LEC Refrigeration Racing

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The surviving LEC CRP1 Formula One car.
The surviving LEC CRP1 Formula One car.

LEC was a Formula One team and constructor from the United Kingdom. They participated in ten Grands Prix, five using their own CRP1 car in 1977, and five with a hired March 731 in an earlier attempt in 1973. Purley competed in various kinds of motorsport including a successful Formula 5000 campaign in a Chevron between his two stints in Formula One.

The LEC car was designed by Mike Pilbeam for David Purley, and named after the family refrigeration business that had backed Purley's previous racing efforts. The team was run by Mike Earle with a group of engineers and mechanics who later went on to become Onyx Race Engineering.

Purley was gradually coming to terms with the car, but at the 1977 British Grand Prix the throttle stuck open in practice and sent Purley into a wall, demolishing the car and causing Purley severe injuries.

A second car was built for Purley's return to racing in 1979, although he preferred to concentrate on the national-level Aurora F1 series in the UK.

[edit] Complete Formula One results

(key)

Year Driver Chassis Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 WDC Pts.
1973 David Purley March 731 Cosworth V8 ARG
BRA
RSA
ESP
BEL
MON
Ret
SWE
FRA
GBR
DNS
NED
Ret
GER
15
AUT
ITA
9
CAN
USA
- 0
1977 David Purley LEC CRP1 Cosworth V8 ARG
BRA
RSA
USW
ESP
DNQ
MON
BEL
13
SWE
14
FRA
Ret
GBR
DNPQ
GER
AUT
NED
ITA
USA
CAN
JPN
- 0