Australian Sir Jack Brabham died this morning aged 88. He won the Formula One world championship in 1959 and 1960. In 1962 he established his own Brabham marque with fellow Australian Ron Tauranac, which became the largest manufacturer of customer racing cars in the world in the 1960s. In 1966 Brabham became the first – and still the only – man to win the Formula One world championship driving one of his own cars.
He raced a NSX in endurance races here and at the Targa Tasmania.
Honda thought he was fantastic and .this story is a classic-
"While his cars were becoming the dominant force in Formula 1, Brabhams were also dominating Formula 2 races. The works cars of Brabham and Denny Hulme were powered by Honda engines, the combination dominating the class. One incident, where Brabham spared Honda’s blushes, endeared him greatly to the Japanese company.Brabham was leading a race at Rouen in France when his Honda engine went sour. He parked the car off the track and began the long walk back to the pits, but not before removing it’s gear lever and putting it in his pocket. When he arrived back to talk to the waiting press, Brabham claimed the gear lever had broken instead of blaming the engine.
Honda revered him for his cultural sensitivity, saving the company from the ‘embarrassment’ of the press reporting that it was a Honda engine that had failed.
[h=2]Sir Jack Brabham’s Racing Record[/h]
More info and some great photos http://www.foxsports.com.au/motor-s...world-motorsport/story-e6frf3zl-1226922768278
He raced a NSX in endurance races here and at the Targa Tasmania.
Honda thought he was fantastic and .this story is a classic-
"While his cars were becoming the dominant force in Formula 1, Brabhams were also dominating Formula 2 races. The works cars of Brabham and Denny Hulme were powered by Honda engines, the combination dominating the class. One incident, where Brabham spared Honda’s blushes, endeared him greatly to the Japanese company.Brabham was leading a race at Rouen in France when his Honda engine went sour. He parked the car off the track and began the long walk back to the pits, but not before removing it’s gear lever and putting it in his pocket. When he arrived back to talk to the waiting press, Brabham claimed the gear lever had broken instead of blaming the engine.
Honda revered him for his cultural sensitivity, saving the company from the ‘embarrassment’ of the press reporting that it was a Honda engine that had failed.
[h=2]Sir Jack Brabham’s Racing Record[/h]
- 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
More info and some great photos http://www.foxsports.com.au/motor-s...world-motorsport/story-e6frf3zl-1226922768278
