Brian Hart
Encyclopedia
Brian Hart is a British
former racing driver and engineer with a background in the aviation industry. He is best known as the founder of Brian Hart Limited
, a company that developed and built engines for motorsport use.
and Formula Three
, then graduated to Formula Two
with the works Lotus
Formula Two team run by Ron Harris. He competed in a handful of non-championship Formula One
races using Formula Two cars and in 1967
, he qualified for the German Grand Prix
at the famous Nürburgring
in a Protos-Cosworth.
As Hart's professional life took more of his time, he retired from racing in 1971.
aircraft company at Hatfield, England
. The company provided training in the design and construction of airframes and aero engines. He then moved to the renowned engine builder Cosworth
, but left in 1969 to form his own eponymous company to service Cosworth's Ford FVA engines. Brian Hart Limited was soon commissioned by Ford to work on new engine development, in a similar role to his former employer. Hart designed and developed the Ford BDA, which would be used in Ford's rally programs throughout the 1970s.
The Hart-tuned Ford FVA and BDA engines were successful in Formula Two, with Ronnie Peterson
winning the European title with an FVA in 1971 and Mike Hailwood
taking the same title in 1972 with a BDA. The arrival in F2 of BMW and Renault left Ford reluctant to increase its involvement, so Hart chose to develop his own F2 engine - the 420R - which was first raced in a Chevron sportscar in 1976. This engine was a race winner in F2 in 1977 and 1978.
The off-season of 1978-79 brought the next step in the development of Brian Hart Limited, when the Toleman
F2 team committed to providing finance for R&D
. Toleman-Hart dominated the European F2 Championship in 1980, with Brian Henton and Derek Warwick finishing 1st and 2nd in the championship standings.
in 1981, Hart developed a turbocharged
version of the 420R. Although it was initially underpowered and unreliable, it was enough to establish Brian Hart Limited
as a Formula One engine supplier. Hart continued as Toleman's engine partner until the team's purchase by Benetton and later supplied engines to RAM
, Haas Lola
and Tyrrell
in the 1980s, as well as Jordan
and Arrows
in the 1990s.
Turbocharging was prohibited at the end of 1988 in response to the increasing four-figure power outputs, which meant a return to developing naturally aspirated configurations that had not been widely used since the beginning of the decade. Cosworth, however, was one company that - aside from its V6 turbo project, which was only used for less than two years - had continued to build naturally aspirated V8s for F2 and a few of the least well funded F1 teams. Brian Hart Limited returned to its previous role as a tuning and servicing specialist, working in partnership with Cosworth to develop its DFZ and DFR engines (which owed a lot to the original DFV).
By 1992, Brian Hart Limited had funded the design of its first V10 engine - the Type 1035 - and in November that year, it announced an exclusive two-year deal to supply Jordan Grand Prix. It was a promising partnership that brought some good results - notably, Rubens Barrichello
's 3rd place at the 1994 Pacific Grand Prix
at Aida
, Japan
. However, when Peugeot
decided to enter Formula One and offered Jordan a factory deal, the contract with Hart was not renewed. Hart instead opted to supply Footwork/Arrows, which was struggling financially at the time. The lack of funds prevented Hart from developing the V10 and the older V8 was used instead.
In 1998, Hart turned to Minardi
and began working on another V10 design, but he was never able to fully finance the project. When Arrows' owner, Tom Walkinshaw
, purchased Brian Hart Limited later that year, the injection of capital turned that design into the Arrows V10. The deal was marred by legal action taken over money that was allegedly owed and Brian Hart parted company with Arrows and Formula One before the end of the year.
Arrows itself went into bankruptcy in 2002.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
former racing driver and engineer with a background in the aviation industry. He is best known as the founder of Brian Hart Limited
Brian Hart Ltd.
Brian Hart Ltd., also known as Hart and Hart Racing Engines was a motor racing engine manufacturer that participated in 157 Formula One Grands Prix, powering a total of 368 entries....
, a company that developed and built engines for motorsport use.
Racing career
Beginning in 1958, Hart enjoyed a successful career as a driver in various single-seater formulae. He competed in Formula JuniorFormula Junior
Formula Junior is an open wheel formula racing class first adopted in October 1958 by the CSI . The class was intended to provide an entry level class where you could use inexpensive mechanical components from ordinary automobiles...
and Formula Three
Formula Three
Formula Three, also called Formula 3 or F3, is a class of open-wheel formula racing. The various championships held in Europe, Australia, South America and Asia form an important step for many prospective Formula One drivers...
, then graduated to Formula Two
Formula Two
Formula Two, abbreviated to F2, is a type of open wheel formula racing. It was replaced by Formula 3000 in 1985, but the FIA announced in 2008 that Formula Two would return for 2009 in the form of the FIA Formula Two Championship...
with the works Lotus
Team Lotus
Team Lotus was the motorsport sister company of English sports car manufacturer Lotus Cars. The team ran cars in many motorsport series including Formula One, Formula Two, Formula Ford, Formula Junior, IndyCar and sports car racing...
Formula Two team run by Ron Harris. He competed in a handful of non-championship Formula One
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...
races using Formula Two cars and in 1967
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...
, he qualified for the German Grand Prix
1967 German Grand Prix
The 1967 German Grand Prix was a Formula One race held at the Nürburgring on August 6, 1967.- Classification :Note: The race was run with both Formula One and Formula Two cars running together...
at the famous Nürburgring
Nürburgring
The Nürburgring is a motorsport complex around the village of Nürburg, Germany. It features a modern Grand Prix race track built in 1984, and a much longer old North loop track which was built in the 1920s around the village and medieval castle of Nürburg in the Eifel mountains. It is located about...
in a Protos-Cosworth.
As Hart's professional life took more of his time, he retired from racing in 1971.
Engineering career
It was towards the end of 1967 that Hart began working at the de HavillandDe Havilland
The de Havilland Aircraft Company was a British aviation manufacturer founded in 1920 when Airco, of which Geoffrey de Havilland had been chief designer, was sold to BSA by the owner George Holt Thomas. De Havilland then set up a company under his name in September of that year at Stag Lane...
aircraft company at Hatfield, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. The company provided training in the design and construction of airframes and aero engines. He then moved to the renowned engine builder Cosworth
Cosworth
Cosworth is a high performance engineering company founded in London in 1958, specialising in engines and electronics for automobile racing , mainstream automotive and defence industries...
, but left in 1969 to form his own eponymous company to service Cosworth's Ford FVA engines. Brian Hart Limited was soon commissioned by Ford to work on new engine development, in a similar role to his former employer. Hart designed and developed the Ford BDA, which would be used in Ford's rally programs throughout the 1970s.
The Hart-tuned Ford FVA and BDA engines were successful in Formula Two, with Ronnie Peterson
Ronnie Peterson
Bengt Ronnie Peterson was a Swedish racing driver. He was a two-time runner-up in the FIA Formula One World Drivers' Championship.Peterson began his motor racing career in kart racing, traditionally the discipline where the majority of race drivers begin their careers in open-wheel racing...
winning the European title with an FVA in 1971 and Mike Hailwood
Mike Hailwood
Stanley Michael Bailey Hailwood, MBE, GM was a British Grand Prix motorcycle road racer regarded by many as one of the greatest racers of all time. He was known as "Mike The Bike" because of his natural riding ability...
taking the same title in 1972 with a BDA. The arrival in F2 of BMW and Renault left Ford reluctant to increase its involvement, so Hart chose to develop his own F2 engine - the 420R - which was first raced in a Chevron sportscar in 1976. This engine was a race winner in F2 in 1977 and 1978.
The off-season of 1978-79 brought the next step in the development of Brian Hart Limited, when the Toleman
Toleman
Toleman Motosport was a Formula One constructor based in the UK. It was active between 1981 and 1985 and attended 70 Grands Prix.-Origins:In the 1970s, businessmen and motorsport fans Ted Toleman and Alex Hawkridge began their involvement in various car racing formulae in the UK. Ted was also noted...
F2 team committed to providing finance for R&D
Research and development
The phrase research and development , according to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, refers to "creative work undertaken on a systematic basis in order to increase the stock of knowledge, including knowledge of man, culture and society, and the use of this stock of...
. Toleman-Hart dominated the European F2 Championship in 1980, with Brian Henton and Derek Warwick finishing 1st and 2nd in the championship standings.
Formula One
As part of Toleman's entry into the FIA Formula One World ChampionshipFormula 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...
in 1981, Hart developed a turbocharged
Turbocharger
A turbocharger, or turbo , from the Greek "τύρβη" is a centrifugal compressor powered by a turbine that is driven by an engine's exhaust gases. Its benefit lies with the compressor increasing the mass of air entering the engine , thereby resulting in greater performance...
version of the 420R. Although it was initially underpowered and unreliable, it was enough to establish Brian Hart Limited
Brian Hart Ltd.
Brian Hart Ltd., also known as Hart and Hart Racing Engines was a motor racing engine manufacturer that participated in 157 Formula One Grands Prix, powering a total of 368 entries....
as a Formula One engine supplier. Hart continued as Toleman's engine partner until the team's purchase by Benetton and later supplied engines to RAM
RAM Racing
RAM Racing was a Formula One racing team which competed during the racing seasons of 1976 to 1985. The team entered other manufacturers' chassis from 1976 to 1980, then ran March's team from 1981 to 1983, only entering a car entirely their own in 1984 and 1985.The team was formed in 1975 by Mike...
, Haas Lola
Haas Lola
Team Haas Ltd. was an American Formula One team founded by Carl Haas and Teddy Mayer in 1984, which competed in the World Championship from to . The project was funded by Beatrice Foods and helped the team enter an agreement to use Ford engines for three seasons...
and Tyrrell
Tyrrell Racing
The Tyrrell Racing Organisation was an auto racing team and Formula One constructor founded by Ken Tyrrell which started racing in 1958 and started building its own cars in 1970. The team experienced its greatest success in the early 1970s, when it won three drivers' championships and one...
in the 1980s, as well as Jordan
Jordan Grand Prix
Jordan Grand Prix was a Formula One constructor that competed from 1991 to 2005. The team is named after Irish businessman and founder Eddie Jordan...
and Arrows
Arrows
Arrows Grand Prix International was a British Formula One team active from to . For a period of time, it was also known as Footwork.-Origins :...
in the 1990s.
Turbocharging was prohibited at the end of 1988 in response to the increasing four-figure power outputs, which meant a return to developing naturally aspirated configurations that had not been widely used since the beginning of the decade. Cosworth, however, was one company that - aside from its V6 turbo project, which was only used for less than two years - had continued to build naturally aspirated V8s for F2 and a few of the least well funded F1 teams. Brian Hart Limited returned to its previous role as a tuning and servicing specialist, working in partnership with Cosworth to develop its DFZ and DFR engines (which owed a lot to the original DFV).
By 1992, Brian Hart Limited had funded the design of its first V10 engine - the Type 1035 - and in November that year, it announced an exclusive two-year deal to supply Jordan Grand Prix. It was a promising partnership that brought some good results - notably, Rubens Barrichello
Rubens Barrichello
Rubens Gonçalves "Rubinho" Barrichello is a Brazilian Formula One racing driver. He is currently racing for Williams F1.Barrichello has scored the seventh highest points total in Formula One history. Barrichello drove for Ferrari from to , as Michael Schumacher's teammate, enjoying considerable...
's 3rd place at the 1994 Pacific Grand Prix
1994 Pacific Grand Prix
The 1994 Pacific Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held on April 17, 1994 at the TI Circuit, Aida. It was the second race of the 1994 Formula One season. Ayrton Senna started the race from his 64th pole position, but was overtaken by Schumacher before the first corner and was hit by Mika...
at Aida
Aida
Aida sometimes spelled Aïda, is an opera in four acts by Giuseppe Verdi to an Italian libretto by Antonio Ghislanzoni, based on a scenario written by French Egyptologist Auguste Mariette...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. However, when Peugeot
Peugeot
Peugeot is a major French car brand, part of PSA Peugeot Citroën, the second largest carmaker based in Europe.The family business that precedes the current Peugeot company was founded in 1810, and manufactured coffee mills and bicycles. On 20 November 1858, Emile Peugeot applied for the lion...
decided to enter Formula One and offered Jordan a factory deal, the contract with Hart was not renewed. Hart instead opted to supply Footwork/Arrows, which was struggling financially at the time. The lack of funds prevented Hart from developing the V10 and the older V8 was used instead.
In 1998, Hart turned to Minardi
Minardi
Minardi was an automobile racing team and constructor founded in 1979 by Giancarlo Minardi. It competed in the Formula One World Championship from 1985 until 2005 with little success, nevertheless acquiring a loyal following of fans...
and began working on another V10 design, but he was never able to fully finance the project. When Arrows' owner, Tom Walkinshaw
Tom Walkinshaw
Tom Walkinshaw was a Scottish racing car driver and the founder of the racing team Tom Walkinshaw Racing...
, purchased Brian Hart Limited later that year, the injection of capital turned that design into the Arrows V10. The deal was marred by legal action taken over money that was allegedly owed and Brian Hart parted company with Arrows and Formula One before the end of the year.
Arrows itself went into bankruptcy in 2002.
Complete World Championship Grand Prix results
| Year | Entrant | Chassis | Engine | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | WDC | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1967 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... |
Ron Harris | Protos Protos (constructor) The Protos was a wingless Formula 2 racing car that appeared in 1967. Powered by the then-standard Ford-Cosworth 1600cc FVA-engine, it was noticeable for its slippery aerodynamic Frank Costin design, with an almost-enclosed 'bubble' canopy over the cockpit and a chassis partially made of the very... (F2) |
Ford Ford Motor Company Ford Motor Company is an American multinational automaker based in Dearborn, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. The automaker was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. In addition to the Ford and Lincoln brands, Ford also owns a small stake in Mazda in Japan and Aston Martin in the UK... Straight-4 Straight-4 The inline-four engine or straight-four engine is an internal combustion engine with all four cylinders mounted in a straight line, or plane along the crankcase. The single bank of cylinders may be oriented in either a vertical or an inclined plane with all the pistons driving a common crankshaft.... |
RSA 1967 South African Grand Prix The 1967 South African Grand Prix was a Formula One race held at Kyalami on January 2, 1967.- Race report :For the first time, the Kyalami circuit near Johannesburg was being used. There were some changes in the driver line-ups: John Surtees was driving for Honda, Mike Spence signed for BRM whilst... |
MON 1967 Monaco Grand Prix The 1967 Monaco Grand Prix was a Formula One race held at Monaco on May 7, 1967.- Race report :The opening few laps were eventful - Jack Brabham spun in front of Bruce McLaren and Jo Siffert who collided taking avoiding action, whilst Jim Clark had to take to the escape road.Jackie Stewart swept... |
NED 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... |
BEL 1967 Belgian Grand Prix The 1967 Belgian Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at Spa-Francorchamps on June 18, 1967.- Race report :Jim Clark led off the grid from pole position and maintained that position for the first 11 laps and was 20 seconds ahead of Jackie Stewart and Dan Gurney when he had to come into the... |
FRA 1967 French Grand Prix The 1967 French Grand Prix was a Formula One race held at the Bugatti Circuit, Le Mans on July 2, 1967.- Race report :The new Bugatti circuit used the main pit straight at Le Mans, but then used an infield section comprising several second and third gear corners, which was universally unpopular... |
GBR 1967 British Grand Prix The 1967 British Grand Prix was a Formula One race held at Silverstone on July 15, 1967.- Classification :-Standings after the race:Drivers' Championship standingsConstructors' Championship standings... |
GER 1967 German Grand Prix The 1967 German Grand Prix was a Formula One race held at the Nürburgring on August 6, 1967.- Classification :Note: The race was run with both Formula One and Formula Two cars running together... 12 |
CAN 1967 Canadian Grand Prix The 1967 Canadian Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at Mosport Park on August 27, 1967. The race was won by Jack Brabham driving for his own Brabham team.... |
ITA 1967 Italian Grand Prix The 1967 Italian Grand Prix was a Formula One race held at the Autodromo Nazionale Monza on September 10, 1967. It was won by British driver John Surtees driving a Honda RA300. Jim Clark led the race until a little after the half way point when he picked up a puncture and lost an entire lap. He... |
USA 1967 United States Grand Prix The 1967 United States Grand Prix was a Formula One race held on October 1, 1967 at the Watkins Glen Grand Prix Race Course in Watkins Glen, New York.__FORCETOC__-Summary:... |
MEX 1967 Mexican Grand Prix The 1967 Mexican Grand Prix was a Formula One held at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez on October 22, 1967.- Classification :- Notes :* Pole position: Jim Clark - 1:47.56* Fastest Lap: Jim Clark - 1:48.13... |
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