In September, at the traditional festival of historic vehicles Goodwood Revival, the unique BRM MK1 P15 car with a V-shaped 16-cylinder engine with a displacement of just 1.5 liters will start the race for the first time in 70 years.
The chassis and engine were developed by BRM in the late 1940s, but were not built until the 1950s, and the British company ran out of time at the start of the first season in Formula 1 history. But the demonstration run of the car at the British Grand Prix was still going on and local fans were so enthusiastic about the car that BRM received a significant amount of private donations, which were later spent on refining the P15.
The developers of a complex turbocharged engine expected it to produce up to 600 horsepower, but in fact it developed a maximum of 485 horsepower, which was a very impressive feat at the time.
However, the drivers who drove this car in 1951 did not have much success, except that Reg Parnell managed to finish 5th at the British Grand Prix at Silverstone. And already in the next season in Formula 1, the technical regulations were changed, and the car did not correspond to them – this was the end of its participation in Formula 1 races.
But at the same time, the BRM P15 had the formal status of a “former F1 car”, and this gave the right to start non-record races and participate in a series called Formula Libre. The next stage in the history of the car was quite successful, although it did not save the BRM company from bankruptcy and a change of ownership.
After that, V16 powered P15s started another 48 Formula Libre races and crossed the finish line several times first. One of the most notable achievements was the victory at Goodwood in 1952 – then the racers speaking on such machines took all three first places. Therefore, the participation of BRM MK1 P15 in the upcoming Goodwood Revival festival has significant historical significance.
“The machine is completely original, except for the upgraded magneto,” said John Owen, 82, son of Sir Alfred Owen, former BRM team leader. “In keeping with the spirit of Goodwood, we have not redesigned the chassis to increase speed or improve handling. It’s practically the same car that entered the Goodwood Trophy 70 years ago.”
Source: F1 News
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