Menu
Brabham is one of the most iconic and revered motorsport names, not just for the many successes on race tracks around the world, but also for the technological advancements that kept Brabham ahead of the opposition. The Brabham legacy continues today through second and third generations of family members who continue to push the limits like our founder Sir Jack Brabham AO, OBE.
OUR HISTORY AND SUCCESS
IT ALL STARTED WITH
SIR JACK
BRABHAM
1948
After learning to drive at age 12, young Jack left school at 15 to study mechanical engineering, working in a mechanics shop at the same time. He soon became interested in motorbikes – which he bought and sold, repairing them at his parent’s house.Towards the end of WWII Jack turned 18 and enlisted with the RAAF. While he hoped to fly, he was trained as a flight mechanic.
In 1948 he first built and drove speedcars (midgets) at Parramatta speedway in Sydney. He soon started winning races and fell in love with speed and pushing the boundaries of engineering and himself.
IT ALL STARTED WITH
SIR JACK
BRABHAM
1948
After learning to drive at age 12, young Jack left school at 15 to study mechanical engineering, working in a mechanics shop at the same time. He soon became interested in motorbikes – which he bought and sold, repairing them at his parent’s house.Towards the end of WWII Jack turned 18 and enlisted with the RAAF. While he hoped to fly, he was trained as a flight mechanic.
In 1948 he first built and drove speedcars (midgets) at Parramatta speedway in Sydney. He soon started winning races and fell in love with speed and pushing the boundaries of engineering and himself.
1950s As Jack’s skills continued to develop, so did his dominance, which saw his interest quickly move beyond the dirt tracks of midgets. To pursue the move to road racing, Jack purchased a car from the British car manufacturer Cooper, beginning a long-standing friendship and professional association. During this period he gained the moniker, Black Jack. Whether it was for his dark coloured hair, or his uncompromising competitive spirit on the track, or even that he liked to hang back in the shadows off the track, the name stuck. After competing in and winning road races across Australia and New Zealand, Jack headed across the seas to the birthplace of his grandfather, England. It was in 1955, at Aintree racecourse, that Brabham began his F1 career at the British Grand Prix. Within a short time he joined the Cooper racing team where he was involved as much in building and maintaining cars, as driving them. In 1959 Brabham became the first Australian to win a F1 World Championship, doing it in a rear-engined (unique at the time), four cylinder, 2.5l Cooper-Climax T51, with the great Sir Stirling Moss finishing 3rd.
1950s As Jack’s skills continued to develop, so did his dominance, which saw his interest quickly move beyond the dirt tracks of midgets. To pursue the move to road racing, Jack purchased a car from the British car manufacturer Cooper, beginning a long-standing friendship and professional association. During this period he gained the moniker, Black Jack. Whether it was for his dark coloured hair, or his uncompromising competitive spirit on the track, or even that he liked to hang back in the shadows off the track, the name stuck. After competing in and winning road races across Australia and New Zealand, Jack headed across the seas to the birthplace of his grandfather, England. It was in 1955, at Aintree racecourse, that Brabham began his F1 career at the British Grand Prix. Within a short time he joined the Cooper racing team where he was involved as much in building and maintaining cars, as driving them. In 1959 Brabham became the first Australian to win a F1 World Championship, doing it in a rear-engined (unique at the time), four cylinder, 2.5l Cooper-Climax T51, with the great Sir Stirling Moss finishing 3rd.
1960s Jack’s success continued, winning his 2nd F1 World Championship in 1960, driving the Cooper-Climax T53. Brabham then took a modified T53 to the Indianapolis 500 in ’61. Despite it being relatively underpowered compared to Indy cars, his performance, and more so the handling of his rear-engined car sparked a “revolution at Indy” with teams adopting rear engine mountings in the following years.
In a monumental change, Jack set up his own racing team with his Australian designer friend, Ron Tauranac in 1962. Together they eventually racked up two F1 Drivers’ Championships and two F1 Constructors’ titles. The ’66 season F1 rule changes now allowed a maximum engine size of 3.0 l. While many teams developed 12 and 16-cylinder engines, Jack commissioned Australia’s Repco to build a V8, which was lighter and very reliable. This resulted in Jack’s 3rd F1 World Championship and the first and only time a driver had won in a car of his own construction, driving the iconic Brabham BT19 (pictured), ultimately earning him an OBE back in Australia, and was named Australian of the Year.
The following year Brabham team driver and Kiwi, Denny Hulme, won the F1 Championship, and with Jack in 2nd place the team secured a 2nd Constructors’ title.
1960s Jack’s success continued, winning his 2nd F1 World Championship in 1960, driving the Cooper-Climax T53. Brabham then took a modified T53 to the Indianapolis 500 in ’61. Despite it being relatively underpowered compared to Indy cars, his performance, and more so the handling of his rear-engined car sparked a “revolution at Indy” with teams adopting rear engine mountings in the following years.
In a monumental change, Jack set up his own racing team with his Australian designer friend, Ron Tauranac in 1962. Together they eventually racked up two F1 Drivers’ Championships and two F1 Constructors’ titles. The ’66 season F1 rule changes now allowed a maximum engine size of 3.0 l. While many teams developed 12 and 16-cylinder engines, Jack commissioned Australia’s Repco to build a V8, which was lighter and very reliable. This resulted in Jack’s 3rd F1 World Championship and the first and only time a driver had won in a car of his own construction, driving the iconic Brabham BT19 (pictured), ultimately earning him an OBE back in Australia, and was named Australian of the Year.
The following year Brabham team driver and Kiwi, Denny Hulme, won the F1 Championship, and with Jack in 2nd place the team secured a 2nd Constructors’ title.
1970s Turning 44 in 1970, Brabham was ready to step back from driving. However, Jacky Ickx’s departure from the team pushed Jack on for one last F1 season. Despite winning the season opener in South Africa in a BT33, he finished 5th in the Championship. His illustrious career ended with 14 wins, 13 pole positions and 3 World Championships. Afterwards Jack sold his share of Brabham to Tauranac at the end of the 1970 season, and within a year he sold to Bernie Ecclestone.
In 1969 Brabham had swapped from the 3.0 l Repco power plant to the dominant Ford Cosworth, which the team relied on until they adopted a flat 12 Alfa Romeo engine for the ’76 season. In ’78 Nikki Lauda moved to Brabham, winning the Swedish F1 GP in the innovative BT46B Fan Car(pictured). Brazilian, Nelson Piquet, also joined the team that year. In 1979, Jack Brabham was the first person to be knighted for services to motorsport.
In the early 70s the livery of Brabham cars morphed from green with gold accents design of the previous decade, now considered iconic, to ending up with a predominantly red and blue colour scheme.
1970s Turning 44 in 1970, Brabham was ready to step back from driving. However, Jacky Ickx’s departure from the team pushed Jack on for one last F1 season. Despite winning the season opener in South Africa in a BT33, he finished 5th in the Championship. His illustrious career ended with 14 wins, 13 pole positions and 3 World Championships. Afterwards Jack sold his share of Brabham to Tauranac at the end of the 1970 season, and within a year he sold to Bernie Ecclestone.
In 1969 Brabham had swapped from the 3.0 l Repco power plant to the dominant Ford Cosworth, which the team relied on until they adopted a flat 12 Alfa Romeo engine for the ’76 season. In ’78 Nikki Lauda moved to Brabham, winning the Swedish F1 GP in the innovative BT46B Fan Car(pictured). Brazilian, Nelson Piquet, also joined the team that year. In 1979, Jack Brabham was the first person to be knighted for services to motorsport.
In the early 70s the livery of Brabham cars morphed from green with gold accents design of the previous decade, now considered iconic, to ending up with a predominantly red and blue colour scheme.
1980s Having returned to a Ford Cosworth powerplant at the end of the previous season, the decade started well with Piquet finishing 2nd in the Championship in ’80, and then the following year became World Champion in the Brabham BT49.
While 1982 was a forgettable year, Nelson Piquet, propelled by a new turbo charged 1.5 l BMW engine, won the ’83 World Drivers Championship in a Brabham BT52 (pictured) after an intense battle with Alain Prost.
Reliability issues plagued Brabham for the following seasons, with Piquet moving to Williams after the ’85 season. However, he clocked up a 35th F1 win on behalf of Brabham at the French GP in the BT54, mid-way through his final year.
1980s Having returned to a Ford Cosworth powerplant at the end of the previous season, the decade started well with Piquet finishing 2nd in the Championship in ’80, and then the following year became World Champion in the Brabham BT49.
While 1982 was a forgettable year, Nelson Piquet, propelled by a new turbo charged 1.5 l BMW engine, won the ’83 World Drivers Championship in a Brabham BT52 (pictured) after an intense battle with Alain Prost.
Reliability issues plagued Brabham for the following seasons, with Piquet moving to Williams after the ’85 season. However, he clocked up a 35th F1 win on behalf of Brabham at the French GP in the BT54, mid-way through his final year.
Beyond the feats of Sir Jack Brabham, the family’s successful legacy continued through sons Geoff and David through their 9 international Sportscar tiles and four Le Mans 24hrs victories. Jack’s grandsons Matt and Sam are adding even more success to the Brabham legacy through their own driving careers.
Beyond the feats of Sir Jack Brabham, the family’s successful legacy continued through sons Geoff and David through their 9 international Sportscar tiles and four Le Mans 24hrs victories. Jack’s grandsons Matt and Sam are adding even more success to the Brabham legacy through their own driving careers.
