BRM 50th Anniversary 1999

The 50th Anniversary of the BRM was marked at the Coys International  Historic Festival meeting at Silverstone in July 1999 by a display of many of the cars, some of which took part in track parades.

This is a photograph I took during one of these parades when I was stuck in the middle of the Silverstone paddock overlooking the Abbey curve. Not a terribly good photograph, but the pale green BRM V16 was being driven by Argentinian driver José Froilán González who drove the V16 car in a few non-Championship races in 1952 and 1953.The car in front of the BRM V16 looks to be the 1968 BRM P133 which was driven in the display by Reine Wisell, whilst the BRM P25 at the rear seems to have Tony Brooks at the wheel.

1954 BRM P30

This car is at Luffield Corner competing in the Chopard Grand Prix Cars Race at the Coys International Historic Festival meeting at Silverstone in July 1993.

It's the 1954 BRM P30, the Mk2 version of the original V16 BRM P15. The Mk2 was shortened and lightened, but had the same 1,496cc V16 supercharged engine which was claimed to produce 600bhp at 12,000rpm. This car is chassis V16/04 (or V16 Mk2 No.1) and is being driven by Nick Mason who owned it at that time, but it's now part of Bernie Ecclestone's large collection of rare Grand Prix cars.

BRM P15

The Coys International Historic Festival meeting at Silverstone in July 1993 featured a tribute to 'British Racing Green', and a display of cars in the paddock included the one shown below.

It's a 1950 BRM V16 Mk1, also known as the P15, with the 1,496cc supercharged V16 engine said to produce some 600bhp. This car was the first BRM to be built and has been with the National Motor Museum for many years. The National Motor Museum's website says this about the car:

British Racing Motors was established in the 1940s to build a British Grand Prix car. The result was the iconic Type 15, powered by a 1½-litre 16-cylinder supercharged engine, and the first car to use disc brakes in road racing. Although ultimately unsuccessful, the BRM was a stepping stone on the path to Britain’s dominance of the sport in later years. Even with drivers such as Juan Manuel Fangio and Stirling Moss, BRM V16s met with little success, finishing in only one World Championship event, the 1951 British Grand Prix. This car, chassis 1/01, was driven to fifth place in that race by Reg Parnell.

BRM was founded by Raymond Mays and Peter Berthon, creators of the pre-war ERA car, with backing from the British motor industry. It became part of the Owen Racing Organisation in 1952, gaining 17 Grand Prix victories between 1959 and 1972.

On 1 September 2015 I showed photographs of this car, and other Mk1 and Mk2 V16 cars at Silverstone in 1999.

BRM P30

This car was on display in the paddock at the SeeRed meeting at Donington Park in September 2006.

It's the Donington Museum's 1954 BRM P30, V16 Mk2 No2, alternatively known as V16/05. After the demise of the 4½ litre/1½ litre supercharged Formula One at the end of the 1951 season the Mk1 and Mk2 BRM's were raced in Formula Libre events until 1955, after which the BRM team concentrated on the new Formula One 2½ litre BRM P25.

BRM V16

The Coys International Historic Festival meeting at Silverstone in July 1999 included a display of BRM cars to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the marque. Included in the display were three of the original BRM V16 cars.

This is the original car, designated BRM Mk1 No. 1 or V16/01 and this is the one usually on show at the National Motor Museum at Beaulieu, The Mk1 is also known as the P15.

This is BRM Mk1 No. 3, or V16/03 and is the Donington Museum car. It was driven in the BRM demonstration run that day at Silverstone by José Froilán Gonzáles.

The third car on display was the BRM V16 Mk2 No. 1, or V16/04, which was then owned by Nick Mason and driven by him in the demonstration run. It is now owned by Bernie Ecclestone. The Mk2 was also known as the P30 and was a shorter and lighter version of the Mk1.

You can read the history of the V16 BRMs in this madasafish.com history of the car.