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Technology in race cars (49): Brabham BT 49 C - hydropneumatic revolution

Name: Brabham BT 49 C 1981
Brand: Brabham

Created on July 4, 2024

Text:

Gerhard Schütz

Photos:

Daniel Reinhard

Archiv Gerhard Schütz

Bruno von Rotz

Balz Schreier

Julien Mahiels

Stuart Adams

Daniel Reinhard

Archiv Gerhard Schütz

Bruno von Rotz

Balz Schreier

Julien Mahiels

Stuart Adams

Brabham BT49 - Formula One Championship - Masters Historic Festival Brands Hatch 2018

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Brabham BT 49C, ahead of Williams, its strongest rival

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Carbon plates reinforce the aluminum chassis (here after a 45 km:h crash in Monaco)

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The first crash test with a Formula 1 car took place in 1980 at BMW, where the new turbo engine for Brabham was also being developed

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Brabham BT49 (1981) - Nelson Piquet completes demonstration laps at the 2011 Brazilian Grand Prix

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Brabham BT49C (1981) - Spa Six Hours 2017 - FIA Masters Historic Formula One Championship - starting number 004

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Joaquin Folch won the first Historic Formula 1 (FIA HFO) race at the Bosch Hockenheim Historic 2012 in the 1981 Brabham BT49C

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Brabham BT49C (1981) - in the Historic Formula 1 (FIA HFO) race at the Bosch Hockenheim Historic 2012

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Brabham BT49C (1981) - FIA Masters Historic F1 Championship at the AvD OGP 2016

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Brabham BT49C (1981) - Grand Prix Masters (F1 1970-1983) at the AVG OGP 2011

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Summary

With the Brabham BT 49 with Cosworth engine, Gordon Murrey built a progressive and fast Formula 1 racing car. But it was only with the hydropneumatics introduced in the BT 49 C that the monoposto became truly superior ... when it worked.

This article contains the following chapters

Flashback
The BT49 from 1980
BT49B version from 1980
BT49C version in 1981
On the way to the BMW turbo engine
Epilogue: What ground effect has to do with suspension hydraulics

Estimated reading time: 6min

Preview (beginning of the article)

The years 1958-1981 were the most creative in the history of racing technology. This series portrayed the most innovative, pioneering and exotic designs of Formula 1, Indy Cars, sports cars and Can-Am, tracing the major lines of development that still have an impact today. For 1976, team boss Bernie Ecclestone had signed a contract with Alfa Romeo to bring their 180-degree V12 from the two-seaters into Formula 1, under the impression of the successful Ferrari twelve-cylinder "boxer". Chief designer Murray was anything but happy about this. This engine required larger radiators, bigger tanks and a subframe at the rear - all things that contradicted his "reduce-to-the-max" philosophy. On the other hand, it was this engine that would indirectly lead the designer to his legendary " vacuum cleaner", the Brabham BT46B and its sensational debut victory in Sweden in 1978.

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