1950 Cooper Mk IV

I took this photograph at McLean's Corner during the Formula 3 (500cc) Racing Cars race at the SeeRed meeting at Donington Park in May 2011.

The leading car here is the 1950 Cooper Mk IV of Frederick Harper followed closely by the 1952 Mackson F3 500 of Gordon Russell. 

After the Second World War motor racing in the UK was slow to re-start, partly because of petrol rationing and the cost of running a suitable car. Home-built ‘specials’ powered by 500cc motorcycle were created to provide a reasonably cheap way means of getting involved in the sport. John Cooper and Eric Brandon, with the assistance of John’s father Charles, decided in 1946 to build two cars, and in 1947 in the second post-war race meeting to be held Eric Brandon won the first race to feature 500cc cars. In 1950 this 500cc class of racing was adopted by the FIA as a new Formula 3, and John and Charles Cooper went on to build a series of these 500cc cars, eventually graduating to Formula 2, then Formula 1 culminating in Jack Brabham winning the World Drivers’ Championship in 1959 and 1960 in the 2½ litre Cooper Climax.

The Mackson was one of three cars that were built in 1951 and 1952 by Gordon Bedson and 'Mac' McGee.