Unforgettable Car Geniuses: Jack Brabham

Jack Brabham's story seems written by chance: his successes all stemmed from circumstances that led him to choices he might never have made. Born in Hurstville, Australia, in 1926, he was drawn to mechanics but was self-taught. When his country joined the world conflict, he enlisted in the Australian army, hoping to become an aircraft pilot, but fate — or chance — assigned him the role of a mechanic. What seemed like a setback turned into an opportunity after the war: thanks to his experience, a friend aspiring to be a racing driver asked for his help in building a small Midget-class single-seater.

Jack — whose real name was John but was always called by what would become his iconic name — showed unexpected talent, and the car managed to stay among the frontrunners. His friend even won a race but then decided to quit racing. So fate again intervened: the car was left unused, and young Jack decided to get behind the wheel himself.

Jack Brabham in 1948, sitting in one of his self-built Midget race cars at just 22 years old.

It was a surprising discovery: he realized he had a natural talent. He climbed the racing categories until he purchased a Cooper Climax single-seater, with which he achieved multiple victories in Australia. His talent caught the eye of John Cooper, the small yet visionary English car manufacturer, who was in Australia for the Tasmania Cup. In 1955, at 29 years old, Jack decided to spend a year in Europe. The results were modest; he had bought a Cooper aiming to join forces with the company, which was still little more than a workshop. But the Cooper family rejected him. Determined as ever, he tried to compete in Formula 1 as a privateer with discouraging results, even attempting with an uncompetitive Maserati 250 F. He felt stuck in a dead-end when fate once again lent a hand: John Cooper built his first rear-engine single-seater, the T43 Climax, the only car on the grid with this innovative design. The revolutionary English car, in Jack's hands, ran third for a long time at the Monaco GP but finished sixth due to a technical issue. It was enough to boost confidence, even if the rest of the season wasn’t remarkable. However, the awareness that the path of a lightweight rear-engine car was the right one encouraged everyone. The following year, thanks to Jack’s mechanical intuition, the car improved and started winning. These victories paved the way for two consecutive World Championship titles in 1959 and 1960.

Jack Brabham became Formula 1 World Champion for two consecutive years, driving for Cooper in 1959 and 1960.

It was time for Black Jack — so nicknamed for his dark hair and serious demeanor — to get revenge on the Coopers and become a constructor himself. With him was technical genius Ron Tauranac, whom he had met in Australia in his early years. In 1961, they debuted their own single-seaters in the junior formulas. The original brand name was MRD, but it was quickly changed to Brabham when a French journalist pointed out that the acronym sounded like “Merde” when pronounced — hardly a suitable name for a car aspiring to success! And so, almost by chance, the Brabham brand was born, destined to play a major role in motorsport. Brabham’s entry into Formula 1 soon highlighted Jack’s signature strength: doing things simply and as cost-effectively as possible.

The Brabham team made its Formula 1 debut at the 1962 German Grand Prix at Nürburgring with the BT-3, pictured here with Black Jack at the wheel.

Formula 1 wasn’t what it is today, and the 1966 rule change, which introduced 3000cc engines, saw Brabham fielding a car that was simple yet effective: a traditional tubular chassis—well-built and rigid but unlike the emerging trend of monocoques—external suspension with no focus on aerodynamics, and most notably, a V8 engine developed in Australia. This engine, based on an aluminum Oldsmobile block, was refined by Repco and proved solid and powerful enough to carry Repco Brabham to the 1966 World Championship title. Jack was now 40 years old. His appearance had never been youthful, and his tendency to speak little made him seem distant, but he had achieved something no one could have imagined.

Jack Brabham poses with his team and the BT19, the car with which he won the 1966 Formula 1 World Championship, becoming the first driver-constructor to do so.

His partnership with Tauranac flourished. However, when the Repco engine lost competitiveness against the dominant Cosworth V8, Jack decided to step back. He not only helped further develop Brabham — later sold to Bernie Ecclestone — but also co-founded Judd with Tauranac, a company specializing in engine manufacturing and the maintenance of Cosworth V8s that revolutionized Formula 1. Jack finally earned his pilot’s license and could enjoy the rewards of a life shaped by circumstances, luck, and his own determination. Though he never fully stepped away from the racing world, he always maintained his anti-hero persona. He deserves a place in this series.

After being sold to Bernie Ecclestone, Brabham won two more World Championships with Nelson Piquet in 1981 and 1983.