Brabham BT42 Startup – Spa 6 Hour

Built in 1974, this stunning Brabham BT42 is a real Formula One beauty of a bygone era. Let’s spend a moment and relive the glorious sound of that three-liter Cosworth V8. History saw Brabham become one of the largest Formula Car builders, and it remains one of the most loved names in motor racing today. In the 1960s Jack Brabham paved the way, and by 1973 it was the Brabham BT42 which would be the marque’s flagship.

Although it’s not remembered as one of the most successful Brabhams of all time, it’s a special piece of Formula One history nonetheless. The car was debuted in 1973 and continued to be used by various teams right through the 1974 season. It was powered by a 3.0L Ford Cosworth V8 which revved to 10,800RPM.

Carlos Reutemann driving the Brabham BT42 at the 1973 Swedish Grand Prix (The Cahier Archive)

It was said to weigh just 575kg and produce around 450 horsepower. Just imagine how aggressive that would have been to drive!

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Unfortunately the only footage we have of the Brabham BT42 doesn’t show it in action (if you’ve got some, we’d love to see it!), however the sound and presence alone of this thing is awesome.

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