After the disappointing collaboration with Yamaha, which in the 1991 season supplied its V12 OX99 engine to the MRD (Motor Racing Developments Ltd) team to be fitted on the Brabham BT60Y, in 1992 the Japanese manufacturer embraced the Jordan project, thus abandoning the historic British team, which was forced to resort to the inexpensive and underperforming Judd GV V10. Still under the management of Middlebridge Group Limited but completely out of funds, the 1992 season saw the use of a slightly modified version of the BT60Y, renamed BT60B.
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| BRABHAM BT60B, Eric Van de Poele Montecarlo, Monaco GP 1992 |
The departure of Sergio Rinland left only Tim Densham in charge of the British team's technical department, and his work for the '92 season was limited to redesigning the engine mounts, slightly different between the previous Yamaha V12 and the current Judd V10. The aerodynamics also changed slightly, once again designed by Hanse Fouche, with more pronounced front wing flaps and side pods that assumed a more harmonious and curved shape toward the rear, continuing all the way to the end of the diffuser ramp, fully fairing the engine and gearbox.
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| BRABHAM BT60B, Giovanna Amati Hermanos Rodriguez, Mexican GP 1992 |
Apart from that, the car’s mechanics remained completely unchanged, as did its performance, making the final year of competition for the historic British team a complete disaster. With the 1991 drivers let go, Brabham hired the budget-friendly Belgian driver Eric Van de Poele for the new season, coming from the Modena Team, where in '91 he had only qualified for a race once and was practically a rookie, and the Italian Giovanna Amati, who also had little experience, gained over three seasons in Formula 3000 with a seventh place as her best result.
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| BRABHAM BT60B, Eric Van de Poele Magny-Cours, French GP 1992 |
The hiring of a female driver, in Middlebridge’s plans, was intended as a potential catalyst for sponsorships, which, however, did not materialize, forcing Brabham to hit the track in the classic white and blue livery but without any sponsors. After the first three races, where she failed to qualify each time, the Italian driver was replaced by another young talent, Damon Hill, son of racing legend Graham Hill. Thanks to the buzz surrounding such a high-profile name behind the wheel of an equally prestigious marque, the British team mid-season secured some financial support through small sponsors that “colored” the BT60B’s nose with a vibrant purple. Despite the arrival of the young British talent, results did not improve, and in August 1992, the team contested its final race in Formula 1, the Hungarian Grand Prix, where Hill achieved 11th place, Brabham's best result of the season, though it was last and four laps down from the winner, Senna.
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| BRABHAM BT60B, Damon Hill Hungaroring, Hungarian GP 1992 |
A few days after the Hungarian race, the team's financial collapse led to its disappearance from the world of Formula 1, and the BT60B thus became the last Brabham single-seater to take part in a World Championship Formula 1 race. This marked the end of a story that began in 1962, when Jack Brabham first brought the Climax-powered BT3 to the track, during which 35 Grand Prix victories and four drivers’ titles (1 with Jack Brabham in '66, 1 with Denis Hulme the following year, and 2 with Nelson Piquet in 1981 and 1983) were achieved, along with two constructors' championships, in '66 and '67.
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