Even the fiery designer and technical director of the Brabham team, South African Gordon Murray, chose in 1984 to stick to the philosophy of “never change a winning car”. Once again working alongside chief designer David North, he developed the Brabham BT53, which featured very few changes compared to the BT52 model used in 1983, the car that allowed Nelson Piquet to win the World Championship.
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| BRABHAM BT53, Nelson Piquet Montréal, Canadian GP 1984 |
The changes in the sporting regulations, which banned in-race refueling and simultaneously introduced a maximum fuel tank capacity of 220 liters, required structural modifications to accommodate the larger tank. The side pods were also extended to fix the engine cooling issues that had repeatedly plagued the BT52. Later in the season, the oil radiator was moved to the car’s nose, while the new side pod design allowed for the installation of upgraded intercoolers and the repositioning of the turbochargers, improving engine cooling.
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| BRABHAM BT53, Teo Fabi Nürburgring, European GP 1984 |
Thanks to these modifications, the BMW M12/13 L4T turbo engine now produced a staggering output of over 900 hp in qualifying setup and 800 hp in race configuration, allowing Piquet to achieve the highest top speed of the season—325 km/h recorded at the Kyalami circuit. The BT53’s most notable innovation was the complete transition from aluminum to carbon fiber for the chassis, aligning with what had become a necessity in Formula 1. The BT53 had a wheelbase of 2946 mm, weighed 545 kg, and used Michelin tires. The car also featured a Hewland-derived gearbox, modified by Brabham with help from Weissman, mated to the BMW turbo engine.
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| BRABHAM BT53, Nelson Piquet Hockenheimring, German GP 1984 |
Alongside reigning World Champion Nelson Piquet, the Italian sponsor pushed for an Italian driver in the second car. As a result, Bernie Ecclestone signed brothers Teo and Corrado Fabi. Since both were committed to the North American Champ Car World Series, they alternated driving duties in the second BT53, with Corrado replacing Teo on three occasions. This strategy helped Ecclestone maintain good relations with the American open-wheel racing world, ensuring Formula 1’s presence in the lucrative U.S. market.
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| BRABHAM BT53, Nelson Piquet Detroit, USA East GP 1984 |
Although the car performed well in qualifying, Piquet secured nine pole positions, the Brabham BT53 still suffered from cooling issues with the powerful BMW engine, resulting in 19 retirements. The dominance of the McLaren-TAG Porsche (with 12 wins out of 16 races) meant that Piquet couldn’t replicate his 1983 success, managing only 2 wins and two other podiums. Teo Fabi achieved just one lower-tier podium and two additional points finishes. The BT53 ended the championship with just 38 points, placing Brabham fourth in the Constructors’ standings.
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