Jack Brabham - 1959, 1960, 1966 Jack Brabham Share Jack Brabham's three world championships were the product of both his engineering expertise and driving skill. His first two titles, in rear-engined Coopers he helped develop, confirmed the obsolescence of front-engined Formula One cars. His third title, in a Brabham, made him the only driver to become champion in a car of his own make. For his lifetime achievements, which also included nurturing the talents of other notable drivers and pioneering the business side of the sport, he became the first Formula One driver to receive a knighthood. John Arthur 'Jack' Brabham, was born on April 2, 1926, in Hurstville, an Australian town near Sydney where his father was a greengrocer. From an early age Jack was far less interested in fruit and vegetables than in the Brabham shop's delivery vehicles. He learned to drive them long before he was eligible for a licence and by his early teens he was equally adept at keeping them roadworthy. His mechanical aptitude led him to a technical college where he studied practical engineering.

Not academically-inclined, he left school at 15 and went to work in an engineering shop, then a garage. At 18 he joined the Royal Australian Air Force in Adelaide, where he wanted to learn to fly but was instead trained to fill a wartime shortage of flight mechanics. Upon his discharge, in 1946, an uncle in the construction business built him a workshop in Sydney, where Jack opened his own engineering establishment. In 1951 he married Betty, who became the mother of their three sons, Geoffrey, Gary and David, all of whom would race, though not nearly as successfully as their father. Jack's introduction to motorsport came through a friend who raced midgets on dirt track ovals. Jack helped him build a new car and when his friend decided to stop driving Jack took over and became a regular winner. In self-prepared midgets he won four successive Australian championships and was the 1953 hillclimb champion in a British-built Cooper-Bristol. Two years later his growing ambition to expand his motorsport horizons brought Jack to England.

A meeting with John and Charles Cooper, constructors of his successful Australian car, led to a friendship and partnership that would propel the tiny Cooper Car Company and 'Black Jack' Brabham into the forefront of Formula One history. With Brabham providing the inspiration (he helped persuade the Coopers to take the rear-engine route into Formula One racing) and the perspiration (he built up his first chassis in Cooper's workshop) the tiny British cars with the engines in the back sped to the front in an era previously dominated by big, front-engined Italian and German roadsters. In the Brabham-led team's first full championship season of 1958 the debut win for a Cooper came courtesy of Stirling Moss, who drove Rob Walker's private entry to victory in Argentina. In 1959 Moss won twice, but Brabham's victories in Monaco and Britain together with his consistently high placings resulted in the Australian winning a drivers’ title that some thought owed more to stealth than skill, an opinion at least partly based on Brabham's low-key presence.

Always a man of few words - his nickname 'Black Jack' referred to both his dark hair and his propensity for maintaining a shadowy silence - he avoided small talk and was undemonstrative in the extreme. But behind the wheel he was anything but shy and retiring. He put his head down and drove exceedingly forcefully, opposite-locking his car dirt-track style, and was not averse to deliberately showering gravel in the face of a too closely following pursuer. His aversion for the limelight became more of a problem in 1960, when he completely dominated the nine-race series, winning consecutively in Holland, Belgium, France, Britain and Portugal, en route to his second successive championship. Following an unproductive 1961 season, when the Ferraris were all powerful, Brabham left Cooper to form Motor Racing Developments, in partnership with the talented Australian designer Ron Tauranac. The MRD Brabhams were quickly successful in several categories of racing, particularly Formula Two where for several years they dominated, affording the opportunity for many drivers to advance their careers.

The Brabham Formula One car, which first appeared late in 1962, became steadily more competitive as the team leader personally perfected the chassis set-up and fine-tuned the Climax engines. In 1964 Brabham had the satisfaction of seeing his team mate Dan Gurney win in France and Mexico. For 1966, when the new 3-litre formula came into effect, Brabham persuaded an Australian company Repco (a manufacturer of automotive components) to produce a Formula One engine from a venerable Oldsmobile V8 design. Equally ancient was Brabham himself, or so it seemed to the media and his much younger rivals who used to kid him about his age. Prior to the 1966 Dutch Grand Prix, his first race after his 40th birthday, 'Geriatric Jack' Brabham hobbled onto the starting grid at Zandvoort, wearing a long false beard and leaning on a cane. Sportingly, several of his laughing opponents helped him into the cockpit of his Brabham-Repco, which happened to be on pole position.

Tossing aside his beard and cane Brabham proceeded to win that race, a feat he also accomplished in France, in Britain and in Germany - on the notoriously difficult and dangerous Nurburgring - a victory he felt was the most satisfying of his career. Thus in 1966 Brabham became the first (and still only) driver, to win the championship in a car of his own make. Brabham also established the precedent for Formula One drivers to become pilots of their own planes. Though such transport at the time was exotic, Brabham's tastes remained simple. Distrustful of foreign fare, he flew his own steaks to the races. His passengers over the years included a succession of his Brabham team mates – Bruce McLaren, Dan Gurney, Denny Hulme, Jochen Rindt, Jacky Ickx – all of whom benefited from his tutelage and made their mark in Formula One racing. Jack Brabham, whose final victory came in the 1970 South African Grand Prix when he was 44, chose that season to retire as a driver.

The Brabham team was sold to Bernie Ecclestone and Jack returned home to Australia, where he busied himself running a farm, a car dealership and an aviation company, and helped his sons with their racing careers. His contribution to British motorsport was officially recognised in 1985 and he became Sir Jack Brabham. He passed away peacefully at his home in May 2014, aged 88. Text - Gerald Donaldson Saying goodbye to the man who built his very own Formula One race car, and drove it to victory | Public Radio International Saying goodbye to the man who built his very own Formula One race car, and drove it to victory Australia's racing champion Sir Jack Brabham waves the checkered flag at the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne back in 1997. He passed away May 19, 2014, at the age of 88. Credit: Formula One racing is mourning one of its legends. Player utilities PRI.org <iframe frameborder="0" src="" height="75" width="100%"></iframe> Sir Jack Brabham, winner of three Formula One titles, died Monday. He was 88.

Brabham was from Australia, but made his name in the car-racing world in Britain. In 1959, he famously ran out of fuel on the last lap, but pushed his racecar across the finish line to secure his first championship. Brabham's the only person ever to win a Formula One championship while driving a car he built himself. He also pioneered the effort in Formula One to move the engine behind the driver. Damien Smith of Motor Sport Magazine in the UK says a history of accomplishments made Brabham a colossus of the sport. "He had a unique place in the sport's history," Smith says. Smith says few people in the racing world have built and raced their own car. The list of drivers who also design is short. Smith says Brabham took his destiny into his own hands — and it worked. Seven years after his fist title, he won again. The next year, one of his drivers won. "Two titles for the brand new Brabham team was quite something back then — and it is still something we admire now, all these years later," he says. Brabham started his life in Australia. He came to Europe to make his fortune in motor racing.

England was the place to do it in the 1950s. Smith says Brabham turned up in the country with almost nothing. But he built a reputation for engineering and his skill behind the wheel. Smith met him at an award ceremony. By that time, Brabham was nearly deaf. All the years spent inches from a roaring engine left many drivers of that era in the same boat. But Smith recalls Brabham looking directly into his eyes. "I just got a little glimpse of the tough guy that he'd always been," he says. "And that was a real pleasure for me." Smith says Brabham will be remembered as a great pioneer of the sport. He adds that Brabham will also be remembered as one of the toughest drivers. Brabham had a reputation of being hard, but fair; he commanded great respect from his rivals. "This is a huge day for motor racing to lose Sir Jack Brabham," he says. "He will fondly be remembered by all who knew him." His memory lives on in racing videos. Smith says his magazine will dedicate its next issue to the man.

"He's such an important figure in our sport that we'd be remissive to not do a lot on the man." While you are here... The work we do has never been more important — whether it’s because of “news” that might not be news at all or healing the deep divides in our country. Now more than ever, we need conversation, perspective and diverse voices. Will you support PRI in our efforts to create a more informed empathetic world? Sir Jack Brabham, three-time Formula One world drivers' champion and icon of world motorsport, dies aged 88 - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) Sir Jack Brabham, three-time Formula One world drivers' champion and icon of world motorsport, dies aged 88 Updated May 19, 2014 14:05:03 Sir Jack Brabham, a three-time Formula One world drivers' champion and icon of world motorsport, has died at the age of 88.

Sir Jack Brabham Triple Formula One world champion - 1959, 1960, 1966 14 Grand Prix victories Australian of the Year in 1966 Awarded the Order of the British Empire in 1967 Knighted for his services to motorsport in 1979 Only F1 driver to win championship in car of his own construction Contested 126 Grand Prix from 1955 to 1970 The Australian won the championship in 1959, 1960 and 1966 – the final time in a car of his own construction. He retired in 1970, was knighted in 1978, and was named a National Treasure in 2012. He died after collapsing this morning. In a written statement on behalf of the family, his youngest son David said Brabham had lived "an incredible life". "It's a very sad day for all of us. My father passed away peacefully at home at the age of 88 this morning," he said.

"He lived an incredible life, achieving more than anyone would ever dream of and he will continue to live on through the astounding legacy he leaves behind." After serving in the RAAF during World War II, Brabham started his own engineering firm, buying and selling second-hand cars. He began racing a short time later, racing midget cars on dirt tracks. He told Australian Story in 2009 : "I managed to win the third race I started in, and never looked back from there". Brabham travelled to Europe in 1955 and before long he was building his own cars – revolutionising the sport by shifting the engine from the front of the vehicle to the back. In 1959 he won the first of his three championships, famously running out of fuel in the last race and pushing his car to the finish. Brabham told Australian Story how the drama unfolded. Bruce [McLaren, Brabham’s Cooper team-mate] and I led the race for quite some time, right up until the last lap.

On the last lap I was leading and Bruce was behind me and sadly, my car ran out of petrol about half a mile from the end and Bruce drew up alongside me and looked at me as if to say 'What are you going to do?' I couldn't do anything but just coast to a stop. I eventually stopped about 100 yards from the finishing line, and I started pushing. If anybody assisted me, I'd be disqualified. At the time, of course, when I pushed the car over the line I didn't realise what position I was as far as the world championship was concerned. It was a big thrill to me to find out after I was exhausted on the ground, I found out that I'd actually won the championship. It was a fantastic thing. Bruce won the race and, of course, that really helped launch Bruce into his career. In 1966 he became the first driver to win the championship in a car he had built himself – the BT19. He won the constructors’ championship that year, and again in 1967. After retiring in 1970, he became the first motorsport identity to be knighted. You shared your favourite memories of Jack Brabham with us.

Read your tributes here. Formula One commentator Murray Walker told Australian Story Brabham was a pioneer and a brilliant engineer. "He became the first ever driver to win the world championship in a car carrying his own name. It's always been a bit of a mystery to me that Jack has never had the recognition that I feel he deserves," he said. Another former Australian champion, Alan Jones, echoed those sentiments. "I know how difficult it is to win a world championship in motor racing, believe me, and I don't think the Australian public realise what a treasure we’ve got in Jack." A formidable competitor and a 'hard man' on the track Briton Stirling Moss was one of Brabham's fiercest rivals during his driving career. He told Australian Story Brabham was always held in the highest esteem in racing circles. Jack Brabham's 1966 triumph was sweeter because for the first time in F1 history the winning car bore its driver's name. "Sir Jack was the first Australian to come over and really make a mark. I mean, he is after all, he is one of the best known Australians in the world," he said.

"I mean, you’ve got Don Bradman and a few other guys, but very few people in the world have achieved what he's achieved in his sport." Sorry, this audio has expired Audio: Peter Newlinds looks back on Brabham's career (ABC News) Moss said Brabham was a formidable competitor. "He was a really tough driver, I'll tell you. I wouldn't say dirty, but he really would push you around," he said. "Most of the drivers, once you'd passed them, you could forget about them. But Sir Jack – you never knew. He was always there, hunting along. He was competitive, I mean, he wanted to win." Walker was more polite in his assessment: "In a word, I would describe Jack Brabham's racing style as 'forceful'," he said. "Woe betide you if you were behind Jack, if there was an opportunity for him to put a wheel off the circuit, and spray stones into your face to put you off your racing line, because Jack was a hard man on the track." In 2009, Sir Jack Brabham told his stirring tale to Australian Story.

Watch the full program which also featured motor racing icons Sir Stirling Moss, Alan Jones and Murray Walker. In the early 1960s Brabham brought Ron Tauranac out to the UK from Australia to design the Brabham racing cars. The team's engines were built in Melbourne, which Brabham told Australian Story "staggered everybody overseas". Brabham was the team's lead driver. But he was much more than just a driver, also contributing to the design and engineering of the cars. "I had just as much enjoyment out of being the mechanic and looking after and getting the cars to the line as I did out of driving. The driving part was just relaxation after it had all happened," he said. "It was a thrill, not only to build your own car but to race it and win races with it was terrific. "Winning the world championship in '66 was really the pinnacle of the whole thing, because to win a championship with an Australian-made engine was a fantastic feather in our cap," he said. While Brabham's most celebrated achievements came behind the wheel, he was also a very astute businessman and built his own racing team from the ground up.

Motor racing commentator Will Hagon said Brabham's achievements will never be matched. "The forward vision that he had ... and to set up his own team but also to get an Australian company to design the engine and for somehow that to work that was just astonishing," he said. "People just don't understand what an enormous achievement that was." Sorry, this audio has expired Audio: Will Hagon discusses Brabham's legacy (ABC News) Australian Grand Prix Corporation chief executive Andrew Westacott says Brabham was a true legend. "From a legendary status point of view, he was the most legendary Formula One driver in history," Mr Westacott said. "He won three world championships and in 1966 became the one and only driver ever to win not only the drivers championship, but in a car that he designed and built. "So he won the constructors championship for Brabham, that's never going to happen again." Sorry, this video has expired Video: Racing legend Sir Jack Brabham remembered (ABC News) Mate's death pushed Brabham towards retirement Brabham forged a close bond with Kiwi Bruce McLaren, who he recruited to the Cooper team.

McLaren went on to found the McLaren racing team, which remains a major player in Formula One racing. Despite the fact that racing was a dangerous game during Brabham's career – he himself lost 30 friends to accidents during his career alone – Brabham never showed any signs of fear. But in June, 1970, Brabham's great mate McLaren was killed in an accident. "Bruce was testing a big sports car down at Goodwood and when it came lunchtime they decided to go to a little cafe, and when they were walking across Bruce stopped and decided he wanted to do one more lap in the car so as he could think about it while they were having lunch," Brabham said. On that lap, the rear bodywork failed and the car smashed into an earth bank at a massive speed. The accident had a lasting effect on Brabham. "Losing Bruce McLaren actually was probably the biggest thing that turned me towards retirement. And that was something that really hurt – when Bruce McLaren was killed," he said. In his final years, Brabham battled failing eyesight and problems with his kidneys, but he never lost his spark or his sense of humour.

"The big aim now is to die without an enemy in the world. I'm going to outlive the bastards," he said. Brabham is survived by his three sons, Geoff, Gary, and David, who all forged their own motorsport careers. First posted May 19, 2014 08:32:04 Top Stories Greatest Ever: Formula One: Top Ten Drivers of All Time | Bleacher Report Greatest Ever: Formula One: Top Ten Drivers of All Time By Barney Corkhill , Senior Writer Jul 14, 2008 Use your ← → (arrow) keys to browse more stories 9.7K The sixth installment of my Greatest Ever series is here! In this series I will look at the greatest talents to grace various sports. This time I look at Formula One, and the greatest drivers the sport has ever seen. Enjoy! 10. Jack Brabham (AUS) - Jack Brabham is a three-time World Champion, who won two World Championships back-to-back in 1959 and 1960.

He raced 128 times in his 15-year career, winning 14 of those races and achieving 31 podium finishes. His 1966 World Championship triumph was extra special as he became the only man to win a Formula One World Championship with one of his own cars. 9. Nelson Piquet (BRA) - Another one of the handful of drivers to win three World Championships, all of Piquet's triumphs came in the 1980s. In his 207 races, he recorded 23 wins and 60 podium finishes. He also won 481.5 points in his career, a total not many have surpassed. 8. Alberto Ascari (ITA) - Some would argue that Ascari doesn't deserve to be on this list; others would say he should be higher up. He may have only raced 33 times, but he still managed to win two World Championships. The main reason he is on this list, though, is his win percentage. He won 13 of his 33 races, including seven in a row in one season, a record equaled only by Michael Schumacher.

He also achieved 17 podium finishes. 7. Niki Lauda (AUS) - Lauda is another of the small group to have won three World Championships, with nine years between his first and last Championship wins. He won 25 of his 177 races, finishing on the podium a total of 54 times. He competed with five different manufacturers, with two of his Championships coming at Ferrari and his last coming after a return to the sport with McLaren. 6. Sir Jackie Stewart (SCO) - "The Flying Scot" is another three-time World Champion. All his Championships wins came for Tyrell in 1969, 1971, and 1973. He won 27 of his 100 races, getting on the podium 43 times, which means that he's finished in the top three in 47 percent of his races. He remains the only man to win a World Championship in a French-built car. 5. Jim Clark (SCO) - The dominant driver of his era, he was the predecessor to Jackie Stewart, winning the World Championship in 1963 and 1965.

He died in a crash in 1968 while racing in Germany after just eight years of racing. Without the accident, he probably would have added to his two World Championships. He won 25 of his 73 races, more than a third, and found himself on the podium 32 times. 4. Alain Prost (FRA) - A four-time World Champion, only two men have won more than Alain Prost. He had a notable rivalry with teammate Ayrton Senna while at McLaren. He won 51 of his 202 races, with 106 appearances on the podium. The 768 career Championship points he achieved is the second highest total in F1 history. His 51 wins is also the second highest total of wins in history. 3. Juan Manuel Fangio (ARG) - The first superstar of Formula One, Fangio dominated the 1950s, winning all of his five World Championships in that decade. His record of five World Championships stood for 46 years, and his record of winning five Championships with four different teams (Alfa Romeo, Maserati, Mercedes and Ferrari) still stands to this day.

He won four Championships in a row form 1954-1957 and won nearly half of the races he competed in (24 of 52). He also appeared on the podium 35 times. 2. Ayrton Senna (BRA) - The last driver to be killed while driving an F1 car, Senna is considered by many to be the greatest ever. His tragic end was watched by millions on live TV as they saw a great of the sport succumb to an early death. A joy to watch on and off the track, Senna won his three World Championships in 1988, 1990 and 1991. He won 41 of his 162 races and reached the podium 60 times. Although his statistics are perhaps eclipsed by others, as a driver there were few, if any, better. 1. Michael Schumacher (GER) - His domination of his sport can be compared to that of Tiger Woods or Roger Federer. However, unlike those two, Schumacher has made it as the best in my opinion. When he got in full swing, the records started tumbling.

He holds the record for most World Championships (seven), most consecutive World Championships (five), most race victories (91), most fastest laps (76), most pole positions (68), most points scored (1,369) and most races won in a single season (13). He is also the only driver to have achieved an entire season of podium finishes, on his way to his 154 podium finishes. Overall, Schumacher holds 31 Formula One records. Although often a controversial driver, Schumacher has, in my view, done enough to be considered the best of all-time in his sport. Jack Brabham Engines - Official Australian Site 1966 F1 Champion Repco-Brabham Jack Brabham was born on 2 April in 1926 in Hurstville, a southern suburb of Sydney, Australia. As his father was a green-grocer, the young Brabham drove his father’s trucks around the yard, becoming acquainted with motor vehicles and their workings. At aged 15 years he quit school and went to work in a garage. His mechanical aptitude led him to a technical college where he studied practical engineering.

Jack was also a Scout for a number of years, stating " . . . I was in the Cubs in the Hurstville area for about two years, around 1938-39. It was important to me as it was the first time I had been involved in something that taught some discipline and sharing with others". At 18 he joined the Royal Australian Air Force, where he wanted to learn to fly but was instead trained to fill a wartime shortage of flight mechanics. Jack’s passion for flying lasted for many, many years. After serving for two years as ground crew in the Air Force, Jack formed a one-man motor repair and engineering business in 1946 performing service and repair work on neighbours' cars. At left is the Nuttall lathe bought new for the Penshurst workshop. Jack thought he might be able to earn a living out of the business with his mechanical experience in the Air Force. A retired engineer Bill Armstrong spent a lot of time teaching him how to do general machine work. After the War in 1947 Jack was introduced to midget car racing by an American, John Schonberg who had married the daughter of a neighbour after being discharged from the US Army.

Jack won the New South Wales championship, the South Australian championship and the Australian championship in 1948-1949. Page from Sir Jack's scrapbook is here: 1950 SUN.pdf Presentation time The same midget car has been beautifuly restored by Andrew Halliday from Sydney and is often seen at events in Australia - the original car had a Jap engine. Many thanks to Andrew for permission to use the photo which was taken at the Speed on Tweed Festival, Tweed Heads, NSW, Australia. Jack Brabham in the midget car circa 1948 Fantastic restoration by Andrew Halliday Many thanks to Brian Darby who has provided an historic video clip of Jack Brabham in 1953 at Mt Druitt, NSW Australia. The video shows Jack in his silver blue Cooper HRD #8 (video and audio engineering by Glenn Munro). Brian Darby has a number of interesting sites and the clip is located at - 1953 Video clip - just click on the photo of Jack at left - don't forget the sound! Brian has provided more photos at "Your Story" page.

Australian Grand Prix 1955, Port Wakefield South Australia 1st Jack Brabham in a Cooper Bristol After those successes Jack went overseas, financing the trip by selling virtually every piece of motor racing hardware he owned. He later regretted selling his lathe and other workshop machinery. First photo in Rome (From Sir Jack's personal collection) and words from him "... in Australia in 1955 I had a send off party before going to Europe and there was a journalist at the party who gave me some introductions. I had a letter of introduction to Maserati and Ferrai. I went by train to Moderna; first the Maserati factory and Ferrari. Ferrari later turned me down and I had great pleasure in beating them. When I went to Turin I took the train and on leaving the hotel they took the key off me. On the return trip I got lost, could not speak any English and had to walk back along the railway line - some three stations - looking towards the mountains for some direction. Anway it was a long walk and eventually I found the Hotel. I had a letter of introduction to Mercedes Benz also and they were testing the Gold Wing at 140 miles per hour.

Later at night they gave me a lift to Holland and I was in a hotel next to the airport. When I awoke in Dusseldorf, it was flat because of the bombing and blown apart. Then I went to London ... " When racing in the UK, Gregor Grant, the editor of AutoSport wrote then ". . . This Aussie is certainly a presser-onner and possesses remarkable control over his car. More will be heard of this young gentleman". After less successful years in the beginning he managed to win his first Formula One World Champion title in 1959 and then again in 1960 driving for Cooper. Proud father and son John Cooper stated at the time "He didn't so much start working for us as just start working with us. He just began coming in more often and we got used to having him around. He acted as a kind of fitter-cum-welder-cum-driver and he was bloody good at all of it". Cooper - 1955 Bobtail-Bristol for British GP Pictured at right is the 1959 winning Cooper at Monte Carlo - the 1959 Monaco Grand Prix.

The dent in the bonnet came from an over-enthusiastic photographer. Jack has stated that " . . . the driver is alone in the cockpit but it's a team effort which puts him there". 1960 Rheims ... and the 300 bottles of champagne: 100 bottles for the fastest time in practice 100 bottles for the fastest time in practice which was faster than the first 100 bottles for winning the race! Sir Jack said recently ... "I always worried about Raymond 'Toto' Roche (with the flag) getting run over" In 1961 he founded the Brabham Racing Organisation with Ron Tauranac . A detailed history of the cars produced can be found at our links page, reference Old Racing Cars. Prior to the 1966 Dutch Grand Prix, his first race after his 40th birthday, "Geriatric Jack" Brabham hobbled onto the starting grid at Zandvoort wearing a long false beard and learning on a jack handle as a walking stick - the media and younger rivals apparently "having a go" about his age! Closer shot of that famous beard!

Jack also competed in the US at Indianapolis, qualifying the first modern mid-engined car at the 500 and finished ninth. A newly introduced engine limit in Formula One of 1500 cc did not suit Jack and he did not win a single race with a 1500 cc car, although his first team win came in 1964 with American, Dan Gurney. In 1966 a new 3000 cc formula was created, Brabham in a Brabham-Repco BT-19 won the championship again and became the first driver to win the Formula One World Championship in a car that carried his own name. Jack stated that the BT19 was "beautifully balanced" and he loved its readiness to "drift" through fast curves. The BT19 had an Australian-made two-cam 3 litre V8 engine based on an American Oldsmobile F85 light-alloy block. Sir Jack on the Repco V8 Engine: "When Leonard Lee announced that his Coventry Climax company would not build racing engines for the new 3-litre F1 of 1966, we had to look elsewhere for motive power.

Ron (Tauranac) and I contacted Repco in Australia. I believed the new Formula's opening races would see the big teams in development trouble with over-sophisticated new engines. "Repco of Melbourne had taken over the old Climax 4-cylinder FPF engine stock and its servicing for Tasman racing. By 1964-1965 they were keen to defend their market with a replacement engine. I pointed them towards a V8, perhaps based on a production cylinder block. A cast-iron "stock block" would have been too heavy so I hunted down a suitable aluminium one. "In Japan in 1964, I inspected an alloy V8 Prince block - but with wet cylinder liners it looked too fragile. I then examined an alloy GM Buick block in a GM distributorship near Los Angeles Airport. Someone there suggested a near-sister unit, developed for a stillborn Oldsmobile project. It had one extra stud retaining each cylinder head. That offered greater potential. One cost pennies and I took it back to Melbourne and outlined a programme to Repco's boss, Charles McGrath.

The Oldsmobile block could provide a 2-1/2-litre V8 for Tasman racing and a 3-litre F1 V8 for us. It'd be a modest unit with chain-driven single overhead camshafts and two valves per cylinder but it should provide decent torque and driveability - we might just get lucky! "Repco's consulting engineer was Phil Irving - an Australian of enormous experience, particularly with Phil Vincent on his world-famous motorcycles. Phil began drawing in Australia, then came to Britain for 1965 taking a flat near Croydon where we spent hours in the evenings looking over his shoulder as he drew the first engine. Ron advised on location of ancillaries etc so this new V8 would fit our cars ideally. "The first Repco V8 racing engines used original Oldsmobile blocks modified in Melbourne. We stiffened the bottom end with a steel plate with apertures allowing the con-rods to pass through and to which the big-end bearing caps were bolted. It produced a rigid, reliable, yet lightweight unit which was powerful enough! "Initially we used Daimler con-rods.

Repco then produced tailor-made block castings for 1967 and we should have continued with that year's 2-cam 16 valve V8s through 1968 as well. Unfortunately everybody else was using four camshafts and four valves per cylinder and we thought we had to follow to keep competitive. In retrospect I'm confident that if we had just relied on the ultimate 2-cam 16 valve unit, we could have run hard for a hat-trick of World Championship titles in 1968 as well. As it turned out, the 4-cam Repco V7 would be a disaster in 3-litre Formula trip - but a very strong unit as a 4.2 litre V8 for Indianapolis track racing or a 5.1 litre for sports cars, in which form it revved more slowly, sparing its fragile cam-drive gears the high-speed vibrations which in F1 destroyed them.

But for two seasons, 1966 - 1967, Repco and Brabham had been on top of the world." We have available a DVD Golden Age of Motor Sport - Volume Three Repco Brabham Story 1966 under the Memorabilia/General Merchandise section of this site which provides further information on the cars as well as Tasman Series Races in Australia at that time. Following injuries in the 1969 season Brabham intended to retire in 1970 but finding no top drivers available he raced for one more year, retiring after the Mexican Grand Prix. After retiring he made a complete break from racing, selling his interest in the team to Tauranac and returning to Australia. Perhaps his most famous race was at the extremely testing Nürburgring , one of his most satisfying of victories in 1966. Conditions at Nurburgring were variable all round the 14-mile (20-km) circuit. Some sections were almost dry, others merely wet and several "absolutely swimming", he commented.

1966: difficult Nurburgring, Germany Former F1 World Champion Sir Jack Brabham Dead At Age 88 Former F1 World Champion Sir Jack Brabham Dead At Age 88 Go to permalink Three-time Formula One World Champion Sir Jack Brabham has died, according to Australian media reports . He remains the only person ever to win an F1 championship in his own car. Brabham was 88. Among his other feats, he was also the first person to win an F1 championship with an engine behind the driver, which he did in 1959 with the Cooper T51 . Oh, and he was also the first race car driver to be knighted after World War II. Advertisement All that, from a guy who began his racing career in midget cars on Australian dirt tracks. Sir Jack Brabham is survived by his three sons, Geoff, Gary, and David, and their respective families. Geoff and David have both won at Le Mans. Gary won the 1991 12 Hours of Sebring.

Advertisement UPDATE: A statement from Sir Jack Brabham's family is below: Banbury, Oxfordshire (UK) – Monday 19 May 2014: Sir Jack Brabham AO, OBE, triple Formula 1 World Champion, has died at the age of 88. Sir Jack passed away peacefully at his Gold Coast, Australia, home on Monday morning. Formula 1 World Champion in 1959, 1960 and 1966 and double Constructors' Champion (1966 and 1967), Sir Jack was one of the most accomplished drivers and team owners in the history of the sport. The first driver to be knighted for services to motorsport, 'Black Jack' rose from racing midgets on dirt ovals in Australia to dominate global motorsport. His first two titles in the Cooper Climax marked the end for front-engined Formula 1 cars. The third made him the only driver in history to win a World Championship in a car of his own manufacture, the Brabham BT19 – a feat unlikely to ever be repeated.

Acclaimed as a brilliant engineer, technological innovations brought about by the Brabham team helped to shape the sport today. Through his partnership with Ron Tauranac, over 500 Brabham racecars were built from the team's British Surrey base in the 1960s alone, while the Brabham name continued in F1 for 30 years.Although Jack scored his final win in the 1970 South African Grand Prix, the legacy has continued with all three of his sons achieving their own global success, while third generation drivers Matthew and Sam are building their own notable racing careers. On behalf of the family, Jack's youngest son David said: "It's a very sad day for all of us. My father passed away peacefully at home at the age of 88 this morning. He lived an incredible life, achieving more than anyone would ever dream of and he will continue to live on through the astounding legacy he leaves behind." Sir Jack is survived by his wife, Lady Margaret, sons Geoff, Gary and David and their families.

Photos via Getty Images The All-American Eagle back on the racetrack The All-American Eagle back on the racetrack View gallery - 11 images February 24, 2005 One of the most famous Formula One cars of all time will be on show this coming weekend at the Phillip Island Grand Prix circuit near Melbourne. Dan Gurney's 'screaming' Weslake V12-engined Eagle F1 will be in full flight at the Shannons Phillip Island Classic (February 26-27). Built by Gurney's own All American Racers, the Eagle F1 took Gurney into the history books when he won the 1967 Belgian Grand Prix, becoming only the second GP driver in history after Jack Brabham to win a Formula One race driving the car he built. This car, which was raced by both Gurney and team-mate Bruce McLaren in 1967, is one of 17 very special racing and sports cars flown from Europe, Britain and America to join a record 430-plus local entries in 33 races at Phillip Island over the weekend.

The story of the All-American racer is an interesting one, and nearly as fascinating as Gurney's long and chequered career as a consistent and landmark innovator at the highest level of motorsport for six decades. As a racing car driver his record makes him one of the greatest drivers of all time. As a constructor he built a company to build an all-American Formula one car which he drove to victory himself. He's won at pretty much everything he's ever attempted, including the first no-holds-barred Cannonball Run which spawned the movie. He's even the guy who started the Champagne-spraying tradition - that's Dan on the victory podium at LeMans starting a fine and universal tradition. Gurney got a late start in motor racing due to action in the Korean War and didn't seriously take to the sport until he was 24 years of age in 1955. A recommendation from Phil Hill to Ferrari saw Gurney rocket to prominence, entering Formula One just four years after his first race. He had driven just 23 races of any form before he made his Formula One debut in 1959 for the famous Maranello marque.

As a driver he has entered every major motorsport hall of fame relevant to his era - he is one of only two drivers in history to have won races in Formula One (4), Indy Car (7), NASCAR (5) and Sports Car Racing, highlighted by his win in the GT40 at the Le Mans 24 hour where his spontaneous gesture of spraying the champagne on the victory dias began a global motorsport tradition - yes, folks, Dan Gurney is credited with creating MotorSport's money shot, the enduring public image of four wheel success. Gurney has another element to him which endeared him to the public - a cavalier charisma highlighted by his win in the original, no-holds-barred Cannonball Run - the 1971 Cannonball Baker Sea-to-Shining Sea Memorial Trophy Dash was the public roads race that inspired the films, created an international outcry and will be forever enshrined as hotrod culture legend.

The initial record set by Gurney and motorsport journalist Brock Yates for the 2,900 miles on public roads was 35 hours, 54 minutes - an average of 80 miles per hour including petrol and food stops, and it was only broken in the fourth and final Cannonball Run in 1979. Legend has it that Gurney was booked by Nevada police for travelling at 135mph in a modified Daytona Ferrari during the race, though Dan recalls it as being a slightly lower speed these days. As a driver on the racetrack, he was regularly paired with other superstars in long distance races and shared a race-harness with Jean Behra, Phil Hill, Graham Hill, Jack Brabham, Jim Clark, Chris Amon, Denny Hulme, Bruce McLaren, Richie Ginther, AJ Foyt, Dale Earnhardt and John Surtees. In a golden era of motor racing he raced against and regularly beat a who's who of the all-time greats such as Jackie Stewart and Stirling Moss.

By the time he retired at 39 years of age in 1970, Gurney had competed in 303 events in 20 countries gracing the podium 99 times, with 95 front rows starts some in other distinct forms of motorsport as far flung as Trans-Am and Can-Am. Gurney drove for 25 different makes of cars including Ferrari and McLaren, and gave Porsche and Brabham their first F1 wins but it was his feat in the 12 cylinder Eagle at Spa Francorchamps in the 1967 Belgian Grand Prix which makes him so much more relevant to motorsport history. The car he drove the victory was designed and built by his own company which he had formed with Carroll Shelby - he remains the only American to have achieved the feat and if he wasn't already a household name in sports car mad America of the sixties, he became the all American hero of the day and the public rejoiced in his achievements . The cars which he built are regarded as some of the most beautiful in Formula One history.

The car in action this coming weekend is one of only four F1 cars to race for the marque (plus another assembled from bits) are among the most treasured ex-F1 cars on the planet. An early proponent of aerodynamics, his name is still an everyday word in American racing thanks to his invention of the Gurney Flap, a modification made to racing car aerofoil wings to increase downforce. Gurney was an early adopter amongst the most bleeding edge first users of technology in the world. Among a marathon list of innovations he was associated with, he is also remembered as the first F1 driver to wear a full face helmet. Astoundingly, Gurney's All American Racer Eagle race cars endured until recently, winning countless American championships and pushing the forefront of race design all the way to 2000 when Gurney decided to "escape from motor racing" and took on new adventures. In 2000, Gurney retired from race car building and diverted his attentions to a project he'd been wanting to finish for two decades.

In 1980, Gurney had conceived and built a prototype of a radical new motorcycle design and over the years had built a series of development prototypes, each built on the experience of the last. The design involves a rethink of the traditional motorcycle layout and has the rider feet first and much lower than a traditional motorcycle layout. One of Dan's assets in building the Alligator was the existence of his own elite level race constructor factory and staff, so it's not surprising that the Alligator is fabricated with some rare composites and is a featherweight by motorcycle standards. Let's put this in perspective. Gizmo recently tested the Buell , which we felt was one of the lightest roadgoing motorcycles ever built. The Alligator weighs 30kg less than a Buell, coming in at MotoGP weight minimum levels. The Alligator also has a very small frontal area and a very efficient aerodynamic shape, so it has optimised all those aspects to achieve excellent performance. Watch for an upcoming interview with Dan, and if you're within driving distance of Phillip Island this coming weekend, be sure to make the journey.

Question: Who is the only driver in Formula One history to win the championship in a car which he built himself?
Answer: Jack Brabham