An Australian legend lives on

Australian's boast about a lot of things, some true and some not, in our typical Australian way. We're always saying this is the best or that is and as we can be larrikins at the best of times it's hard to know what is truth and what is braggadocio. One thing we are justified in bragging about though is one of our Formula One Legends; And so I am going to.

Source

I love motor racing and being Australian so I'm pleased to bring these two things together and introduce an Australian racing driver and Formula One World Champion: three time champion in fact, over the years 1959, 1960 and 1966!

source Brabham at Brands Hatch, UK

Sir Jack Brabham (1926 - 2014)

Sir Jack was not your typical racing driver who jumped in a car, went fast and won races. He had an engineering background and so had huge input into the cars themselves eventually winning his third World Championship in a car of his own design and construction. The only driver to ever do so in Formula One! He also drove in an F1 era that was notorious for its danger and lack of safety; Many died doing what they loved, 42 of them since 1952 in fact. Of course many others were involved in serious crashes and survived fortunately. It makes those who achieve the World Championship that much more special in a sport that rewards speed and a degree of recklessness with one's life. Anyway, back to Jack.

After serving in the RAAF as a flight mechanic (Royal Australian Air Force) during World War Two he took his skills back into civilian life through his own engineering company. He soon started racing and by 1955 had left Australia and was in Europe building and racing his own cars.

Not satisfied with just being a good driver and designing cars he started improving on a design long-understood to be the best, that is the front engined open-wheeler race car. He turned the sport on its head though when he brought out his own designed and constructed car featuring a rear-mounted engine; A configuration used ever since and to this day.

The Cooper T51 photographed by me on the weekend pictured above and below. This ran several laps on the track at the Adelaide Motorsport Festival this weekend past. It was spectacular. You can see in the lower right image the "office" that Sir Jack Brabham occupied in 1959.

In 1959 Sir Jack won his first Formula One World Championship driving the Cooper T51. It's an interesting story really as the car actually ran out of fuel a few hundred yards from the finish line so Jack had to get out and push. He was leading the race at the time. He was not allowed any assistance of course, so pushed it over the line by himself. It was at the United States of America Grand Prix and he eventually finished the race in fourth place. Interestingly, New Zealander Bruce Mclaren (Jack's team mate who was coming second), went on to claim that race victory, his first making him, at the time, the youngest-ever Formula One winner at 22. Mclaren (The manufacturer) still races in Formula One and is one of the most innovative engineering and car manufacturers in the world. McLaren

Jack not only founded his own race team Brabham now called Brabham Automotive website a company which is still manufacturing cutting edge cars; One of which was running on the weekend at the Adelaide Motorsport Festival but he was awarded many accolades by Australia and Britain. He was awarded Australian of the year in 1966, Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) also in 1966, was Knighted in 1979 and inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame in 1985 and was then elevated to Legend status in 2003. There are too many accolades to list really, however down further I have listed some racing stats for you.

Jack also had three sons: Garry, Geoff and David all of whom followed their father into the world of professional racing driving. David was driving the Brabham BT62 over the weekend. David is one of only 4 Australians to have won the Le Mans 24 hour in France. Le Mans 24 hour

Brabham BT62 - Image from Brabham Engineering website

The BT62 on the weekend pictured by me. You can see David Brabham in the left shot giving me the thumbs up prior to running the car on track.

Sir Jack Brabham paved the way for Australian's in global (and domestic) motorsport and since his success many have followed in his footsteps on two and four wheels with mixed results. Alan Jones won the Formula One World Championship in 1980 and Mark Webber and Daniel Ricciardo also raced/race in F1 with great results. There's been others though. Names like Will Power, Wayne Gardiner, Mick Doohan, Casey Stoner, Troy Bayliss and so many more...

Jack died on the 19th of May 2014 but left a racing legacy through the work begun all those years ago. Through design innovation, expertise and probably a peppering of luck Jack excelled and will always be regarded as one of the most influential people in the world of motorsport. His name is spoken with respect to this day, by his peers who competed against him, those who worked with him and the generations of racing drivers who seek to emulate his remarkable success.

Since 1950 only 10 drivers have won more than 3 championships in F1 and Jack ranks with names like Senna, Piquet, Prost, Schumacher, Hamilton, Vettel, Lauda, Stewart and the great Juan Manuel Fangio. It's a remarkable achievement considering the names on that list.

Some Jack Stats

• 126 Grand Prix race starts
• 14 Grand Prix wins
• 31 podium places
• 13 pole positions
• 12 fastest laps
• F1 Drivers’ Championship 1959, 1960 & 1966
• Constructors’ Championship
• British Saloon Car Championship
• Formula 2 Championship
• European Formula 2 Championship
• International Gold Cup crowns (four times)

I want to leave you with a video of a documentary by CNN I found on YouTube which is a pretty decent. It's only short but shows a few other drivers talking bout Jack: Mark Webber, Daniel Ricciardo, Jackie Stewart, Stirling Moss and David Brabham. It's worth a look.