MOTORSPORT: Coin honours Brabham

Half a century after his heyday in Formula 1, and almost three years after his death, Australia’s triple world champion Sir Jack Brabham has been honoured with a special commemorative coin.

It’s a special 50-cent coin (although it sells for $13.50 and won’t circulate as currency) and features a portrait of Australia’s greatest racing driver and the Repco-powered Brabham BT19 car in which Brabham won the 1966 F1 world championship.

New Zealander Denny Hulme claimed the crown the next year for Brabham’s team in the same car.

The 1966 title was Brabham’s third and remains unique as the only one in more than 60 years of F1 won by a driver in a car of his own construction -- although it should never be overlooked that it was designed by fellow Australian and Brabham’s long-time partner in racing, Ron Tauranac, still alive in Sydney in his 90s.

Hulme died of a heart attack while driving a BMW in the 1992 Bathurst 1000. Sir Jack died on the Gold Coast in May 2014, aged 88, after having been on kidney dialysis for many years.

On the commemorative coin the BT19 (BT standing for Brabham and Tauranac) is racing on a track painted green and gold, the Australian colours that so proudly adorned Brabham’s cars through the 1960s.

Royal Australian Mint chief executive Ross MacDiarmid said it was fascinating to think of Brabham’s ingenuity more than 50 years ago, not only to win the historic ’66 title but in the development of rear-engined F1 cars from his earlier days with the Cooper team, for which he won the 1959 and ’60 titles.

“Sir Jack Brabham was not only a superb racing car driver but he was also an innovative engineer and pioneer, paving the way forward for motorsports,” MacDiarmid said.

“As we enter the 2017 Formula 1 season [starting at the Australian Grand Prix on March 24-26], this coin celebrates one of the world’s motor racing greats and his remarkable achievements, on and off the track.”

Brabham’s youngest son, British-based David, himself an F1 driver and later successful sportscar racer, said it was “really rewarding” to see his father’s life and influence on motor racing being recognised on the special coin.

“To have our father recognised through a commemorative coin by an iconic national institution, the Royal Australian Mint, is really special and very important in carrying the Brabham legacy as my father’s achievements are likely to never be repeated with today’s technology replacing hands-on experience,” he said.

Brabham’s widow, Lady Margaret, and his eldest son Geoff (all three sons were to his first wife, Betty) recently visited the Victorian Historic Racing Register’s Sir Jack Brabham Annexe that houses the BT19 and trophies to reflect on his achievements and what the commemorative coin means to the family.

There will be a limited mintage of 30,000 coins, which can be purchased at eshop.ramint.gov.au or via tel 1300 652 020.