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Brabham BT23

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Brabham BT23C
Brabham BT23 of Jochen Rindt

The Brabham BT23 was a formula racing car built by Brabham in 1967.[1][2]

Development

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The BT23 was designed as a Formula 2 racing car and most of the vehicles of this type were also used in this racing series. There was also a Tasman version and some BT23s were converted for Formula One by private drivers.

Design

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The car was equipped with a tubular chassis in space-frame configuration, while the engine that equipped it was a Ford-Cosworth FVA, a 4-cylinder in-line of 1 600 cm³ capable of delivering a maximum power of 200–220 bhp (150–160 kW), which droves the rear wheels through a F.T.200 Hewland five-speed manual gearbox. The suspension consisted of double wishbones, coaxial coil springs, and a stabilizer bar in the front section and inverted lower wishbones, trailing arms, coil springs, and stabilizer bars in the rear section. The braking system consisted of four disc brakes.

The car had a space frame, which was reinforced by load-bearing plates in the Tasman version. Jochen Rindt dominated the 1967 and 1968 Formula 2 seasons with the BT23 at will. He won nine rounds out of 15 in 1967, but, being an A driver, did not score points for the European Drivers' Championship.[3]

Racing history

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Top drivers including Derek Bell, Kurt Ahrens, Piers Courage, Peter Gethin, and Robin Widdows piloted the BT23. In 1969, motorcycle racer Bill Ivy started his Formula 2 career in a BT23. Jochen Rindt found considerable success in it, winning 9 out of the 15 races in 1967.

Formula One World Championship results

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Year Entrant Chassis Engine Tyres Drivers 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 WCC Points
1967 Gerhard Mitter BT23 Cosworth FVA 1.6 L4 D RSA MON NED BEL FRA GBR GER CAN ITA USA MEX —*
West Germany Gerhard Mitter Ret
Roy Winkelmann Racing F United Kingdom Alan Rees 7
1969 Squadra Tartaruga BT23C Cosworth FVA 1.6 L4 F RSA ESP MON NED FRA GBR GER ITA CAN USA MEX —*
Switzerland Xavier Perrot 10
Paul Seitz BT23B Climax FPF 2.8 L4 Canada John Cordts Ret NC 0

* The entries in the 1967 and 1969 German Grands Prix were in the Formula 2 class and were therefore ineligible for World Championship points or classification.

Formula One Non-Championship results

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Year Entrant Chassis Engine Tyres Drivers 1 2 3 4 5 6
1967 Roy Winkelmann Racing BT23 Cosworth FVA 1.6 L4 F ROC SPC INT SYR OUL ESP
Austria Jochen Rindt 6
United Kingdom Alan Rees 7 10
Witley Racing Syndicate United Kingdom Robin Widdows Ret
George Pitt BT23B Climax FPF 2.8 L4 United Kingdom George Pitt DNA 10
1968 P&M Racing Preparations BT23B Climax FPF 2.8 L4 F ROC INT OUL
United Kingdom Tony Lanfranchi 7 Ret
1969 Antique Automobiles BT23B Climax FPF 2.8 L4 D ROC INT MAD OUL
United States Roy Pike DNS
Graham McRae BT23C Cosworth FVA 1.6 L4 New Zealand Graham McRae DNA

References

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  1. ^ Brown, Allen (14 April 2023). "Brabham BT23 car-by-car histories". OldRacingCars.com.
  2. ^ Brown, Allen (10 January 2022). "Brabham BT23C car-by-car histories". OldRacingCars.com.
  3. ^ "1967 Brabham BT23 Cosworth - Images, Specifications and Information". Ultimatecarpage.com.