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Engine innovation in Formula 1 - the BRM H16 from 1966

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Created on February 28, 2021

Text:

Daniel Reinhard

Photos:

Daniel Reinhard

Bruno von Rotz

Py Riom - Courtesy Peter Auto

Courtesy Goodwood FoS 2016

Daniel Reinhard

Bruno von Rotz

Py Riom - Courtesy Peter Auto

Courtesy Goodwood FoS 2016

BRM P83 H16 (1966) - at the Grand Basel 2018

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BRM H16 (1966) - built short but wide and high

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BRM H16 (1966) - at 230 kg heavier than its more compact competitors

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BRM H16 (1966) - two superimposed eight-cylinder 180-degree engines

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Lotus-BRM 43 (1966) - during the demonstration drives on the occasion of the Jim Clark Tribute at the Goodwood Revival 2013

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Lotus-BRM 43 (1966) - won only one race with its 16-cylinder engine, driven here by Jackie Stewart

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BRM H16 (1967) - Formula 1 racing car in unusual surroundings - Winner of the "Formule 1 de 1966 à 1972" category - Chantilly Arts & Elégance Richard Mille 2015

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Summary

Time and again, independent-minded engineers in Formula 1 planned the great innovation leap, including Tony Rudd in the mid-sixties. He developed a sixteen-cylinder engine with a 180-degree cylinder angle and two banks of cylinders, one above the other. What promised high performance on paper proved only partially successful in racing. This Formula 1 technical report looks back at the unique design and its history.

This article contains the following chapters

Complicated hybrid technology
The 16-cylinder innovation from BRM
The main thing was performance
A dead end despite victory
The end of the end

Estimated reading time: 4min

Preview (beginning of the article)

The engine is and remains the heart of a racing car. Many different drive concepts have been used in motorsport to date. From the gas turbine to supercharged engines with up to 16 cylinders and an unrealistic W12 project, everything was there. It all began before the war with the heavy supercharged engines with up to 16 cylinders. This was followed by the era with 1.5-liter displacement and up to 12 cylinders. Then the three-liter engines dominated for a long time; the most successful engines had 8 cylinders and were called Ford Cosworth DFV. Then came the turbos, some with only 4 cylinders, and later the extremely high-revving V-10 cylinders up to today's 6-cylinder hybrid technology.

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