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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Sir Jack Brabham was a unique Australian hero | Sir Jack Brabham was a unique Australian hero |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Monday’s | Monday’s |
| news that Sir | news that Sir |
| Jack Brabham has quietly passed away, was no real surprise to people within | Jack Brabham has quietly passed away, was no real surprise to people within |
| motor sport. He had been dealing with kidney disease for five years and that, | motor sport. He had been dealing with kidney disease for five years and that, |
| along with deafness from exposure to high-pitched racing cars and macular | along with deafness from exposure to high-pitched racing cars and macular |
| degeneration that affected his eyesight, had provided its challenges. | degeneration that affected his eyesight, had provided its challenges. |
| But | But |
| Jack – as motor sport in Australia knew him – was as tough as his legendary | Jack – as motor sport in Australia knew him – was as tough as his legendary |
| Brabham race cars, throughtfully designed and built machines that unlike some | Brabham race cars, throughtfully designed and built machines that unlike some |
| of their rivals simply did not break. As recently as the last few weeks he was | of their rivals simply did not break. As recently as the last few weeks he was |
| attending events, some featuring the car he is best remembered for: the | attending events, some featuring the car he is best remembered for: the |
| Repco-powered Brabham that took him to his third world title, in 1966. | |
| So | So |
| the news of his death is sad but it is also an opportunity to reflect on | the news of his death is sad but it is also an opportunity to reflect on |
| achievements that will never be repeated; he was a pioneer of Australian sport | achievements that will never be repeated; he was a pioneer of Australian sport |
| and engineering. | and engineering. |
| Back | Back |
| in the late 1950s, the UK and Europe were the global centres of motor sport; | in the late 1950s, the UK and Europe were the global centres of motor sport; |
| they probably still are. Arrivals from the colonies were viewed with some | they probably still are. Arrivals from the colonies were viewed with some |
| amusement and, well, tolerated. When Jack arrived from Australia at the Cooper | amusement and, well, tolerated. When Jack arrived from Australia at the Cooper |
| Car Company to take up their offer of a car, he was shown a pile of tubes in a | Car Company to take up their offer of a car, he was shown a pile of tubes in a |
| rack and told to start building. | rack and told to start building. |
| He | He |
| did, and before too long, the Coopers understood what they had unearthed. | did, and before too long, the Coopers understood what they had unearthed. |
| Jack’s engineering nous helped in the development of the Coopers, the first | Jack’s engineering nous helped in the development of the Coopers, the first |
| serious rear-engined grand prix cars, with which he won his 1959 and 1960 world | serious rear-engined grand prix cars, with which he won his 1959 and 1960 world |
| titles. | titles. |
| Unable | Unable |
| to have greater input, he went out on his own in 1961 in partnership with a friend | to have greater input, he went out on his own in 1961 in partnership with a friend |
| from Australia, Ron Tauranac. How | from Australia, Ron Tauranac. How |
| typical. An already-established garage business became Brabham Cars and soon, | typical. An already-established garage business became Brabham Cars and soon, |
| Jack and Brabham cars were competing in what was then the 1.5 litre Formula One. | Jack and Brabham cars were competing in what was then the 1.5 litre Formula One. |
| It | It |
| was what happened next which defined Jack Brabham. With a big change coming to | was what happened next which defined Jack Brabham. With a big change coming to |
| Formula One in 1966, doubling the engine size to three-litres, he pulled off | Formula One in 1966, doubling the engine size to three-litres, he pulled off |
| the almost impossible. With the traditional engine companies all talking big | the almost impossible. With the traditional engine companies all talking big |
| V12 powerhouses, Jack reasoned that they’d probably have a hell of a time | V12 powerhouses, Jack reasoned that they’d probably have a hell of a time |
| getting them sorted and reliable. In the meantime, something a little smaller | getting them sorted and reliable. In the meantime, something a little smaller |
| and reliable might just do the trick. | and reliable might just do the trick. |
| From | From |
| that thought came the relationship with Repco, and a | that thought came the relationship with Repco, and a |
| ground-up V8 engine designed and built in Australia. It was light and reliable, | ground-up V8 engine designed and built in Australia. It was light and reliable, |
| not as powerful as some of the ferocious V12s would be, but it was just the | not as powerful as some of the ferocious V12s would be, but it was just the |
| right thing at the right time. | right thing at the right time. |
| A | A |
| four-race winning streak paved the way for his 1966 world title. The | four-race winning streak paved the way for his 1966 world title. The |
| unthinkable had been achieved – a driver from Australia had not only won his | unthinkable had been achieved – a driver from Australia had not only won his |
| third world title, this one was in a car he’d built himself. Imagine the | third world title, this one was in a car he’d built himself. Imagine the |
| logistics alone – engines being built on the opposite side of the world, and | logistics alone – engines being built on the opposite side of the world, and |
| flown backwards and forwards during development. | flown backwards and forwards during development. |
| Jack | Jack |
| was a pretty damned good, albeit sometimes under-rated driver, but it was the | was a pretty damned good, albeit sometimes under-rated driver, but it was the |
| engineering challenge which gave him the real satisfaction. The following year, | engineering challenge which gave him the real satisfaction. The following year, |
| his team-mate Denny Hulme won the championship while Jack suffered from the | his team-mate Denny Hulme won the championship while Jack suffered from the |
| unreliability that comes with trying new things ‘on the run’. | unreliability that comes with trying new things ‘on the run’. |
| Eventually, | Eventually, |
| the rest – particularly with the arrival of the brilliant Ford Cosworth engine | the rest – particularly with the arrival of the brilliant Ford Cosworth engine |
| – caught up and the Repco programme came to its end. Brabham’s cars switched to | – caught up and the Repco programme came to its end. Brabham’s cars switched to |
| the ubiquitous Ford and remained among the most competitive cars for some | the ubiquitous Ford and remained among the most competitive cars for some |
| years. | years. |
| Formula | Formula |
| One in the late 1960s was very dangerous. Drivers died. Under pressure from his | One in the late 1960s was very dangerous. Drivers died. Under pressure from his |
| wife, Jack gave thought to quitting driving at the end of 1969. Unable to | wife, Jack gave thought to quitting driving at the end of 1969. Unable to |
| replace his departing star driver Jochen Rindt, he went around one more time. | replace his departing star driver Jochen Rindt, he went around one more time. |
| He | He |
| won the opening race of the year and would eventually finish fifth in the | won the opening race of the year and would eventually finish fifth in the |
| championship, at the ripe old age of 44. But a simple driving error cost him a | championship, at the ripe old age of 44. But a simple driving error cost him a |
| win at Monaco, and then Rindt was killed in a needless crash, driving a Lotus, | win at Monaco, and then Rindt was killed in a needless crash, driving a Lotus, |
| in qualifying for the Italian Grand Prix. This time Jack listened to his wife | in qualifying for the Italian Grand Prix. This time Jack listened to his wife |
| and at the end of the year hung up his helmet and walked away, returning to live on a farm and set up garage and car businesses back in | and at the end of the year hung up his helmet and walked away, returning to live on a farm and set up garage and car businesses back in |
| Australia. In Jack’s case that was exactly half a lifetime ago. | Australia. In Jack’s case that was exactly half a lifetime ago. |
| Given | Given |
| the enormity of Formula One 21st century-style, Jack’s achievement – | the enormity of Formula One 21st century-style, Jack’s achievement – |
| winning in a car bearing his own name (and with an Australian-built engine) | winning in a car bearing his own name (and with an Australian-built engine) |
| – simply cannot be repeated. He owns a unique spot in motor sport history and | – simply cannot be repeated. He owns a unique spot in motor sport history and |
| Australia should be very, very proud. | Australia should be very, very proud. |
| • Chris | • Chris |
| Lambden is managing editor of gpweek.com | Lambden is managing editor of gpweek.com |