Derichs

Germany's only F3 constructor of the early 1980s, Erwin Derichs constructed a number of distinctive looking if generally not too competitive cars. They were built to contest the German F3 series and cars were being produced up until 1984.

A singleton D34 chassis was run in the German F3 series for Hans Hargarten, it used a Ford engine and was never very competitive, the best result was a third place in a poor field at Salzburg.

Erwin Derichs ran his own Ford powered car in the German F3 championship, it wasn't very competitive and recorded no top 6 finishes.

At least two cars were built for 1976, designated the D36 one was fitted with a BMW engine the other with a Ford. Results were poor in the German F3 championship with a best finish of tenth, taken by Derichs himself.

All the later Derichs seemed to follow a standard pattern, a slim honeycomb monocoque with conventional suspension. The exhaust on the right hand of the car indicates it could be VW powered. Results were not good with a best finish of 7th at Hockenheim for Peter Kroeber. The next car does not seem to have appeared until 1980.

Derichs continued using the D37 in the Bose team (which seems to have been the works team) for 1978 results were generally poor although Peter Kroeber won a non-championship race with a small field on the short Nurburgring. Kroeber also took another three top six finishes during the season, all in non-championship events.

Once again it was the D37 that was used by the Bose team and Peter Kroeber who again had some good finishes in non-championship races.

For 1980 a new car, the D380, arrived on the scene. As in previous years the car was no match for March, Ralt, Chevron etc. in the German Championship rounds, the only top six placing being a fifth for Schlich at Siegerland. However as ever some good results in the much smaller non-championship races were garnered.

It was the D380 again for 1980 and as ever it was championship = bad, non-championship = good.

The D382 was introduced for 1982, it seemed a small neat car with a bullet shaped body. It was fitted with a Toyota engine and recorded a couple of top ten finishes.

Another new car for 1983, the D383, it only did a few races and results were poor.

1984 saw the introduction of the new D384 although in entry lists it was listed as the D385, it seems to have followed the general design of the earlier cars with the chassis composed of honeycomb panels with inboard push-rod operated front suspension and a Toyota engine.

As ever the cars struggled in Championship events and only managed three top six results in the non-championship rounds.

The D385 continued for another year in a handful of races, no good results were achieved. The same car appeared for another two years with results tailing away even more as the car showed its age.