Video: Brabham BT42 blasts FOS with DFV roar

12th June 2020

Ben Miles

Brabham were in the doldrums in the early 1970s. Its talismanic leader had sold the company, which had then been sold on again. Brabham finished ninth two seasons in a row in 1971 and 1972, struggling to five and seven points in these seasons.

But in 1973 they had a young designer called Gordon Murray working on their team, his first work was the Brabham BT42, a wedge-y angular replacement for the more traditionally cigar-like BT37. It was an instant success, propelling Brabham, with drivers Carolos Reutemann and Wilson Fittipaldi up to fourth in the Constructors’ Championship, Reutemann picking up a pair of podium finishes along the way.

In 2011, the very lucky Paul Knapfield was at the wheel of a BT42 at the Festival of Speed presented by Mastercard. Lining up in the Timed Shootout Knapfield had the honour of hurling this DFV-powered screamer up the Goodwood Hill, and he did so in some style. It’s a brilliant piece of Brabham’s mid-history renaissance and boy does it sound and look incredible.