Brabham BT62: Difference between revisions

| production = 2018–present-2024

Brabham intendsintended to produce 70 cars to celebrate the 70 years since the company founder [[Jack Brabham|Sir Jack Brabham]] launched his racing career in Australia in 1948. The first 35 cars will be finished in the corresponding liveries of Brabham's 35 Grand Prix winning cars, while the rest will be finished to the owner's specifications.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.roadandtrack.com/new-cars/future-cars/a20133417/meet-the-track-hungry-brabham-bt62/|title=Meet the Track-Hungry Brabham BT62|date=2018-05-03|work=Road & Track|access-date=2018-05-06|language=en-US}}</ref> The BT62 has a retail price of around US$1.4 million (around £1 million at current exchange rates). The price includes admission into the Brabham driver development programme, which offers personalised driver coaching sessions to help the owners make the most of their cars on the track.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.roadandtrack.com/new-cars/future-cars/a19860593/the-brabham-bt62-is-a-700-horsepower-track-slayer/|title=The Brabham BT62 Is a 700-Horsepower Track Slayer|date=2018-04-19|work=Road & Track|access-date=2018-05-06|language=en-US}}</ref> All production ceased in 2024, when Brabham closed its doors.<ref>https://www.motor1.com/news/704875/brabham-supercar-is-dead/</ref>

The BT62 made its racing debut in the infamous 'Into the Night' race at [[Brands Hatch]], competing in the 2019 [[Britcar|Britcar Endurance Championship]] on the 9th and 10 November.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.britcar-endurance.com/newsRead.php?link=278&page=0|title=Goodyear and Brabham Automotive announce global partnership|website=Britcar Endurance|access-date=9 September 2019}}</ref> On the 21st of October, it was announced that [[David Brabham]] and [[Will Powell (racing driver)|Will Powell]] will pilot the car in the races.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.brabhamautomotive.com/news/brabham-automotive-announce-drivers-for-bt62-racing-debut/|title=BRABHAM AUTOMOTIVE ANNOUNCE DRIVERS FOR BT62 RACING DEBUT|website=Brabham Automotive|access-date=21 October 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.britcar-endurance.com/newsRead.php?link=282&page=0|title=Brabham Automotive Announce Drivers for BT62 Racing Debut|website=Britcar Endurance|access-date=24 October 2019}}</ref> The car started from pole position in the first race and eventually won its first ever race outing.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Wood|first=Steve|url=https://www.britcar-endurance.com/newsRead.php?link=286&page=0|title=Brands Hatch Night Race 1: Brabham BT62 Wins on Race Debut|website=Britcar Endurance|access-date=13 November 2019}}</ref> In the next race, on Sunday, Will Powell lead the field away before a safety car came out. The BT62 pitted with an [[alternator (automotive)|alternator]] problem, he rejoined the race initially but the car eventually retired, only completing 17 laps.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Wood|first=Steve|url=https://www.britcar-endurance.com/newsRead.php?link=287&page=0|title=Brands Hatch Night Race 2: Moss Motorsport BMW 1M Realises Potential|website=Britcar Endurance|access-date=13 November 2019}}</ref> The new BT62 Competition will runran in the 2020 Britcar Endurance Championship driven by reigning champion Paul Bailey, alongside [[British GT Championship|British GT4]] and Britcar champion [[Ross Wylie]], who is also Brabham Automotive's development driver. This will bewas the first customer-purchased BT62 to race in motorsport.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.brabhamautomotive.com/news/2019-britcar-champion-to-race-his-brabham-bt62-for-2020-campaign/|title=2019 BRITCAR CHAMPION TO RACE HIS BRABHAM BT62 FOR 2020 CAMPAIGN|website=Brabham Automotive|access-date=9 January 2019}}</ref> In the [[South Island Endurance Series]] in [[New Zealand]], Ownerowner Dwayne Carter and 3 Timethree-time Supercars Champion [[Shane van Gisbergen]] raced a Brabham BT62 at [[Euromarque Motorsport Park]] in a 3 hour endurance race, but had a right rear wheel come off on the second lap and returned to the track over 30 laps down an hour into the race, before retiring the car later on in the race before van Gisbergen could even turn a lap.

In 2021 a detuned evolution of the BT62 was announced as the BT63. The car is a racing specification car eligible for [[SRO GT2|GT2 regulations]]. The engine capacity was reduced to 5.2 litres with a reduced power output of {{cvt|441|kW|hp PS|0|abbr=on}} at 7,700 rpm and {{cvt|490|lbft|Nm|0|abbr=on}} of torque at 6,200 rpm. The car, known specifically as the '''Brabham BT63 GT2''' is heavier, over 1250 kg. The aim is to meet the requirements of a 2:1 power to weight ratio mandated by GT2 regulations. The BT63 made its racing debut at [[Circuit Paul Ricard]] on October 1, 2021 forin the [[2021 GT2 European Series]] run by [[High Class Racing]].