Facts
-
Year of manufacture
1967 -
Manufacturer
Motor Racing Developments Ltd (Brabham) -
Original racing class
Formula 3 -
Original engine
Ford-Cosworth MAE, approximately 1.0 litre -
Current power output
201 hp (according to testing 2019) -
Gearbox
Hewland five-speed -
Famous drivers
Richard Burton, James Hunt, Jean-Pierre Jabouille
This chassis links several big names in motorsport: Frank Williams bought the Brabham BT21-16 in 1967 for his racing project at the time. Two years later, the car was fielded by Motor Racing Enterprises with drivers that included James Hunt and Jean-Pierre Jabouille at the wheel. So, the BT21-16 hails from the junior formula in which future Formula 1 greats first made their mark.
The car that will be on display bears chassis number BT21-16 and tag number AM180. Following a long racing history with many changes of ownership, it has been completely restored and now competes in the historic Formula B/Libre specification.
The vehicle
The BT21 epitomises the classic Brabham school of the 1960s with a lightweight space-frame, compact fibreglass body, cantilevered wishbone suspension and a mid-engine layout. It was not so much high power that counted in Formula 3 at the time, but rather the lowest possible weight, precise chassis tuning and mechanical grip. Power was transmitted to the rear wheels via a Hewland five-speed gearbox.
The BT21-16 now competes in a more powerful historic specification. The 1.6-litre Ford/Lotus Twin Cam produced 201 hp when it was measured on the dynamometer in 2019. As regards classification, please note that this engine configuration now corresponds to today’s Formula B/Libre specification; in 1967, the BT21 competed as a Formula 3 car with a much smaller 1.0-litre engine.
The driver
The most prominent name in the illustrious history of the BT21-16 is James Hunt. In 1969, Motor Racing Enterprises fielded the chassis in British Formula 3. Alongside Hunt, Jean-Pierre Jabouille is also listed as a driver of this car. For Hunt, the period marked an early chapter on his path to Formula One – he became F1 World Champion seven years later.
The car’s very first season also featured another name that would later become world-famous: Frank Williams bought the BT21-16 in 1967 for driver and co-owner Richard Burton. At the time, Williams was still at the very start of his career as a team principal.
Fun fact
The BT21-16 did not just see action on European circuits. The chassis was taken to the USA in 1989 where it was used in historic motor racing and was later converted to Formula B specification. Its career thus encompasses the British Formula 3 of the 1960s plus historic racing series on both sides of the Atlantic.
The story behind the car
The BT21-16 was built in 1967 by Motor Racing Developments, the company behind the Brabham racing cars driven by Jack Brabham and designed by Ron Tauranac. Frank Williams then acquired the chassis for Richard Burton. After more races, the car was moved on to Motor Racing Enterprises in 1969 when James Hunt and Jean-Pierre Jabouille are among the drivers listed.
The chassis passed through various hands in the years that followed and was used in a number of competitions. It made its way to the USA in 1989, where it competed in historic racing. Around the year 2000, it was converted to Formula B specification with a Lotus Twin Cam engine. The car returned to a former owner in 2010 following a crash at Road America and subsequently underwent extensive restoration. The dark blue paintwork harks back to an earlier livery. The current 1.6-litre engine was fitted in 2019.
The legend
- Frank Williams at the wheel? The name Williams is indeed part of the early history of the chassis – both as purchaser and team manager. Various drivers are listed from that time, among them, Richard Burton and later, James Hunt and Jean-Pierre Jabouille.
- The name Richard Burton can prove to be the source of some confusion as regards the chassis’ history. The racing driver and then-co-owner is the person referred to and not the Hollywood star of the same name.
- Historical technical data are also often confused. Today’s 1.6-litre Twin Cam with an output of around 200 PS relates to the later Formula B/Libre specification, but the BT21 was originally built as a Formula 3 racing car with a displacement of around 1.0 litres.