Brabham BT62 Sets The Pace At Phillip Island

by Brabham Automotive | May 25, 2018

The Brabham BT62 has been designed and engineered to conquer the track and reward its driver with blistering lap times.

In an exclusive video released today, the BT62 is seen lapping Australia's Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit at incredible speeds during its extensive pre-launch testing programme, with Managing Director and multiple Le Mans winner, David Brabham, behind the wheel.

More than two years in development, David Brabham has led a team of test drivers to assess and validate the BT62's performance, honing its handling characteristics to deliver a car that performs and rewards like no other.

Reflecting on Brabham Automotive's first car, which was unveiled in London earlier this month and positions the brand for the future, David Brabham said: 'Our intent was to produce a car which re-established the connection between vehicle and driver, without compromising performance or safety. It had to be faster than the current breed of GT racing cars, but balance outright performance with durability. From my very first drive, it was clear that we had created something really special.'

Brabham Automotive's Director of Technology and Engineering, Paul Birch, explained how the car has been engineered to deliver such a high standard of performance: 'Don't think of the BT62 as a supercar or track-biased road car, think of it as an unrestricted GT racer – it's in a different league. Weighing just 972kg dry, it's light. Very light. Factor in the car's power, and the way the Brabham engine delivers its performance and you have an incredibly effective package.'

To achieve its extreme cornering speeds and help translate its power into pace, the BT62 employs componentry from some of motorsport's finest, including competition slick tyres from Brabham Automotive's official tyre supplier and technical partner, Michelin.

The chassis is optimised utilising pushrod-actuated adjustable Öhlins dampers with coilover springs, and an adjustable motorsport traction control system. The BT62's immense stopping power comes from bespoke Brembo carbon on carbon brakes for optimal performance, lap after lap, with the unique addition of motorsport ABS.

The car's phenomenal mechanical grip is further enhanced by the BT62's intricate and light-weight carbon fibre body, which has been designed and shaped to maximise aerodynamic efficiency, manipulating the air flow around the car to generate 1,200kg of downforce.

Birch added. 'To give you an idea of just how fast it is, we eclipsed the official outright lap record at Phillip Island during testing – a record formerly held by an open-wheeled car. We didn't go out to set a time, and it wasn't officially recorded, but it demonstrates the car's potential.'

Drawing on more than three decades of racing experience, David Brabham knows exactly what a driver needs from a car like the Brabham BT62. He explained, 'The BT62 has been engineered to give drivers the inspiration and confidence to push themselves to find a new limit and provide maximum reward for effort; something we'll help them achieve through a personalised driver development programme to ensure they get the very best from themselves and their car.'

The Brabham BT62 makes a bold statement in heralding the iconic brand's return to manufacturing, and with only seventy examples of this exclusive car to be manufactured, interest has been incredibly high, and first deposits already taken. With production taking place at Brabham Automotive's advanced engineering and manufacturing facility in Adelaide, build slots are currently being allocated and first deliveries are expected later this year.

Photo credit: Brabham Automotive
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