
864Mallory ParkUnited Kingdom25 MayPeter GethinMcLaren M10B Chevrolet
9Rothmans Grand Prix106Mondello ParkIreland1 JuneTrevor TaylorSurtees TS5A Chevrolet
10Martini Trophy104SilverstoneUnited Kingdom6 JunePeter GethinMcLaren M10B Chevrolet
11Lottery Grand Prix143MonzaItaly21 JuneMike WalkerMcLaren M10B Chevrolet
12Anderstorp 5000105Scandinavian RacewaySweden28 JunePeter GethinMcLaren M10B Chevrolet
13Olympia Trophy132SalzburgringAustria12 JulyMike HailwoodLola T190 Chevrolet
14Kodak Super 8 Trophy71ThruxtonUnited Kingdom9 AugustFrank GardnerLola T190 Chevrolet
15Automotive Products Trophy59SilverstoneUnited Kingdom15 AugustFrank GardnerLola T190 Chevrolet
16Gold Cup110Oulton ParkUnited Kingdom22 AugustHowden GanleyMcLaren M10B Chevrolet
1765SnettertonUnited Kingdom31 AugustReine WisellMcLaren M10B Chevrolet
18Preis der Nationen126HockenheimringWest Germany13 SeptemberReine WisellMcLaren M10B Chevrolet
1966Oulton ParkUnited Kingdom19 SeptemberReine WisellMcLaren M10B Chevrolet
2080Brands HatchUnited Kingdom27 SeptemberGraham McRaeMcLaren M10B Chevrolet

Points system

Championship points were awarded on a 9-6-4-3-2-1 basis for the first six places at each round. Final championship positions were determined from the best ten results from the longer rounds (i.e. those contested over greater than 100 miles) and the best four results from the shorter rounds.

Championship standings

Peter Gethin won the championship driving a McLaren M10B
PositionDriverCarEntrantPoints
1United Kingdom Peter GethinMcLaren M10B ChevroletSid Taylor90
2New Zealand Howden GanleyMcLaren M10B ChevroletBarry Newman61
3Australia Frank GardnerLola T190 ChevroletMotor Racing Research Ltd52
4United Kingdom Mike HailwoodLola T190 Chevrolet Lola T192 ChevroletEpstein-Cuthbert Team Lola50
5United Kingdom Mike WalkerMcLaren M10B ChevroletAlan McKechnie Racing42
6New Zealand Graham McRaeMcLaren M10B ChevroletCrown Lynn Potteries36
7United Kingdom Trevor TaylorSurtees TS5A Chevrolet Lola T192 ChevroletTeam Surtees Doug Hardwick33
=Sweden Reine WisellMcLaren M10B ChevroletSid Taylor33
9United States Roy PikeLeda LT20 Leda LT22 ChevroletMalaya Garage17
10United Kingdom David ProphetMcLaren M10B Chevrolet11
11Sweden Ulf NorinderLola T190 ChevroletSports Cars Switzerland10
12United Kingdom Keith HollandLola T142 ChevroletAlan Fraser8
=United Kingdom Davey PowellLola T190 Chevrolet Lola T142 ChevroletDoug Hardwick8
14United Kingdom Gordon SpiceKitchiner K3A Ford7
15United Kingdom Fred SaundersCrosslé 15F RoverMermaid Racing6
16United Kingdom Kaye GriffithsLola T142 Chevrolet5
17United Kingdom Willie ForbesLola T142 Chevrolet4
=United Kingdom Alan RollinsonLotus 70 Chevrolet Lotus 70 Ford Surtees TS5A ChevroletLotus Components Irish Racing Cars4
19United Kingdom David HobbsSurtees TS5A ChevroletTeam Surtees2
=United Kingdom Derrick WilliamsLola T142 Chevrolet2
=United Kingdom Ray CalcuttLola T142 ChevroletAlan Fraser2
22United Kingdom Morris NunnLola T190 ChevroletDoug Hardwick1
=Republic of Ireland Lingard GouldingLola T142 Chevrolet Beattie P1100 Chevrolet1
=United Kingdom Tony LanfranchiLola T190 ChevroletSports Cars Switzerland1