Ralt RT1

The Ralt RT1 was one of the best 2-litre Formula 2 cars of its day, praised for its handling, build quality and a strong, safe monocoque. It was a popular choice across categories and set the pace in F2 until the March 782 was fully developed.

This example is believed to have been a Project Four car run by Ron Dennis for Eddie Cheever in 1977. Letters and invoices in the file indicate it then passed to Heini Mader in lieu of payment for engine work, and Mader ran it for his team drivers in 1978. It later became a French hillclimb car before Philip Harper bought it in December 1993. Harper campaigned it for almost 30 years in his distinctive blue colours, making it one of the best-known F2 cars on the grid.

The monocoque was stripped and rebuilt in 2011 by Mathew Watts' team at Retro Track and Air, and Harper's notes record a gain of about two seconds a lap. Harper refreshed the BMW M12 engine before selling the car in 2022, and it has covered just over 500 miles since. The suspension and running gear were rebuilt in the winter of 2024, including crack testing, re-plating, chromating and new bearings, rod ends and sphericals where needed.