Brabham BT49

Brabham - Ford BT49D
Original Driver: Riccardo Patrese (I)
Best Grand Prix Result:2nd Canadian Grand Prix 1982 (Patrese)
Year of Manufacture: 1982
Chassis Number: BT49D-18
TGP Driver: Christian Glasel (D)
TGP Class: C

A true classic, the magnificent BT49 debuted in the FiA Formula 1 World Championship at the tail end of 1979, and was Brabham's first front line weapon until mid-1982. Designed by South African Gordon Murray, the model carried Nelson Piquet to his first world title in 1981 and scored seven Grand Prix victories with Piquet and Riccardo Patrese. Its compact yet elegant lines stand as testimony to Murray's eye for function and beauty.
This particular chassis - the last of its line- was complete in 1982 when the team was encountering reliability problems with its awesomely powerful 1500cc BMW turbo charged engined BT50. During the first half of the season Patrese remained with the normally aspirated Ford Cosworth DFV powered BT49 while Piquet worked with the new car. BT49D-18 raced only once, taking Patrese to second place behind Piquet's turbo charged car in the Canadian Grand Prix. It was the BT49 model's swansong, for the Italian completed the season in the BT50.
This chassis was later given to Gordon Murrey, who subsequently loaned it to a motor museum, where it remained until Ian Giles acquired the car to run in the Thoroughbred Grand Prix series, winning races at Silverstone and Monza during the 1997 season.