For the 1977 Formula One World Championship, team Hesketh finally developed a new car after several seasons of merely updating the legendary 308 model. Although the new car retained the designation of previous Hesketh models, the 308E was an entirely fresh design. Abandoning the original Postlethwaite project, the 308E was the first Formula 1 car designed by Nigel Stroud and Frank Dernie, an aerodynamics engineer who would go on to have a long and successful career with Williams, Lotus, Benetton, and Ligier over the next three decades.
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| HESKETH 308E, Harald Hertl Dijon-Prenois, French GP 1977 |
The 308E was a typical 1970s Formula 1 car, featuring an aluminum monocoque chassis and powered by the three-liter Ford Cosworth DFV V8 engine, paired with a five-speed Hewland FG400 gearbox. With a wheelbase of 2,540 mm and a weight of 595 kg, the car had a sleek design and introduced some interesting aerodynamic solutions. The nose featured an air intake for cooling the front radiator, while the front suspension was enclosed within a profile that extended seamlessly into the long, slender sidepods, which housed longitudinally positioned radiators. On high-speed circuits, the engine cover completely enclosed the power unit, giving the car a clean and streamlined rear end, whereas on slower circuits, the upper section was opened, exposing the intake plenums.
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| HESKETH 308E Penthouse Rizla Racing, Rupert Keegan Montecarlo, Monaco GP 1977 |
After skipping the early overseas races, the 308E finally made its debut in Europe, fielded by the Penthouse Rizla Racing team with British driver Rupert Keegan. However, rather than being known for its technical innovations or race results, the 308E gained notoriety due to its sponsors, with a striking image of a "Penthouse Pet" in revealing attire painted on the engine cover, holding a pack of Rizla rolling papers in her arms.
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| HESKETH 308E, Ian Ashley Zandvoort, Dutch GP 1977 |
Two additional 308E cars were used by the Hesketh Racing team and were entrusted to drivers backed by personal sponsors. These included the flamboyant Austrian driver Harald Ertl, sponsored by Heico, who competed in six races and achieved a best result of ninth place in Belgium; Mexican driver Hector Rebaque, who also entered six races with Marlboro sponsorship but failed to qualify on any occasion; and British-born German driver Ian Ashley, who participated in five Grands Prix with sponsorship from Obex Oil, managing a best finish of 17th place at Watkins Glen.
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| HESKETH 308E Penthouse Rizla Racing, Rupert Keegan Jarama, Spanish GP 1977 |
The poor results of the 1977 season ultimately drained the last of the British team's financial resources, by then entirely under the control of Tony Horsley. After one final survival attempt in 1978, Hesketh Racing eventually closed its doors, bringing an end to one of the most colorful adventures in 1970s Formula 1.
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