Banbury, Oxfordshire, UK – September 24, 2014 — Brabham, one of the most successful names in motorsport history has launched Project Brabham in a bid to come back as a world-class racing team. In the pioneering spirit of triple Formula 1 World Champion Sir Jack, Brabham will return through an innovative model of open source racing to build and fund a sustainable team. There’s just one essential ingredient required for it to work – your participation and crowdfunding support.
The exciting new journey begins with Project Brabham, where the motorsport community can become a key part of the team and shape its future through crowdfunding. The first to back Brabham Racing’s vision will get exclusive rewards only available through this first phase, while a variety of packages enable people to get involved for as little as one pound. For full details on Project Brabham visit www.brabham.co.uk.
For Jack’s son, ex-F1 driver, Le Mans winner and multiple sportscar champion David Brabham to bring the iconic name back to racing, it has to be about more than just being another team. It will be about the very embodiment of Brabham with a far bigger purpose than winning, engaging with people on a deeper level so Brabham can fire imaginations once again.
Brabham aims to return to the track in the FIA World Endurance Championship next season with a three-year LMP2 programme. In year four, the marque will finally return as a constructor by way of LMP1, with firm intentions of winning the only world title for sportscars and the greatest endurance race on earth, the Le Mans 24 Hours. Series such as the FIA Formula E Championship could also be a consideration while Brabham hopes to one-day return to Formula 1.
Openness and transparency will be at the core of the Brabham Racing team. Giving fans unrivalled behind-the-scenes access will provide a greater racing experience, incredible insight and knowledge about the team and the wider sport, while Brabham also plans to inspire drivers and engineers across the globe.
Building Brabham Racing – Together
Central to the team’s return is Brabham-Digital; three immersive web applications comprising Brabham-Fan, Brabham-Driver and Brabham-Engineer. The highly advanced portal will allow members to engage with Brabham on a new level, to live, breathe and learn through the highs and lows of creating, managing and sustaining a professional racing team.
Members of Brabham-Fan will interact and contribute towards collaborative decisions in a way no racing team has attempted before, in turn tapping into the power of collective thinking. Brabham will share everything from its investor search, driver selection process and building its premises, to the first car build, test and race. On race weekends Brabham-Fan will become the gateway for live telemetry, behind-the-scenes footage, radio communications and even race strategy.
Brabham-Driver is for those who want to know what it takes, technically and professionally, to become the ultimate racing driver. Through online training, Brabham will provide the knowledge and understanding to develop car set-up, learn how to develop a winning mentality, get advice from nutritional experts and sports psychologists, and receive training regimes from specialist coaches.
Brabham-Engineer will involve the community in the development of the team’s racing technology while providing a series of e-learning modules around what it takes to reach the pinnacle of motorsport engineering. Project challenges will cover all aspects of aerodynamics, CFD, suspension geometry and gearboxes, where members can get involved in the development of specific parts or even a future Brabham prototype, with certification of their achievements.
Through the Brabham-Digital portal, members will become an essential part of the team’s journey back to victory and share in its collective success. Anyone donating more than one pound can get from three years and up to lifetime access to one or all three of the Brabham-Digital web applications through the various Project Brabham crowdfunding packages, just visit www.brabham.co.uk.
Rebuilding The House That Jack Built
The Brabham heritage dates back to 1948 when ‘Black Jack’ started his remarkable journey. From a humble engineering workshop in Sydney, Australia, he went on to dominate the world of Formula 1. In 1966 he became the first and only driver in history to win a Formula 1 World Championship in a car of his own construction, the Repco-Brabham BT19. His third crown not only placed him as one of the top drivers of his generation but one of the most respected engineers.
Back-to-back Driver and Constructor titles with Denny Hulme in 1967 made Brabham top of the racing world and the biggest racing car manufacturer of the 1960s. The team continued long after Jack’s retirement in 1970, Nelson Piquet taking two further Driver titles in 1981 and 1983 under Bernie Ecclestone’s ownership.
Jack’s total self-belief, no fuss attitude and absolute commitment inspired numerous others, like Bruce McLaren and Dan Gurney, to break out and take their own place in the record books. He also inspired two further family generations to create their own success, underlining 60 years of racing heritage. Now, with the global support of fans, drivers and engineers, David aims to create an exciting new chapter in motorsport history.
Join The Team. Get Involved
Joining Brabham and being part of this exciting new journey offers the opportunity to not only interact in motorsport at the highest level, but also genuinely contribute to the re-launch of one of the world’s most widely revered and celebrated team names. To find out more detailed information, back Project Brabham and become part of the team, visit www.brabham.co.uk.
David Brabham, Brabham Racing Team Principal:
“We have endured a long and testing journey to protect and bring the Brabham name back under the family’s control, then decide the next step in the journey of this iconic brand. I have long dreamt of seeing the Brabham team back out on the track, winning at the highest level and continuing the legacy my father laid down when he first started the team in the Sixties.
Looking at the normal racing model was not exciting or sustainable enough for me to rebuild the team from scratch. For me to bring Brabham back we have to do things differently. After careful consideration and research we have created a new model of open source racing, which will bring fans closer to the action, inspire drivers and engineers around the world and offer the rare opportunity to be a part of this new but historical race team.
We will open the door to people and share the incredible journey that awaits us. I am a big believer in the power of collective thinking and see many advantages in this model that will help Brabham become a winning team once again, but in a new and inspiring way. Who knows where that could lead? Back to Formula 1, I hope. It will stretch people’s thinking, but I believe the time is right for a change and I am excited at what opportunities lie ahead.
Project Brabham gives people the chance to be part of the team from the start. Once we have built a large community we will start to see the power of a collective force that will attract the funds and partners to make this journey a success. Come and join us and create another piece of history.”
CONTACT:
Brabham Media Office
Emma Spearing
+44 (0) 7736 341828
media@brabham.co.uk
