Jack Brabham represented an era of racing that may never be seen again and as it turns out, a kind of driver that may never be seen again either. Brabham passed away at the age of 88 at his home in Australia’s Gold Coast.
Brabham won the Formula One title in 1959, 1960 and 1966 and was a former Australian Air Force mechanic who started racing back in 1948. Brabham moved to the UK and promptly gave Cooper them two world championships on the trot in 1959 and 1960.
Jack decided to build his own team and won the world title in his self-named car which was later bought by F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone. His son David Brabham said:
“It’s a very sad day for all of us,” David said.
“My father passed away peacefully at home at the age of 88 this morning. He lived an incredible life, achieving more than anyone would ever dream of and he will continue to live on through the astounding legacy he leaves behind.”
Jack will be missed by the entirety of the racing world as an innovator, world champion and pillar of the formative days of F1. Jack certianly represented a lot to me as a racing fan for a host of reasons. He was a privateer in an age that mattered. He was measured by the best of an era and was found to be Australia’s next true racer standing firm on soil that Bruce McLaren shared.
‘Black’ Jack Brabham was an inspiration to so many young men in Australia and beyond. Let us know what Jack meant to you, what your recollections of this man’s achievements and impact on motor sport was.
