Three-time formula one world champion Sir Jack Brabham has passed away, aged 88
He put Australia on the world’s biggest motorsport stage and promised “to die without an enemy in the world”. Vale Sir Jack Brabham, AO, OBE, you certainly achieved that.
Sir Jack Brabham won the Formula 1 World Driver’s in 1959, 1960 and 1966 – the only Australian to do so. He pioneered his own racing team and engines with help from Repco in Melbourne and co-driver Ron Tauranac. His team won the Constructor’s Championship in 1966 and ’67, he won 14 Grands Prix, took 13 Pole Positions, placed second ten times and third seven times, was Australian of the year 1966 and awarded his OBE the following year, was knighted for his services to motorsport in 1979, is the only driver in F1 history to win the championship in a car of his own design, raced 126 F1 GPs from 1955 to 1970 and won the Australian and NZ GPs three times.
These achievements are written into our motorsport history, but it’s his gritty determination that inspired generations of youngsters to follow their dreams that is etched into our nation’s motorsport psyche. The list of names that dreamed of motorsport success like Jack’s is endless. From engineers and mechanics to go-karters and the big Aussie names in motorsport across the globe, Sir Jack Brabham’s passion and humble-yet-competitive nature will be forever remembered. As Sir Jack battled illness for many years, his enthusiasm for motorsport and greeting his fans and the broader motoring community never waned. Nor did his trademark smile.
Today we say thank you and rest in peace, Sir Jack. Your legacy will live forever.
“I’ve really had a lot of fun. It’s been fantastic really. I’ve had a very full life.”
Read more on Sir Jack’s fantastic motorsport achievements here.