Roger Williamson was going to be a world champion. The way he handled a Formula 3 GRD 372 in 1972 and an F2 March-BMW 732 in '73 left no doubt, and a test for BRM at Silverstone in February in the latter year merely confirmed it. He was... fast. But there was more to him than that; he had an unquenchable determination, and he never gave up.
Born in Leicester in February 1948, the 25-year-old car dealer started the hard way. First, there were victories in his indecently quick Ford Anglia, then in 1971 a March 713 bought-on-hire purchase.
As builder and racing enthusiast Tom Wheatcroft involved himself partway through that season, Williamson moved consistently to the fore and their relationship blossomed into a deep friendship. Williamson cleaned up in F3 in 1972, and once Wheatcroft had equipped him with the March in '73, after their move to F2, hugely impressive performances at Rouen and Misano were rewarded with a triumph over Vittorio Brambilla and Patrick Depailler in the Monza Lotteria.
He was sensational in the BRM test, equalling the lap record in the unloved P180 and beating it in the P160C. Williamson then graduated to Formula 1 at the British Grand Prix, when Wheatcroft hired the works March 731 as a toe-in-the-water exercise.
Behind the scenes, Ken Tyrrell was keen to sign him to replace Jackie Stewart for 1974, having been informed that April of the Scot's intention to retire at the end of '73. But Roger had such an affinity with Wheatcroft that a deal had been agreed by Tom - who later planned his own F1 car - with Pat McLaren to buy a brace of McLaren M23s.
Williamson was a victim of Jody Scheckter's shunt at Silverstone. At Zandvoort a fortnight later he made a poor start but had worked up to 13th after eight laps, chased by David Purley's similar LEC Racing March.
Source: Autosport