View source for Brabham BT49

{{short description|Formula One racing car}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Racing car
| Car_name = Brabham BT49<br />Brabham BT49C<br />Brabham BT49D
| Image = [[File:Piquetmonaco.jpg|250px]]
| Caption = The BT49C being driven by Piquet at [[1981 Monaco Grand Prix|Monaco in 1981]]
| Category = [[Formula One]]
| Constructor = [[Brabham]]
| Designer = [[Gordon Murray]] (Technical Director)<br /> [[David North (engineer)|David North]] (Chief Designer)
| Predecessor = [[Brabham BT48|BT48]]
| Successor = [[Brabham BT50|BT50]]
| Team = [[Parmalat]] [[Brabham|Racing Brabham]]
| Drivers = {{flagicon|BRA}} [[Nelson Piquet]]<br />{{flagicon|ARG}} [[Ricardo Zunino]]<br />{{flagicon|MEX}} [[Héctor Rebaque]]<br />{{flagicon|ITA}} [[Riccardo Patrese]]
| Chassis = [[Aluminium alloy]] [[monocoque]]
| Front suspension = [[Double wishbone]] pullrod
| Rear suspension = [[Double wishbone]] pullrod<br />''or'' Rocker arm
| Wheelbase = {{convert|2718|mm|in||abbr=on}}
| Track = Front: {{convert|1702|mm|in||abbr=on}} <br />Rear:  {{convert|1626|mm|in||abbr=on}}
| Engine name = [[Cosworth DFV]],
| Capacity = {{convert|2993|cc|cuin|1|abbr=on}},
| Configuration = 90° [[V8 engine|V8]],
| Turbo/NA = [[Naturally-aspirated engine|NA]],
| Engine position = [[mid-engine]], [[longitudinal engine|longitudinally mounted]]
| Gearbox name = [[Hewland]] FGA 400 / [[Alfa Romeo in Formula One|Alfa Romeo]] 
| Gears = 6-speed  
| Type = [[Manual transmission|manual]]
| Differential = 
| Weight = {{convert|580|kg|lb|1|abbr=on}}
| Fuel = {{F1|1979}}: [[Agip]] <br /> {{F1|1980}}–{{F1|1981}}: [[Elf Aquitaine|Elf]] <br /> {{F1|1981}}–{{F1|1982}}: [[Valvoline]]
| Tyres = [[Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company|Goodyear]] / [[Michelin]]
| Debut = [[1979 Canadian Grand Prix]]
| Races = '''38'''<br /> 36 <small>F1&nbsp;WC</small><br /> 2 <small>F1&nbsp;other</small>
| Wins = '''7'''<br />7 <small>F1 WC</small><br />0 <small>F1 other</small>
| Cons_champ = '''0'''
| Drivers_champ = '''1''' ({{F1|1981}}, [[Nelson Piquet]])
| Poles = '''7'''<br />6 <small>F1&nbsp;WC</small><br /> 1 <small>F1&nbsp;other</small>
| Fastest_laps = '''4'''<br />4 <small>F1&nbsp;WC</small><br />0 <small>F1&nbsp;other</small>
}}

The '''Brabham BT49''' {{IPAc-en|ˈ|b|r|æ|b|əm}} is a [[Formula One]] racing car designed by South African [[Gordon Murray]] for the British [[Brabham]] team. The BT49 competed in the {{F1|1979}} to {{F1|1982}} Formula One World Championships and was used by Brazilian driver [[Nelson Piquet]] to win his first [[List of Formula One World Drivers' Champions|World Championship]] in {{F1|1981}}.

The car was initially designed in 1979 as a short notice replacement for the team's [[Alfa Romeo in Formula One|Alfa Romeo]]-engined BT48, after Brabham team owner [[Bernie Ecclestone]] decided to end his relationship with the Italian engine manufacturer. The BT49 was created in only six weeks using elements of the BT48 chassis together with the widely used [[Cosworth DFV]] engine. The [[monocoque]] [[chassis]] is made from [[aluminium alloy]] and [[carbon fiber reinforced polymer|carbon fibre composites]]. The car was fitted with controversial [[hydropneumatic suspension]] and water-cooled brakes at different points in its life.

The BT49 was updated over four seasons taking a total of seven wins, six poles and 135 points. Seventeen were eventually built, most of which survive today. Some are used successfully in [[historic motorsport]]; Christian Glaesel won the 2005 FIA [[Historic Formula One Championship]] driving a BT49D.

== Concept ==
The BT49 was created by South African designer [[Gordon Murray]] for the [[Brabham]] team during the [[1979 Formula One season|1979 season]] of the [[Formula One]] motor racing World Championship. The Brabham team had been competing in partnership with engine supplier [[Alfa Romeo in Formula One|Alfa Romeo]] since 1976 and won races in the [[1978 Formula One season|1978 season]].<ref>Henry (1985) p.160 & p.281</ref> However, the team's 1979 car, the [[Brabham BT48|BT48]], was not a great success. Alfa Romeo entered their own [[Alfa Romeo 177|Type 177]] and [[Alfa Romeo 179|Type 179]] cars in Formula One Grands Prix that summer, helping to convince the Brabham team owner [[Bernie Ecclestone]] that the partnership was over.<ref>Henry (1985) pp.210–213</ref> Motorsport author [[Alan Henry]] writes that Ecclestone did not want his team to take second place to an Alfa Romeo works team, and that the team designing Alfa Romeo's cars was drawing on Brabham knowledge.<ref name="Henry215">Henry (1985) p.215</ref>

Alfa's engines were powerful, but had proved troublesome and according to Henry, "the days during which pure power was the main criterion had temporarily vanished by the start of 1979".<ref name="Henry215" /> Instead [[aerodynamic]] [[ground effect in cars|ground effect]], as brought to Formula One by the [[Lotus 78]] two years earlier, was the most important factor. To allow them to focus on this, the Brabham team reverted to a known quantity, the reliable and widely used [[Ford Motor Company|Ford]] [[Cosworth DFV]] engine that it had last used in 1975. Three BT49s were designed and built in only six weeks for the [[1979 Canadian Grand Prix|Canadian Grand Prix]] on 30 September 1979; two of them were converted BT48 chassis and one was newly built.<ref name="Henry215" />

== Chassis and suspension ==
[[File:Brabham BT49C-10 without bodywork.jpg|thumb|right|BT49C without its aerodynamic bodywork, which can be seen sitting on the ground behind the chassis]]

Like all of its Formula One contemporaries, the BT49 [[chassis]] is a [[monocoque]] structure. It is built from sheet [[aluminium alloy]] with reinforcement from [[carbon fiber-reinforced polymer|carbon fibre composite]] panels and is one of the first Formula One chassis to incorporate this material structurally.<ref name="Nye110">Nye (1986) p.110</ref> The chassis is slightly longer than that of the BT48, and is new from the cockpit back with revised sidepods and a structural fuel tank reduced from {{convert|45|to|38|impgal|litre|0}} capacity to match the reduced fuel consumption requirements of the DFV compared to the Alfa Romeo.<ref name="Hodges 1990 p.42">Hodges (1990) p.42</ref><ref>Henry (1985) p.216</ref> This allowed a reduction in [[dry weight (automobile)|dry weight]] over the BT48 of {{convert|35|lb|kg|1}} and of {{convert|95|lb|kg|1|abbr=on}} when fully fuelled.<ref name="Nye110" />

The underside of the BT49 is shaped to create [[downforce]] through ground effect: air is accelerated under the car, reducing the air pressure beneath it and pushing the tyres down harder onto the track. This provides more grip and thus higher cornering speeds, but compared to conventional wings creates less of the [[drag (physics)|drag]] that slows the car in a straight line.<ref>Haney, Braun (1995) p.17</ref> In its original form, the reduced pressure area under the car was sealed off with sliding skirts which rose and fell with the movement of the car to ensure no air could leak under it. According to Murray, the aerodynamics were the car's great strength: "It had more [downforce] than any other car and it all came from the ground effect. We ran the car with no front wing at all and scarcely any at the back."<ref name="tracktest">Frankel (May 1999) pp.46–49</ref>

The [[Suspension (vehicle)|suspension]], which controls the relative motion of the chassis and the wheels, is similar to that of the BT48: it features [[double wishbone suspension|double wishbones]] front and rear, with the springs and [[shock absorber|dampers]] mounted on the chassis out of the airflow and activated by pullrods. [[Anti-roll bar]]s are fitted front and rear.<ref>Henry (1985) pp.215–218</ref> The BT49's [[disc brakes]] are mounted outboard, within the wheel hubs, and are activated by a single four piston [[brake caliper]] for each wheel. For most of the BT49's career, it used conventional steel brakes. Lighter [[reinforced carbon-carbon]] discs and pads, a technology that Brabham had introduced to Formula One in 1976, were used in 1981 and 1982;<ref name="Henry 1985 p.225">Henry (1985) p.225</ref> The wheels are of {{convert|13|in|mm|0|adj=on}} diameter, although occasionally {{convert|15|in|mm|0|abbr=on}} wheels were used at the front.<ref name="Nye110" /> The car initially raced on [[Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company|Goodyear]] tyres, but the team had to adapt the BT49 to [[Michelin]]'s new [[radial tyre]]s for part of the 1981 season when Goodyear temporarily withdrew from Formula One.<ref name="Nye111">Nye (1986) p.111</ref> [[Slick tyre]]s were used in dry conditions and treaded tyres in the wet.

Three chassis, included the two modified BT48 units, were built for the end of the 1979 season. Two of these were re-used during the [[1980 Formula One season]], alongside seven new chassis.<ref name="Nye110" />

== Engine and transmission  ==
[[File:Cosworth V8 F1 engine Brabham BT49.jpg|thumb|left|Cosworth DFV engine mounted in BT49C. The curved underside of the car can be seen beneath it.]]

The Ford Cosworth DFV was produced by [[Cosworth]] in [[Northampton]] and had been used in Formula One since 1967. It is a 2,993&nbsp;cc (183&nbsp;cu in) [[normally aspirated]] [[four-stroke engine]] with two banks of four cylinders at 90&nbsp;degrees to each other in a '[[V8 engine|V8]]' configuration. It has an aluminium alloy [[engine block]] with cylinder liners. Each of its [[crossflow cylinder head]]s has a single [[spark plug]] and four valves, activated by gear-driven [[double overhead camshaft]]s. This, combined with the [[V8 engine#Design|flat-plane]] [[crankshaft]], provides a relatively simple exhaust layout, in which the [[exhaust pipe]]s exit on the outer side of the block.<ref>Nye (1986) p.49</ref> The engine is [[internal combustion engine cooling|water-cooled]], with water and oil radiators mounted in the left and right sidepods respectively.<ref name="Henry215" /> In 1980, a revised version of the DFV was introduced in which ancillaries such as the water and oil pumps were reduced in size and grouped further forwards on the flanks of the engine to provide more clearance for ground effect tunnels under the cars.<ref>Blunsden (1983) p.62</ref>

Like its contemporaries, the BT49 uses the engine as a fully stressed structural component, carrying all loads between the front and rear of the car: the front of the engine bolts directly to the integral fuel tank and the back of the engine attaches to the car's rear suspension and gearbox. The Ford Cosworth engine integrated into the car much more easily than Alfa Romeo's large, heavy and inconsistently sized units: Murray described returning to the DFV as being "like having a holiday".<ref name="Henry215" />

By the time the DFV was used in the BT49, it weighed roughly {{convert|340|lb|kg|0|abbr=on}} and produced around {{convert|500|bhp|0|lk=on}} at about 11,000&nbsp;[[revolutions per minute]] (rpm). Peak [[torque]] was {{convert|270|lbft|0|lk=on}} at 9,000&nbsp;rpm.<ref>Blunsden (1983) pp.229 & 231</ref> After his first test session with the car, Brazilian driver [[Nelson Piquet]] commented that he had always believed "that the DFV was quite a rough, coarse engine, but it felt quite the opposite to me. After those Alfa V12s it felt smooth and willing to rev."<ref name="Henry215" /> In 1979, when the BT49 first raced, all but three teams – Ferrari, Alfa Romeo and Renault – used the DFV, and the most powerful alternative (Alfa Romeo's V12) produced {{convert|525|bhp|0|abbr=on}}.<ref>Nye (1986) p.147</ref> By 1982, most teams still used the DFV, but BMW, Ferrari and Hart had joined Renault in employing turbocharged engines: Ferrari's 1982 turbocharged [[V6 engine]] produced around {{convert|580|bhp|0|abbr=on}}, while the DFV's output had remained at around 500&nbsp;bhp.<ref>Nye (1986) p.152</ref>

Realising just how competitive the BT49 was on its debut at the Canadian Grand Prix in 1979, Cosworth would supply Brabham, along with Williams special "evolution" DFV engines which had a slightly shorter stroke and higher revving capacity than a standard DFV, producing around 500 to 510 BHP at over 11,000 RPM for the 1980 season. Throughout 1980 the BT49 was regularly one of the quickest naturally aspirated cars timed on the speed-traps (meaning only the turbocharged Renaults were usually faster in a straight-line), a combination of the low drag aerodynamically slippery bodywork and the development Cosworth engine. With Williams taking the decision from the 1980 French Grand Prix to effectively sub-contract "in house" to John Judd to modify the DFVs used by Alan Jones and Carlos Reutemann, Brabham effectively become the favoured runner in 1980 of development Cosworth engines, a situation which would continue throughout the rest of the 1980 season and the entire 1981 season, which effectively promoted Nelson Piquet to the status as the favoured "works" driver for Cosworth, a relationship that ultimately concluded in triumph with the 1981 Drivers World Championship.

The BT49 was initially fitted with the same [[transmission (mechanics)|gearbox]] the team had been using since 1977: a six-speed unit designed by Brabham using internal components from [[Hewland]] and a casing cast by Alfa Romeo.<ref>Henry (1985) pp.165–167 and p.215</ref>

== Variants ==
; BT49B

A BT49B specification appeared early in the 1980 season; it was conceived around a new transverse gearbox designed by American gearbox specialist Pete Weismann. The new unit could be fitted with five or six gears and was tall and narrow, allowing a clearer airflow from under the car to the rear, with the intent of improving the ground effect.<ref name="Henry219">Henry (1985) p.219</ref> An alternative rear suspension layout was designed to go with this gearbox. It replaced the standard pullrods with rocker arms that activated vertical coil springs mounted behind the gearbox.<ref>{{cite journal|last=Jenkinson|first=Denis|title=Notes on the cars at Long Beach|url=https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/archive/article/may-1980/63/notes-cars-long-beach|journal=Motor Sport|publisher=Motor Sport Magazine Ltd.|date=May 1980|volume=LVI|number=5|page=662|access-date=30 July 2021|archive-date=30 July 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210730205213/https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/archive/article/may-1980/63/notes-cars-long-beach|url-status=live}}</ref> The Weismann unit proved difficult to make reliable and was used alongside the original gearbox, mainly on a spare chassis, until the {{F1GP|1980|Dutch}}, after which it was put to one side.<ref name="Nye110" /><ref>{{cite journal|last=Jenkinson|first=Denis|title=Notes on the cars at Zandvoort|url=https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/archive/article/october-1980/50/notes-on-the-cars-at-zandvoort-2|journal=Motor Sport|publisher=Motor Sport Magazine Ltd.|date=October 1980|volume=LVI|issue=10|page=1488|access-date=30 July 2021|archive-date=30 July 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210730205208/https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/archive/article/october-1980/50/notes-on-the-cars-at-zandvoort-2|url-status=live}}</ref>

; BT49T

A modified BT49, dubbed BT49T, was used to test the earliest versions of [[BMW in Formula One|BMW]]'s [[turbocharger|turbocharged]] Formula One engine between the 1980 and [[1981 Formula One season]]s. This was a 1,499&nbsp;cc (92 cu in) [[inline four engine|inline four-cylinder engine]], with a single KKK turbocharger mounted in the left hand sidepod of the car. The first version of the engine was said to produce {{convert|557|bhp|0|abbr=on}}.<ref>Henry (1985) pp.243–244</ref>

; BT49C
For the 1981 season, a BT49C specification was produced with a chassis lightened through increased use of carbon composite materials.<ref name="Henry222">Henry (1985) p.222</ref> Five of this variant were built and two of the previous year's cars converted to this specification.<ref name="Nye112">Nye (1986) p.112</ref> That year a minimum [[ride height]] of {{convert|60|mm|in|1}} was introduced and sliding skirts were banned, with the intention of limiting ground effect and slowing the cars. The BT49C regained its front wings to compensate in part for the downforce lost.<ref>Lang (1992) p.12</ref> More significantly, Murray devised a [[hydropneumatic suspension]] system for the BT49C in which soft air springs supported the car at the regulation height for checks while stationary. At speed, where the ride height could not be measured, downforce compressed the air and the car settled to a much lower height, creating more downforce.<ref name="Henry223225">Henry (1985) pp.223–225</ref> Because the skirts now had to be fixed, the suspension had to be very stiff to allow them to consistently seal around the sides of the car: by the end of the 1981 season, total suspension movement was only {{convert|1.5|in|mm|0}}, half of which came from the compression of the tyres.<ref name="Nye112" /> A lightweight qualifying chassis was produced, featuring a small fuel tank and lighter reinforced carbon-carbon brake discs and pads.<ref name="Henry 1985 p.225" />
[[File:1981 Argentine Grand Prix, Piquet (3).jpg|thumb|275x275px|Rebaque in the BT49C at [[1981 Argentine Grand Prix|1981 Argentine GP]], [[Carlos Reutemann]], behind.]]
; BT49D

Three new BT49D chassis were built for the [[1982 Formula One season|1982 season]],<ref name="Nye112" /> featuring a still lighter chassis and one-piece bodywork. By this stage, the cars had to be [[ballast weight|ballasted]] to bring them up to the minimum weight limit of {{convert|580|kg|lb|0|abbr=on}} specified in the rules.<ref name="Henry 1985 p.232">Henry (1985) p.232</ref> The BT49D used the carbon-carbon brakes as standard and was one of several DFV-powered cars to be fitted with large water tanks, ostensibly for "water-cooled brakes".<ref name="Hodges 1990 p.42" /> In practice, the water was dumped early in the race, allowing the cars to race as much as {{convert|50|kg|lb|0|abbr=on}} under the weight limit; the regulations stated coolant could be topped up at the end of the race before the weight was checked. In the view of the DFV teams, this practice met the letter of the regulations and equalised their performance with that of the more powerful turbocharged cars.<ref>{{cite journal|last=Jenkinson|first=Denis|date=May 1982|title=The Formula One scene|url=https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/archive/article/may-1982/45/formula-one-scene|journal=Motor Sport|publisher=Motor Sport Magazine Ltd.|volume=LVIII|issue=5|page=555|access-date=30 July 2021|archive-date=30 July 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210730205211/https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/archive/article/may-1982/45/formula-one-scene|url-status=live}}</ref> The 60&nbsp;mm ground clearance rule was removed for the 1982 season, but the fixed skirts and very stiff suspension remained.<ref name="Henry 1985 p.232" />

== Racing history ==
The BT49's racing career got off to an unsettled start when Brabham's lead driver, [[Niki Lauda]], abruptly quit the sport after 10 laps of the first practice session at the penultimate race of the 1979 season, the Canadian Grand Prix. The car soon showed promise: Piquet ran third in the race on the high speed [[Circuit Gilles Villeneuve|Circuit Île Notre-Dame]] before retiring with a broken gearbox. Lauda's replacement, Argentine novice [[Ricardo Zunino]], was seventh of the nine who completed the race. At the season finale in wet conditions at the [[Watkins Glen International]] circuit, Zunino spun off although Piquet set the fastest lap before a [[driveshaft]] failed, putting his car out of the race.<ref>Henry (1985) pp.216–217</ref>

Early in the 1980 season, Piquet's car scored points finishes at the [[1980 Argentine Grand Prix|Argentine]] and [[1980 South African Grand Prix|South African Grands Prix]], behind [[Alan Jones (racing driver)|Alan Jones]]' [[Williams FW07]]-DFV and the turbocharged [[Renault RE20]] of [[René Arnoux]]. At the fourth race of the season, the [[1980 United States Grand Prix West|United States Grand Prix West]], Piquet qualified on pole by over a second in a BT49 featuring some updates to the sidepods, bodywork and suspension, before leading the race, held on the streets of [[Long Beach, California]], from start to finish.<ref name="Henry219" /> BT49s in Piquet's hands scored in seven of the ten remaining rounds of the championship. Towards the end of the season, the suspension was reworked for the Dutch Grand Prix on the high speed [[Circuit Park Zandvoort]], lengthening the wheelbase by three inches and allowing the car to run in a lower drag configuration. Piquet won after Jones destroyed his FW07's skirts on kerbs.<ref name="Nye110" /> Piquet also won the next race, the {{F1GP|1980|Italian}} to give himself a one-point lead over Williams driver Jones. By the end of the season the BT49 was "arguably the fastest Cosworth-powered car",<ref name="Nye110" /> but Piquet lost the title to Jones at the penultimate race of the year, the {{F1GP|1980|Canadian}}, when a development engine failed while he was leading the race.<ref>Henry (1985) pp.220–221</ref> The BT49s driven by the team's second drivers—Zunino and then from mid-season Mexican [[Héctor Rebaque]]—either retired or finished outside the points, with the exception of Rebaque's sixth place at the Canadian race. The team finished third in the constructors' championship behind Williams and Ligier, unable to compete with only one car scoring points.<ref name="Nye110" />

In December 1980, Indycar driver [[Rick Mears]] tested the BT49 at [[Circuit Paul Ricard]] and was half a second behind Piquet but was faster than him at [[Riverside International Raceway]] in southern California, Mears was offered a contract to drive for Brabham in 1981 but he declined the offer and stayed with [[Team Penske]] in IndyCar.

[[File:Piquet at 1980 Dutch Grand Prix.jpg|thumb|right|Nelson Piquet driving the BT49 at Zandvoort in 1980]]

Disagreement between the teams and the sport's administrators over the technical regulations for the 1981 Formula One season contributed to Goodyear's temporary withdrawal from Formula One and meant that the [[1981 South African Grand Prix]] was run by the teams to 1980 regulations using cars with sliding skirts. Piquet finished second in a BT49B, but the race did not count towards the championship.<ref name="Henry222" /> The season proper opened with the [[1981 United States Grand Prix West|United States Grand Prix West]], at which the BT49C was introduced. To the team's surprise, it was the only car to exploit the "obvious" loophole in the new ground clearance regulation by lowering itself, but the BT49Cs raced with conventional suspension after the hydropneumatic system repeatedly jammed. The team revised the system continuously over the next three races and used it to set [[pole position]] at the [[1981 Brazilian Grand Prix|Brazilian]] and [[1981 Argentine Grand Prix|Argentine]] Grands Prix and win the Argentine and [[1981 San Marino Grand Prix|San Marino races]] while continuing to suffer from the system not rising or lowering correctly.<ref name="Nye111" />

[[File:Williams FW07C, Peter Sowerby, GB (17.06.2007).jpg|thumb|right|The Cosworth-powered [[Williams FW07]] had a similarly lengthy competitive career and was the BT49's main rival in 1980 and 1981.]]

[[Frank Williams (Formula One)|Frank Williams]] led an abortive protest against the car at the Argentine Grand Prix, objecting to the flexibility of the fixed skirts used to seal the underside of the car, which allowed them to replicate the effect of a sliding skirt. At the following race, the scrutineers rejected the flexible skirts. Brabham replaced them with stiffer material from one of the other teams for the race, which Piquet won.<ref name="Henry223225" /> As the season progressed, other teams developed their own lowering systems—a front spring and cylinder were stolen from the Brabham garage in Argentina—<ref name="Nye111" /> but after a rule clarification from FISA many cars were lowered by the driver pressing a switch, a development that Murray found frustrating in light of Brabham's efforts to develop a system that he considered legal.<ref>Henry (1985) p.223</ref> The cars ran on Goodyear tyres again from the sixth round of the championship; motorsport author [[Doug Nye]] believes this cost the BT49s good results at several races while the American company adapted to the latest Formula One developments.<ref name="Nye112" /> Despite the virtually solid suspension now required to maintain a consistent ride height, which put components under greater strain,<ref>Nye (1986) pp.111–112</ref> Piquet built a championship challenge on the back of consistent reliability: by the end of the season, his BT49Cs had finished 10 of 15 races, with only one mechanical failure.<ref name="tracktest" /> Piquet finished fifth at the final race of the season—the {{F1GP|1981|Caesars Palace}}—to take the title from [[Carlos Reutemann]] in a Williams FW07 by one point.<ref name="Henry 1985 p.232" />

Brabham had been working with the German engine manufacturer BMW since 1980 on the development of a turbocharged engine for Formula One. The BMW-powered BT50 made its debut at the start of the 1982 season, taking advantage of the high-altitude [[Kyalami]] circuit in South Africa, which favoured turbocharged cars.<ref name="Henry 1985 p.232" /> However, the as yet unreliable BMW-powered cars were dropped for the next two races. Piquet finished first at the {{F1GP|1982|Brazilian}} in a BT49D, but was disqualified after a protest from Renault and Ferrari on the grounds that the car had raced underweight due to its water-cooled brakes. FISA ruled that in future all cars must be weighed before coolants were topped up, resulting in a boycott of the fourth race of the season by most of the DFV-powered teams, including Brabham.<ref>Henry (1985) pp.233–236</ref> Under threat from BMW, Brabham did not use its Ford-powered BT49s again until the sixth race of the season, the {{F1GP|1982|Monaco}}, where one was entered for [[Riccardo Patrese]] alongside Piquet in a BT50. Patrese won the race after a chaotic final lap on which several other cars stopped. Patrese used the BT49 for the next two races, taking a second place behind Piquet's BMW-powered car in the BT49's final Formula One race, the [[1982 Canadian Grand Prix]].<ref>Henry (1985) pp.236–237</ref>

== Historic racing ==
[[File:2005 Brands Hatch A1GP 25 Sept Christian Glaesel Brabham BT49D.jpg|left|thumb|Christian Glaesel driving the BT49D in which he won the 2005 [[Thoroughbred Grand Prix]] championship]]

Since 1995, BT49s have competed regularly in the FIA [[Historic Formula One Championship]]. The championship is open to cars that competed in Formula One in the DFV era, between 1967 and 1985, in several classes to allow for equal competition. The BT49 competes in class C, for post 1971 ground effects cars.<ref>Bunston, Smith (2011) p.16–17</ref> In 1999, [[Motor Sport (magazine)|''Motor Sport'' magazine]] tested a BT49D from the series featuring {{convert|530|bhp|kW|0|abbr=on}} from its developed DFV at 11,200&nbsp;rpm,<ref name="tracktest" /> but the championship has since introduced rules to restrict engines to 10,500&nbsp;rpm to keep costs down. While the cars' original skirts can be kept, they must be set up such that there is {{convert|40|mm|in|1|abbr=on}} clearance beneath the car, a rule that removes most of the advantage of ground effect. The hydropneumatic suspension employed during 1981 is not permitted. The carbon-carbon brakes originally used in 1981 and 1982 are also banned and the cars must run with conventional brake pads and steel brakes. The cars use [[Cooper Tire & Rubber Company#Avon Rubber PLC|Avon]] slick tyres.<ref>Noakes (2007) pp.177–180</ref> Christian Glaesel won the 2005 FIA Historic Formula One Championship driving a BT49D and Joaquin Folch won the 2012 championship in a BT49C.<ref>Bunston, Smith (2011) p.129</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Miranda|first=Robson|title=F1 Historic: Joaquin Folch é o Campeão de 2012|trans-title=F1 Historic: Joaquin Folch is the 2012 Champion|url=https://www.speedracing.com.br/f1-historic-joaquin-folch-e-o-campeao-de-2012/|publisher=SpeedRacing|language=pt|date=24 October 2012|access-date=30 July 2021|archive-date=30 July 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210730202304/https://www.speedracing.com.br/f1-historic-joaquin-folch-e-o-campeao-de-2012/|url-status=live}}</ref>

{{Clear}}

== Complete Formula One World Championship results ==
([[:Template:F1 driver results legend 2|key]]) (Results in '''bold''' indicate pole position; results in ''italics'' indicate fastest lap)
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size:95%"
! scope="col" | Year
! scope="col" | Team
! scope="col" | Engine
! scope="col" | Tyres
! scope="col" | Drivers
! scope="col" | 1
! scope="col" | 2
! scope="col" | 3
! scope="col" | 4
! scope="col" | 5
! scope="col" | 6
! scope="col" | 7
! scope="col" | 8
! scope="col" | 9
! scope="col" | 10
! scope="col" | 11
! scope="col" | 12
! scope="col" | 13
! scope="col" | 14
! scope="col" | 15
! scope="col" | 16
! scope="col" | Points
! scope="col" | {{Abbr|WCC|World Constructors' Championship position}}
|-
| Rowspan="4" | {{F1|1979}}
| Rowspan="4" | [[Parmalat]] [[Brabham|Racing Brabham]]
| Rowspan="4" | [[Ford Motor Company|Ford]] [[Cosworth DFV|DFV]] [[V8 engine|V8]]
| Rowspan="4" | {{Goodyear}}
|
| [[1979 Argentine Grand Prix|ARG]]
| [[1979 Brazilian Grand Prix|BRA]]
| [[1979 South African Grand Prix|RSA]]
| [[1979 United States Grand Prix West|USW]]
| [[1979 Spanish Grand Prix|ESP]]
| [[1979 Belgian Grand Prix|BEL]]
| [[1979 Monaco Grand Prix|MON]]
| [[1979 French Grand Prix|FRA]]
| [[1979 British Grand Prix|GBR]]
| [[1979 German Grand Prix|GER]]
| [[1979 Austrian Grand Prix|AUT]]
| [[1979 Dutch Grand Prix|NED]]
| [[1979 Italian Grand Prix|ITA]]
| [[1979 Canadian Grand Prix|CAN]]
| [[1979 United States Grand Prix|USE]]
|
| Rowspan="4" | '''0'''{{ref|A|1}}
| Rowspan="4" |'''NC'''{{ref|A|1}}
|-
| [[Niki Lauda]]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| WD
|
| 
|-
| [[Nelson Piquet]]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| style="background:#EFCFFF;"| Ret
| style="background:#EFCFFF;"| ''Ret''
|
|-
| [[Ricardo Zunino]]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| style="background:#CFCFFF;"| 7
| style="background:#EFCFFF;"| Ret
|
|-
| Rowspan="4" | {{F1|1980}}
| Rowspan="4" | [[Parmalat]] [[Brabham|Racing Brabham]]
| Rowspan="4" | [[Ford Motor Company|Ford]] [[Cosworth DFV|DFV]] [[V8 engine|V8]]
| Rowspan="4" | {{Goodyear}}
|
| [[1980 Argentine Grand Prix|ARG]]
| [[1980 Brazilian Grand Prix|BRA]]
| [[1980 South African Grand Prix|RSA]]
| [[1980 United States Grand Prix West|USW]]
| [[1980 Belgian Grand Prix|BEL]]
| [[1980 Monaco Grand Prix|MON]]
| [[1980 French Grand Prix|FRA]]
| [[1980 British Grand Prix|GBR]]
| [[1980 German Grand Prix|GER]]
| [[1980 Austrian Grand Prix|AUT]]
| [[1980 Dutch Grand Prix|NED]]
| [[1980 Italian Grand Prix|ITA]]
| [[1980 Canadian Grand Prix|CAN]]
| [[1980 United States Grand Prix|USE]]
|
|
| Rowspan="4" style="background:#FFDF9F;"|'''55'''
| Rowspan="4" style="background:#FFDF9F;"|'''3rd'''
|-
| [[Nelson Piquet]]
| style="background:#DFDFDF;"| 2
| style="background:#EFCFFF;"| Ret
| style="background:#DFFFDF;"| 4
| style="background:#FFFFBF;"| '''''1'''''
| style="background:#EFCFFF;"| Ret
| style="background:#FFDF9F;"| 3
| style="background:#DFFFDF;"| 4
| style="background:#DFDFDF;"| 2
| style="background:#DFFFDF;"| 4
| style="background:#DFFFDF;"| 5
| style="background:#FFFFBF;"| 1
| style="background:#FFFFBF;"| 1
| style="background:#EFCFFF;"| '''Ret'''
| style="background:#EFCFFF;"| Ret
|
|
|-
| [[Ricardo Zunino]]
| style="background:#CFCFFF;"| 7
| style="background:#CFCFFF;"| 8
| style="background:#CFCFFF;"| 10
| style="background:#EFCFFF;"| Ret
| style="background:#EFCFFF;"| Ret
| style="background:#FFCFCF;"| DNQ
| style="background:#EFCFFF;"| Ret
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|-
| [[Héctor Rebaque]]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| style="background:#CFCFFF;"| 7
| style="background:#EFCFFF;"| Ret
| style="background:#CFCFFF;"| 10
| style="background:#EFCFFF;"| Ret
| style="background:#EFCFFF;"| Ret
| style="background:#DFFFDF;"| 6
| style="background:#EFCFFF;"| Ret
|
|
|-
| Rowspan="3" | {{F1|1981}}
| Rowspan="3" | [[Parmalat]] [[Brabham|Racing Brabham]]
| Rowspan="3" | [[Ford Motor Company|Ford]] [[Cosworth DFV|DFV]] [[V8 engine|V8]]
| Rowspan="3" | {{Goodyear}}<br />{{Michelin}}
|
| [[1981 United States Grand Prix West|USW]]
| [[1981 Brazilian Grand Prix|BRA]]
| [[1981 Argentine Grand Prix|ARG]]
| [[1981 San Marino Grand Prix|SMR]]
| [[1981 Belgian Grand Prix|BEL]]
| [[1981 Monaco Grand Prix|MON]]
| [[1981 Spanish Grand Prix|ESP]]
| [[1981 French Grand Prix|FRA]]
| [[1981 British Grand Prix|GBR]]
| [[1981 German Grand Prix|GER]]
| [[1981 Austrian Grand Prix|AUT]]
| [[1981 Dutch Grand Prix|NED]]
| [[1981 Italian Grand Prix|ITA]]
| [[1981 Canadian Grand Prix|CAN]]
| [[1981 Caesars Palace Grand Prix|CPL]]
|
| Rowspan="3" style="background:#DFDFDF;"| '''61'''
| Rowspan="3" style="background:#DFDFDF;"|'''2nd'''
|-
| [[Nelson Piquet]]
| style="background:#FFDF9F;"| 3
| style="background:#CFCFFF;"| '''12'''
| style="background:#FFFFBF;"| '''''1'''''
| style="background:#FFFFBF;"| 1
| style="background:#EFCFFF;"| Ret
| style="background:#EFCFFF;"| '''Ret'''
| style="background:#EFCFFF;"| Ret
| style="background:#FFDF9F;"| 3
| style="background:#EFCFFF;"| Ret
| style="background:#FFFFBF;"| 1
| style="background:#FFDF9F;"| 3
| style="background:#DFDFDF;"| 2
| style="background:#DFFFDF;"| 6
| style="background:#DFFFDF;"| '''5'''
| style="background:#DFFFDF;"| 5
|
|-
| [[Héctor Rebaque]]
| style="background:#EFCFFF;"| Ret
| style="background:#EFCFFF;"| Ret
| style="background:#EFCFFF;"| Ret
| style="background:#DFFFDF;"| 4
| style="background:#EFCFFF;"| Ret
| style="background:#FFCFCF;"| DNQ
| style="background:#EFCFFF;"| Ret
| style="background:#CFCFFF;"| 9
| style="background:#DFFFDF;"| 5
| style="background:#DFFFDF;"| 4
| style="background:#EFCFFF;"| Ret
| style="background:#DFFFDF;"| 4
| style="background:#EFCFFF;"| Ret
| style="background:#EFCFFF;"| Ret
| style="background:#EFCFFF;"| Ret
|
|-
| Rowspan="3" | {{F1|1982}}
| Rowspan="3" | [[Parmalat]] [[Brabham|Racing Brabham]]
| Rowspan="3" | [[Ford Motor Company|Ford]] [[Cosworth DFV|DFV]] [[V8 engine|V8]]
| Rowspan="3" | {{Goodyear}}
|
| [[1982 South African Grand Prix|RSA]]
| [[1982 Brazilian Grand Prix|BRA]]
| [[1982 United States Grand Prix West|USW]]
| [[1982 San Marino Grand Prix|SMR]]
| [[1982 Belgian Grand Prix|BEL]]
| [[1982 Monaco Grand Prix|MON]]
| [[1982 Detroit Grand Prix|DET]]
| [[1982 Canadian Grand Prix|CAN]]
| [[1982 Dutch Grand Prix|NED]]
| [[1982 British Grand Prix|GBR]]
| [[1982 French Grand Prix|FRA]]
| [[1982 German Grand Prix|GER]]
| [[1982 Austrian Grand Prix|AUT]]
| [[1982 Swiss Grand Prix|SUI]]
| [[1982 Italian Grand Prix|ITA]]
| [[1982 Caesars Palace Grand Prix|CPL]]
| Rowspan="3" | '''19'''{{ref|A|2}}
| Rowspan="3" |'''9th'''{{ref|A|2}}
|-
| [[Nelson Piquet]]
|
| style="background:#000000; color:white"| <span style="color:white;">DSQ</span>
| style="background:#EFCFFF;"| Ret
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|-
| [[Riccardo Patrese]]
|
| style="background:#EFCFFF;"| Ret
| style="background:#FFDF9F;"| 3
|
|
| style="background:#FFFFBF;"| ''1''
| style="background:#EFCFFF;"| Ret
| style="background:#DFDFDF;"| 2
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|-
! colspan="23" |{{center|{{small|Sources:<ref>{{cite web|title=All championship race entries, in a Brabham BT49|url=https://www.chicanef1.com/query.pl?nc=0&exact=on&carmodel=Brabham+BT49&sh_year=on&sh_gp=on&sh_carno=on&sh_driver=on&sh_entrant=on&sh_team=on&sh_car=on&sh_eng=on&sh_tyres=on&sh_qualpos=on&sh_gridpos=on&sh_racepos=on&sh_dpts=on&sh_cpts=on&action=Display|publisher=ChicaneF1|access-date=30 July 2021|archive-date=30 July 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210730200255/https://www.chicanef1.com/query.pl?nc=0&exact=on&carmodel=Brabham+BT49&sh_year=on&sh_gp=on&sh_carno=on&sh_driver=on&sh_entrant=on&sh_team=on&sh_car=on&sh_eng=on&sh_tyres=on&sh_qualpos=on&sh_gridpos=on&sh_racepos=on&sh_dpts=on&sh_cpts=on&action=Display|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=All championship race entries, in a Brabham BT49C|url=https://www.chicanef1.com/query.pl?nc=0&exact=on&carmodel=Brabham+BT49C&sh_year=on&sh_gp=on&sh_carno=on&sh_driver=on&sh_entrant=on&sh_team=on&sh_car=on&sh_eng=on&sh_tyres=on&sh_qualpos=on&sh_gridpos=on&sh_racepos=on&sh_dpts=on&sh_cpts=on&action=Display|publisher=ChicaneF1|access-date=30 July 2021|archive-date=30 July 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210730200253/https://www.chicanef1.com/query.pl?nc=0&exact=on&carmodel=Brabham+BT49C&sh_year=on&sh_gp=on&sh_carno=on&sh_driver=on&sh_entrant=on&sh_team=on&sh_car=on&sh_eng=on&sh_tyres=on&sh_qualpos=on&sh_gridpos=on&sh_racepos=on&sh_dpts=on&sh_cpts=on&action=Display|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=All championship race entries, in a Brabham BT49D|url=https://www.chicanef1.com/query.pl?nc=0&exact=on&carmodel=Brabham+BT49D&sh_year=on&sh_gp=on&sh_carno=on&sh_driver=on&sh_entrant=on&sh_team=on&sh_car=on&sh_eng=on&sh_tyres=on&sh_qualpos=on&sh_gridpos=on&sh_racepos=on&sh_dpts=on&sh_cpts=on&action=Display|publisher=ChicaneF1|access-date=30 July 2021|archive-date=30 July 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210730200253/https://www.chicanef1.com/query.pl?nc=0&exact=on&carmodel=Brabham+BT49D&sh_year=on&sh_gp=on&sh_carno=on&sh_driver=on&sh_entrant=on&sh_team=on&sh_car=on&sh_eng=on&sh_tyres=on&sh_qualpos=on&sh_gridpos=on&sh_racepos=on&sh_dpts=on&sh_cpts=on&action=Display|url-status=live}}</ref>}}}}
|}

{{note|A|1}} Placings in the constructors' championship are for chassis-engine combinations. Brabham used both Alfa Romeo and Ford-powered cars during this season: the BT49-Fords scored no points and Brabham-Ford was not classified.

{{note|A|2}} Brabham used both Ford and BMW-powered cars during this season: Brabham-Ford was classified 9th.

== See also ==
* [[Williams FW07]]
* [[Lotus 88]]

==Notes==
{{reflist|3}}

==References==
;Books
*{{cite book
 | last = Blunsden
 | first = John
 | title = The Power to Win
 | publisher = Harper Perennial
 | location = New York
 | year = 1983
 | isbn = 0-900549-77-7 }}
*{{cite book
 | last = Haney
 | first = Paul
 |author2=Braun, Jeff
 | title = Inside Racing Technology
 | publisher = TV Motorsports
 |year=1995
 | isbn = 0-9646414-0-2}}
*{{cite book
 | last = Henry
 | first = Alan
 | title = Brabham, the Grand Prix Cars
 | publisher = Osprey
 | year = 1985
 | isbn = 0-905138-36-8 }}
*{{cite book
 | last = Hodges
 | first = David
 | title = A-Z of Formula Racing Cars 1945–1990
 | publisher = Bay View books
 | year = 1998
 | isbn = 1-901432-17-3
 | url-access = registration
 | url = https://archive.org/details/azofformularacin0000hodg
 }}
*{{cite book
 | last = Lang
 | first = Mike
 | title = Grand Prix!
 | publisher = Foulis
 | volume = 4
 | location = Sparkford
 | year = 1992
 | isbn = 0-85429-733-2 }}
* {{cite book
 | last = Noakes
 | first = Andrew
 | title = The Ford Cosworth DFV
 | publisher = Ignatius Press
 | location = San Francisco
 | year = 2007
 | isbn = 978-1-84425-337-1 }}
* {{cite book
 | last = Nye
 | first = Doug
 | title = Autocourse history of the Grand Prix car 1966–85
 | publisher = Hazleton publishing
 | year = 1986
 | isbn = 0-905138-37-6 }}
* {{cite book
  | editor1-last = Bunston
  | editor1-first = John
  | editor2-last = Smith
  | editor2-first = David
  | title = FIA Historic Formula One Championship Review 2011 Yearbook
  | url = https://issuu.com/jonbunston/docs/hfo2011_ebook
  | year = 2011
  | publisher = Butler Tanner Dennis Ltd
  | location = Great Somerford, England
  | isbn = 978-0-9570868-0-7
}}
;Magazines
* {{cite journal
 | last = Frankel
 | first = Andrew
 | title = Simply the best
 | pages = 46–49
 | journal = [[Motor Sport (magazine)|Motor Sport]] 
 | publisher = Motor Sport Magazine Ltd
 | date =May 1999
 | volume = LXXV
 | number = 5
 | url = https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/archive/article/may-1999/46/simply-the-best }}

== External links ==
{{Commons category|Brabham BT49}}
* [http://www.racing360.fr/fia-historic-f1-brabham-bt49/ Brabham BT49 in spherical 360° image] {{Webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20130213165303/http://www.racing360.fr/fia-historic-f1-brabham-bt49/ |date=13 February 2013 }}

{{F1 cars 1979}}
{{F1 cars 1980}}
{{F1 cars 1981}}
{{F1 cars 1982}}
{{Brabham|BT49}}

{{Good article}}

[[Category:Brabham Formula One cars]]
[[Category:1979 Formula One season cars]]
[[Category:1981 Formula One season cars]]
[[Category:Formula One championship–winning cars]]