The Brabham BT26 was a Formula One racing car design. A development of the previous BT24, its Repco-Brabham RB860 engines were unreliable, but following a switch to Cosworth DFV engines it scored two World Championship Grand Prix wins and finished runner up in the 1969 World Constructors' Championship.
Concept Designed by Ron Tauranac, the BT26 was the final incarnation of his spaceframe F1 car, and one of the last F1 cars to be raced of such construction – forthcoming rule changes regarding fuel storage would outlaw spaceframe chassis. Tauranac had actually combined the spaceframe with stressed aluminium panels to create a semi-monocoque, enabling him to reduce the size of the spaceframe tubing and so lighten the chassis.
The other main difference between the BT24 and the BT26 was a more powerful Repco 860 series engine, but it was also less reliable; the 1968 season was plagued by a string of retirements and Jochen Rindt left to join Lotus. In 1969 the Repco engines were replaced with Cosworth DFV engines; these variants are designated BT26A.
Racing history In 1968 Rindt and Brabham between them managed only two finishes. 1969 saw an improvement; new recruit Jacky Ickx scored two wins and finished runner-up in the Driver's World Championship, and Brabham-Ford in the same position in the Constructor's Championship, with assistance from Piers Courage in a third car entered by Frank Williams' racing team.
With the Brabham team switching to the new BT33 in 1970, the BT26As were campaigned sporadically by privateer entries, with Peter de Klerk recording the best result, 11th (and last) at the South African Grand Prix. In 1971 Jackie Pretorius retired it from its final race in the South African Grand Prix.
In non-Championship events, Brabham won the 1969 BRDC International Trophy at Silverstone and Ickx won the 1969 Oulton Park International Gold Cup. de Klerk and Pretorius won three of the South African non-Championship races in 1970 and 1971.
In 1970 Derek Bell competed in the Tasman Series using a BT26A fitted with a Cosworth DFW, a 2.5 litre version of the DFV. Bell's best result was 2nd in the New Zealand Grand Prix, but engine troubles forced the cancellation of the Australian leg of the series.
Complete Formula One World Championship results
(key) (results in bold indicate pole position; results in italics indicate fastest lap) Year Entrant Engine Tyres Driver 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Points WCC Brabham Racing Organisation Repco-Brabham RB860 3.0 V8 RSA ESP MON BEL NED FRA GBR GER ITA CAN USA MEX 10 8th Jack Brabham DNS Ret Ret Ret Ret Ret 5 Ret Ret Ret Ret Jochen Rindt Ret Ret Ret Ret 3 Ret Ret Ret Ret Brabham Racing Organisation Cosworth DFV RSA ESP MON NED FRA GBR GER ITA CAN USA MEX 49 (51) 2nd Jack Brabham Ret Ret Ret 6 Ret 2 4 3 Jacky Ickx Ret 6 Ret 5 3 2 1 10 1 Ret 2 Frank Williams Racing Cars Piers Courage Ret 2 Ret Ret 5 Ret 5 Ret 2 10 Team Gunston Cosworth DFV RSA ESP MON BEL NED FRA GBR GER AUT ITA CAN USA MEX 35 4th Peter de Klerk 11 Tom Wheatcroft Racing Derek Bell Ret Gus Hutchison Gus Hutchison Ret Team Gunston Cosworth DFV RSA ESP MON NED FRA GBR GER AUT ITA CAN USA 5 9th Jackie Pretorius 11
Points were awarded on a 9–6–4–3–2–1 basis to the first six finishers at each round, but only the best placed car for each make was eligible to score points. The best five results from the first six and five from the last six were retained in 1968, the best five results from the first six rounds and the best four results from the last five rounds in 1969 and 1971 and the best six from the first seven and five from the last six in 1970. In 1968, only 4 points were scored using the BT26. The remaining 6 points were scored using the BT20 and BT24. All points scored in 1970 and 1971 using the BT33.
References