Brabham BT24
Encyclopedia
The Repco Brabham BT24 was a Formula One
racing car design. It was one of three cars used by the Brabham racing team during their championship-winning 1967 Formula One season
. Only three BT24 chassis were ever raced.
Designed by Ron Tauranac, the BT24 was somewhat behind the times in having a spaceframe chassis and the underpowered Oldsmobile-derived Repco
V8 engine. Compared with the Lotus 49
, which had debuted a race earlier in Holland
, the Brabham seemed almost obsolete, but its better reliability made it the tortoise to Lotus's hare.
With reigning champion Jack Brabham
and Denny Hulme
at the wheel, the BT24 took 3 wins to the Jim Clark
's 4 in the Lotus, but with six 2nd places, two 3rds, a 4th and a 5th the Brabham team comfortably took the Constructors' Championship, while Hulme pipped team-owner Brabham to the Drivers' Championship by 5 points.
In addition to its three championship race wins the BT24 also won the prestigious 1967 International Gold Cup
at Oulton Park in the hands of Jack Brabham.
, but with the BT26 ready in time for the next race, these two chassis were sold to local teams and left in South Africa, with Sam Tingle
and Basil van Rooyen
finishing third and fourth in that year's South African Formula One Championship
. Sam Tingle later took part in the 1969 South African Grand Prix
, the last World Championship Formula One event for a standard BT24, and continued to race his chassis with some success in local events as late as January 1970, while van Rooyen's car was also raced at various times by Gordon Henderson and Ivor Roberts.
A third BT24 chassis had been built at the end of 1967 but was only used in three races by the Brabham team, twice for Rindt and once for a one-off appearance by Dan Gurney
. Kurt Ahrens, Jr. hired the car from Brabham and entered the 1968 German Grand Prix
, before it was acquired by Frank Williams and modified to take BT26-style wings and a 2.5 litre Cosworth DVW V8 for the 1969 Tasman Series
. Piers Courage
drove in all seven races, winning at Teretonga Park in New Zealand and finishing second, third and fourth with three retirements in the other races to finish third in the final points standings.
Self-entrant Silvio Moser
then acquired the car, having arranged for Williams to switch the engine for a 1968-spec 3.0 litre DFV
, as well adding extra fuel tanks on account of the thirstier engine. Silvio raced this unique car in 7 of the 11 rounds of the 1969 Formula One season
, his best result coming at Watkins Glen where he finished 6th, and he also used the car in the International Gold Cup and two rounds of the European Hillclimb Championship.
Formula One
Formula One, also known as Formula 1 or F1 and referred to officially as the FIA Formula One World Championship, is the highest class of single seater auto racing sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile . The "formula" designation in the name refers to a set of rules with which...
racing car design. It was one of three cars used by the Brabham racing team during their championship-winning 1967 Formula One season
1967 Formula One season
The 1967 Formula One season was the 18th season of FIA Formula One motor racing. It featured the 1967 World Championship of Drivers and the 1967 International Cup for F1 Manufacturers, contested concurrently over an eleven race series which commenced on January 2, 1967, and ended on October 22...
. Only three BT24 chassis were ever raced.
Repco
Repco is an Australian automotive engineering company. Its name is an abbreviation of Replacement Parts Company and it is best known for spare parts and motor accessories....
V8 engine. Compared with the Lotus 49
Lotus 49
The Lotus 49 was a Formula One racing car designed by Colin Chapman and Maurice Philippe for the 1967 F1 season. It was designed around the Cosworth DFV engine that would power most of the Formula One grid through the 1970s and was the first successful Formula One car to feature the engine as a...
, which had debuted a race earlier in Holland
1967 Dutch Grand Prix
The 1967 Dutch Grand Prix was a Formula One race held at Zandvoort on June 4, 1967.The race saw the debut of the Ford Cosworth DFV engine, in Jim Clark and Graham Hill's Lotuses.- Classification :-Notes:*Pole position: Graham Hill - 1:24.6...
, the Brabham seemed almost obsolete, but its better reliability made it the tortoise to Lotus's hare.
With reigning champion Jack Brabham
Jack Brabham
Sir John Arthur "Jack" Brabham, AO, OBE is an Australian former racing driver who was Formula One champion in , and . He was a founder of the Brabham racing team and race car constructor that bore his name....
and Denny Hulme
Denny Hulme
Denis Clive "Denny" Hulme, OBE was a New Zealand racing driver, the 1967 Formula One World Champion for the Brabham team....
at the wheel, the BT24 took 3 wins to the Jim Clark
Jim Clark
James "Jim" Clark, Jr OBE was a British Formula One racing driver from Scotland, who won two World Championships, in 1963 and 1965....
's 4 in the Lotus, but with six 2nd places, two 3rds, a 4th and a 5th the Brabham team comfortably took the Constructors' Championship, while Hulme pipped team-owner Brabham to the Drivers' Championship by 5 points.
In addition to its three championship race wins the BT24 also won the prestigious 1967 International Gold Cup
Oulton Park International Gold Cup
The International Gold Cup is a prize awarded annually to the winner of a motor race held at the Oulton Park circuit, Cheshire, England, UK. In the 1950s and '60s it formed one of a number of highly regarded non-Championship Formula One races, which regularly attracted top drivers and teams...
at Oulton Park in the hands of Jack Brabham.
Later years
The original two chassis were raced by Brabham and Rindt in the season opening 1968 South African Grand Prix1968 South African Grand Prix
The 1968 South African Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at Kyalami Circuit on January 1, 1968. It was the first round of the 1968 Formula One season. The race, contested over 73 laps, was won by two time World Drivers' Champion and 1965 Indianapolis 500 winner Jim Clark for Lotus-Ford...
, but with the BT26 ready in time for the next race, these two chassis were sold to local teams and left in South Africa, with Sam Tingle
Sam Tingle
Sam Tingle was a racing driver from Rhodesia, now Zimbabwe. He participated in five Formula One World Championship Grands Prix, debuting on 28 December 1963. He scored no championship points...
and Basil van Rooyen
Basil van Rooyen
Basil van Rooyen is a former racing driver from South Africa. He participated in two Formula One World Championship Grands Prix, debuting on January 1, 1968. He retired from both, scoring no championship points...
finishing third and fourth in that year's South African Formula One Championship
South African Formula One Championship
The South African Formula One Championship, was a Formula One motor racing championship held in South Africa between 1960 and 1975, including a race in Rhodesia during each season....
. Sam Tingle later took part in the 1969 South African Grand Prix
1969 South African Grand Prix
The 1969 South African Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at Kyalami Circuit on March 1, 1969. It was the first round of the 1969 Formula One season.- Background :...
, the last World Championship Formula One event for a standard BT24, and continued to race his chassis with some success in local events as late as January 1970, while van Rooyen's car was also raced at various times by Gordon Henderson and Ivor Roberts.
Dan Gurney
Daniel Sexton Gurney is an American racing driver, race car constructor, and team owner.The son of a Metropolitan Opera star, he was born in Port Jefferson, New York, but moved to California as a teenager...
. Kurt Ahrens, Jr. hired the car from Brabham and entered the 1968 German Grand Prix
1968 German Grand Prix
The 1968 German Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at the Nürburgring on August 4, 1968. It was the eighth round of the 1968 Formula One season...
, before it was acquired by Frank Williams and modified to take BT26-style wings and a 2.5 litre Cosworth DVW V8 for the 1969 Tasman Series
Tasman Series
The Tasman Series was a motor racing series held from 1964 to 1975, in Australia and New Zealand, and named after the Tasman Sea between the two countries...
. Piers Courage
Piers Courage
Piers Raymond Courage was a racing driver from England. He participated in 29 World Championship Formula One Grands Prix, debuting on 2 January 1967. He achieved 2 podiums, and scored a total of 20 championship points.- Biography :Piers Courage was the eldest son and heir of the Courage brewing...
drove in all seven races, winning at Teretonga Park in New Zealand and finishing second, third and fourth with three retirements in the other races to finish third in the final points standings.
Self-entrant Silvio Moser
Silvio Moser
Silvio Moser was a racing driver from Switzerland.He built his reputation in Formula 2 and sports car racing before debuting in Formula One on July 15, 1967 with a privately-entered Brabham...
then acquired the car, having arranged for Williams to switch the engine for a 1968-spec 3.0 litre DFV
Cosworth DFV
The DFV is an internal combustion engine that was originally produced by Cosworth for Formula One motor racing. Named Four Valve because of the four valves per cylinder, and Double as it was a V8 development of the earlier, four-cylinder FVA , making it a Double Four Valve engine...
, as well adding extra fuel tanks on account of the thirstier engine. Silvio raced this unique car in 7 of the 11 rounds of the 1969 Formula One season
1969 Formula One season
The 1969 Formula One season included the 20th FIA Formula One World Championship season, which commenced on March 1, 1969, and ended on October 19 after eleven races.-Season summary:...
, his best result coming at Watkins Glen where he finished 6th, and he also used the car in the International Gold Cup and two rounds of the European Hillclimb Championship.