www.QV500.com - Jaguar XJR-15 Part 2: 1991 Intercontinental Challenge
 

XJR-15 chassis 047, 1991 Monte Carlo
Having already parted with nearly $1m for their cars, most XJR-15 owners wanting to participate in the Intercontinental Challenge got professional drivers to do the racing. Consisting of three rounds supporting the Formula 1 race's at Monte Carlo, Silverstone and Spa Francorchamps, preparation and maintenance by JaguarSport was included in the purchase price. At stake for the winners of the first two rounds were a pair of Jaguar XJR-S road cars whilst at the Spa finale there was a $1m winner-takes-all prize fund. A maximum of 16 grid slots were available for each event and all three were fully subscribed.
   

Being a tricky car to drive at the best of times made the Intercontinental Challenge a great spectacle and this was immediately apparent around the tight confines of Monte Carlo where they proved a highlight of the Grand Prix weekend. Even the professional drivers had their hands full keeping the brutish XJR-15's on line but Derek Warwick emerged top of the timesheets in qualifying followed by Armin Hahne, Jim Richards, David Brabham and Davy Jones. Rounding out the top ten were Bob Wollek, Tiff Needell, John Nielsen, Ian Flux and Juan Manuel Fangio II. Each race kicked off with a rolling start administered by Tom Walkinshaw and the charge into Ste Devote saw Warwick and Hahne touch several times before Warwick emerged in front. On lap two, John Nielsen ran wide at Tabac and thumped the barriers on both sides of the track before Hahne lost it entering the swimming pool on lap three, luckily emerging unscathed. This allowed Warwick to open up a four second gap from Brabham, Jones and Fangio before losing it all after locking up into the Swimming Pool. The Englishman eventually finished seven tenths of a second ahead of Brabham after 16 laps hard racing.

With the first race having enthralled the crowd yet passed without major incident, hopes were high for another great spectacle at Silverstone. Warwick again started from pole with Brabham, Cor Euser, Ian Flux, and Wollek in fifth. Fangio, David Leslie, Hahne, Kenny Acheson and Needell also qualified in the top ten. The rolling start saw five abreast into the first corner but somehow the opening lap passed with all 16 cars intact. On the second lap things really started hotting up with Nielsen and Jones engaged in some panel bashing at Becketts whilst at Stowe, second placed Warwick turned in on leader Euser. Warwick took the position, Euser spun (dropping to thid) but Warwick's lead was shortlived as he picked up a puncture, lost control and hit Brabham when the Aussie was making a pass. Both men went into the pits for repairs. This left Euser back in the lead but his bonnet was gradually working loose which forced him to miss the apex at Beckets resulting in a spectacular 120mph spin. Now Flux was in the lead followed by Fangio and Hahne. By lap six Euser's charge back to contention suffered another setback when he hit David Leslie at Priory, both cars spinning as a result. Two corners later, Needell bumped Hahne out of the way to take third. Lap nine finally saw an end to Euser's afternoon when he hit Acheson and ended up beached in the gravel. Acheson was forced to pit. Competing for third, Needell and Hahne had another coming together forcing both cars out of contention. At the front, Fangio took the lead when Flux missed a gear at Club and dropped to second ahead of Wollek and Win Percy. Wollek's tyres were still in great condition having driven steadily throughout and the American was able to reel in Flux, passing on lap 18. Fittingly, the race was won by Fangio precisely 45 years after his famous uncle's last win at Silverstone. At the end of the race, 11 of the 16 entries had suffered some kind of damage.

The final Intercontinental Challenge race at Spa was a big deal. With $1m on the line for the winner, there had been much speculation about race fixing agreements between the drivers. To counter, JaguarSport decided the race would run for an undisclosed number of laps. All the drivers knew was that the chequered flag would fall after at least six laps. Qualifying saw Euser on pole followed by Brabham, Warwick, Hahne, Percy, Will Hoy, Wollek, Leslie, Thierry Tassin and Flux all in the top ten. However, only fourth place Hahne and newcomer Tassin had saved a spare set of fresh tyres for race day. The rolling start went off without a hitch until Brabham had a big moment at the top of Eau Rouge dropping from second to seventh in the process. This left Euser, Hahne and Warwick to open up a gap at the front, the three drivers pacing themselves for the opening stint. There was plenty of action going on behind though, John Watson losing it at the end of the main straight, flying off the track backwards at 140mph and collecting Needell in the process. On the next lap, Tassin and Percy had a coming together at the bus stop, Tassin ending up atop the barriers after a heavy impact. After six laps were up, the racing became more fraught at the front. Now up to second, Hahne seized the initiative when Euser went offline through Eau Rouge on the eighth lap. Hahne's momentum took him through down the main straight and third place Warwick had eyes on second but dicing with Euser allowed Hahne to get away. Warwick then lost it at the sequnce of corners before the bus stop, pin balling off the barriers and into retirement. From thereon in it was Hahne all the way and when the chequered flag fell at the end of lap 11, the $1m prize was secure.

 
Pos.
Grid
Monte Carlo
Pos.
Grid
Silverstone
Pos.
Grid
Spa
1st
1st
Derek Warwick
1st
6th
Juan Fangio II
1st
4th
Armin Hahne
2nd
4th
David Brabham
2nd
5th
Bob Wollek
2nd
1st
Cor Euser
3rd
5th
Davy Jones
3rd
4th
Ian Flux
3rd
5th
Win Percy
4th
10th
Juan Fangio II
4th
7th
David Leslie
4th
6th
Will Hoy
5th
2nd
Armin Hahne
5th
8th
Armin Hahne
5th
7th
Bob Wollek
6th
6th
Bob Wollek
6th
10th
Tiff Needell
6th
2nd
David Brabham
7th
7th
Tiff Needell
7th
15th
Andy Evans
7th
8th
David Leslie
8th
3rd
Jim Richards
8th
2nd
David Brabham
8th
10th
Ian Flux
9th
14th
Matsuaki Sunada
9th
9th
Kenny Acheson
9th
11th
Pierre Dieudonne
10th
15th
Cor Euser
10th
16th
Yojiro Terada
10th
14th
Jim Richards
11th
11th
David Leslie
11th
12th
Davy Jones
11th
15th
Jeff Allam
12th
16th
Andy Evans
DNF
13th
Win Percy
12th
16th
Andy Evans
13th
12th
Yojiro Terada
DNF
3rd
Cor Euser
13th
13th
Tiff Needell
14th
9th
Ian Flux
DNF
14th
Matt Aitken
DNF
3rd
Derek Warwick
DNF
13th
Matt Aitken
DNF
1st
Derek Warwick
DNF
9th
Thierry Tassin
DNF
8th
John Nielsen
DNF
11th
John Nielsen
DNF
12th
John Watson