The
Brabham name is synonymous with Grand Prix motor racing and to this day,
Sir Jack Brabham, the first driver in history to be knighted for his services
to motorsport, remains one of racing’s most popular personalities.
The triple world champion is the only Formula One driver to have won a world title in a car of his own construction – the BT19 – which he drove to victory in 1966. The following year the Brabham team won its second successive world championship when New Zealander Denny Hulme drove the BT20 to victory.
Brabham established himself in Australian oval racing before switching to road racing in the early 1950’s. His driving style matured dramatically at this time and, in 1955, he moved from Australia to Europe to drive for Charles and John Cooper. That partnership resulted in Brabham's first two championship titles in 1959 and 1960. It was also in a Cooper that Sir Jack shook the establishment at Indianapolis, qualifying the first modern mid-engined car at the 500 and finishing ninth. What seemed an anomaly at the time would in fact lead to a revolution at the Brickyard and the demise of the classic Indy roadsters.
In 1962, Sir Jack teamed up with fellow Australian Ron Tauranac, now of Ralt Racing fame, to produce the first of the Brabham Marque, the Brabham BT-3. This particular car debuted in the '62 German Grand Prix and became the first of many successful Brabham cars that have run in Formula One up until the last few years. Sir Jack also introduced Honda to four-wheeled motor sport, their engines powering the successful Brabham Formula Two chassis in 1966.
Sir Jack scored his
final Grand Prix win in South Africa in 1970 before calling his gallant
motor racing career to an end at 44 years of age. Sir Jack has never lost
contact with the motor racing world and still competes in many different
venues. His three sons Geoff, Gary and David have all proven themselves
in their own professional racing careers.
Sir Jack Brabham’s Racing Record
- Formula One World Drivers Champion 1959, 1960 and 1966
- Formula One World Constructors Champion 1966 and 1967
- Fourteen Grand Prix wins
- Thirteen Formula One Pole Positions
- Ten second and seven third place finishes
- Australian of the Year 1966
- Awarded the Order of the British Empire in 1967
- Knighted for his services to motor sport in 1979
- Only driver in Formula One history to win the championship in a car of his own construction
- Contested 126 Grand Prix from 1955 to 1970
- British Saloon Car Championship in 1965
- Won both the Australian and New Zealand Grand Prix three times
- Four-time winner of the European Formula Two Championship

