Brun C91
Encyclopedia
The Brun C91 was a sports prototype
built for Group C
racing in the 1991 World Sportscar Championship season
. It was built by Walter Brun's Brun Motorsport of Switzerland, and is the only car they have built to date.
Formula One
partnership in 1990, Brun Motorsport found itself concentrating on the World Sportscar Championship
for 1991. At the time using their familiar Porsche 962
, Brun began work on a new car intended to begin competition in late 1991 and then continuing into 1992, when the new World Sportscar Championship would come into effect. These new rules, which required 3.5 liter engines would make their 962 illegal. Therefore instead of buying another chassis, Brun and backer and sponsor Repsol YPF
decided to invest in building a new car, naming it the C91. The design would be similar to most other 3.5 liter Group C cars, using large double rear wings, low bodywork, and long high downforce noses.
For an engine, Brun would retain a connection he had had during the EuroBrun days. Since World Sportscar Championship regulations would allow for engines identical to Formula One days, Brun reached an agreement with Engine Developments to use older F1 Judd
EV V8s, a successor to the Judd CVs V8s that EuroBrun had used.
. The C91 would be driven by former EuroBrun drivers Gregor Foitek
and Oscar Larrauri
. Unfortunately, the car would not race due to technical difficulties after qualifying. At the next round at Magny-Cours
, Jésus Pareja would replace Foitek as the C91 would start the race. Unfortunately it's competition debut was short lived as the engine would fail after a mere five laps.
For the fly-away round in Mexico City
, the C91 would show some more potential by lasting 31 laps before a failed starter motor forced it to retire. However for the final round in Autopolis
, Japan
, the C91 would yet again fail, having only made it 20 laps before the gearbox broke.
Thus at the end of the season, the C91 had yet to finish a single race. Brun would manage to score points with their 962 in each of the rounds except Magny-Cours and Suzuka. Brun intended to enter the car in 1992, but unfortunately funding failed to materialize and the C91 was retired. The car would later be sold to private owners, and is currently being run in Historic Sportscar Racing.
Sports car racing
Sports car racing is a form of circuit auto racing with automobiles that have two seats and enclosed wheels. They may be purpose-built or related to road-going sports cars....
built for Group C
Group C
Group C was a category of motorsport, introduced by the FIA in 1982 for sports car racing, along with Group A for touring cars and Group B for GTs....
racing in the 1991 World Sportscar Championship season
1991 World Sportscar Championship season
The 1991 FIA Sportscar World Championship season was the 39th season of FIA World Sportscar Championship motor racing. It featured the 1991 FIA Sportscar World Championship, which was contested over an eight race series from 14 April to 28 October 28 1991...
. It was built by Walter Brun's Brun Motorsport of Switzerland, and is the only car they have built to date.
Development
Following the end of the EuroBrunEuroBrun
EuroBrun Racing was a Formula One constructor from Senago, Milan, Italy, with an Italo-Swiss ownership. They participated in 46 grands prix, entering a total of 76 cars....
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...
partnership in 1990, Brun Motorsport found itself concentrating on the World Sportscar Championship
World Sportscar Championship
The World Sportscar Championship was the world series run for sports car racing by the FIA from 1953 to 1992.The championship evolved from a small collection of the most important sportscar, endurance and road racing events in Europe and North America with dozens of gentleman drivers at the grid,...
for 1991. At the time using their familiar Porsche 962
Porsche 962
The Porsche 962 was a sports-prototype racing car built by Porsche as a replacement for the 956 and designed mainly to comply with IMSA's GTP regulations, although it would later compete in the European Group C formula as the 956 had...
, Brun began work on a new car intended to begin competition in late 1991 and then continuing into 1992, when the new World Sportscar Championship would come into effect. These new rules, which required 3.5 liter engines would make their 962 illegal. Therefore instead of buying another chassis, Brun and backer and sponsor Repsol YPF
Repsol YPF
Repsol YPF, S.A. is an integrated Spanish oil and gas company with operations in 29 countries...
decided to invest in building a new car, naming it the C91. The design would be similar to most other 3.5 liter Group C cars, using large double rear wings, low bodywork, and long high downforce noses.
For an engine, Brun would retain a connection he had had during the EuroBrun days. Since World Sportscar Championship regulations would allow for engines identical to Formula One days, Brun reached an agreement with Engine Developments to use older F1 Judd
Judd (engine)
Judd is a name brand of engines produced by Engine Developments Ltd., a company founded in 1971 by John Judd and Jack Brabham in Rugby, Warwickshire, England...
EV V8s, a successor to the Judd CVs V8s that EuroBrun had used.
Racing history
To start 1991, Brun campaigned a pair of 962 to some success, earning points in every race of the season until the debut of the C91 at the fifth round at the NürburgringNürburgring
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...
. The C91 would be driven by former EuroBrun drivers Gregor Foitek
Gregor Foitek
Gregor Foitek is a former racing driver from Switzerland. He won the 1986 Swiss Formula 3 Championship. Moving up to Formula 3000 he was widely blamed for causing a race stopping crash at Brands Hatch in 1988, the restart of which led to a second major crash on the first lap in which Johnny...
and Oscar Larrauri
Oscar Larrauri
Oscar Rubén Larrauri is a racing driver from Argentina. He participated in 21 Formula One Grands Prix, all with the struggling EuroBrun team, debuting on April 3, 1988...
. Unfortunately, the car would not race due to technical difficulties after qualifying. At the next round at Magny-Cours
Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours
Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours is a motor racing circuit located in central France, near the towns of Magny-Cours and Nevers, some 250 km from Paris...
, Jésus Pareja would replace Foitek as the C91 would start the race. Unfortunately it's competition debut was short lived as the engine would fail after a mere five laps.
For the fly-away round in Mexico City
Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez
The Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez is a race track in Mexico City, Mexico, named for the famous racing drivers Ricardo and Pedro Rodríguez. The circuit got its name shortly after it opened when Ricardo Rodríguez died in practice for the non-Championship 1962 Mexican Grand Prix...
, the C91 would show some more potential by lasting 31 laps before a failed starter motor forced it to retire. However for the final round in Autopolis
Autopolis
Autopolis is an international racing circuit located near Kamitsue village in Ōita Prefecture, Japan . Opened in 1990, it hosts a range of domestic and international motorsport events throughout the year. Although the track meets a high standard in terms of its facilities, it has never hosted a...
, 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...
, the C91 would yet again fail, having only made it 20 laps before the gearbox broke.
Thus at the end of the season, the C91 had yet to finish a single race. Brun would manage to score points with their 962 in each of the rounds except Magny-Cours and Suzuka. Brun intended to enter the car in 1992, but unfortunately funding failed to materialize and the C91 was retired. The car would later be sold to private owners, and is currently being run in Historic Sportscar Racing.