The new supercar wearing Sir Jack’s name

Outrageous track-ready hypercars are all the rage. The latest is from legendary motorsport name Brabham

FOR FANS OF a certain age, the Brabham name is synonymous with two things: the fast and unflappable ’60s F1 driver Jack, the man without whom the constructor would neither exist nor have a name, and the innovative Gordon Murray-designed F1 cars of the ’70s and early ’80s. Both, admittedly, were a while ago.

But now David Brabham – son of Sir Jack and a multiple Le Mans winner – is bringing the name back, eschewing a premium electric vehicle for 2018’s other big trend: an ultra light and powerful track-ready hypercar with the aeroenhanced grip to make you feel a little unwell.

The BT62 is a McLaren Senna GTR rival of sorts – a £1 million (before taxes), limited-edition (70 units) machine marrying a 5.4-litre non-turbo V8 good for 700bhp with a composite-intensive structure weighing 972kg dry. The engineering is decidedly race-inspired: carbon brakes, integrated air jacks, double-wishbone suspension with top-spec Öhlins dampers, a pneumatic sequential transmission and motorsport-grade driver assists.

Inside, it’s the same story. Climb into the FIA-approved carbon seat, click your Brabham carbonfibre steering wheel into place, secure the six-point harness and adjustable pedalbox, go shatter lap records.

No performance figures are yet being claimed but the BT62 should compare favourably with the 211mph, 2.8secto-62mph Senna (the McLaren is 90bhp more powerful but 200kg heavier – as you’d expect of a car that’s also road-legal: the Brabham is not). With ‘more than 814bhp’, the upcoming Senna GTR promises to take the fight to the Brabham. Sales are underway now via Brabham Automotive’s website (brabhamautomotive.com). Buyers will receive a driver training programme bundled in with their Brabham, to ready them for the not inconsiderable challenge of piloting their new baby to something like its full potential.