BRABHAM BT49 Ford-Cosworth DFV

   Before the 1979 Canadian Grand Prix, the final break between Brabham and Alfa Romeo took place. Since 1976, the Italian manufacturer had supplied engines to Bernie Ecclestone’s team, but under pressure from designer Gordon Murray—who opposed the Milanese engine due to its excessive width, which hindered optimal ground-effect utilization—the British team returned to using the classic Ford-Cosworth DFV V8. Thanks to its much narrower block, the Cosworth was better suited to modern aerodynamic trends. Thus, in the last two races of 1979, the first BT49 appeared on track, developed in just six weeks by adapting the old BT48 chassis to accommodate the V8 engine. This car foreshadowed the future Brabham contenders.

BRABHAM BT49, Héctor Rebaque
Österreichring, Austrian GP 1980

   After the ‘79 season ended, technical director Gordon Murray and designer David North worked on further refining the BT49 concept. The result was a new chassis, much narrower at the rear and bottom sections, with a fuel tank positioned behind the driver. This tank had 30 liters less capacity than before, thanks to the V8 Ford’s reduced fuel consumption. Most notably, for the first time in Formula 1, carbon fiber inserts were used to reinforce the structure. Murray’s meticulous engineering for the 1980 season included designing a custom transverse gearbox, derived from a Weismann, with extremely compact dimensions and available in five- or six-speed configurations. This allowed for improved airflow beneath the car and enabled the use of a rear suspension system with dampers mounted behind the gearbox housing, further reducing aerodynamic interference.

 BRABHAM BT49, Nelson Piquet
Zandvoort, Dutch GP 1980

   However, due to frequent failures, this solution was soon abandoned in favor of the bulkier but more reliable Hewland gearbox. The 1980 version of the BT49 had a wheelbase of 2,743 mm and a weight of 590 kg. With its sleek, sharp lines, it was also visually appealing, further enhanced by the elegant blue-and-white livery of its new sponsor, Parmalat. A noteworthy change for the season was the Ford V8 engine, which underwent slight modifications at Cosworth’s Northampton workshops. Accessories like water and oil pumps were made smaller and repositioned further forward on the engine sides, providing more space for ground-effect tunnels.

 BRABHAM BT49, Nelson Piquet
Long Beach, USA West GP 1980

   The DFV's power output also saw a slight increase, surpassing 510 hp, enough to make the BT49 one of the fastest cars of the 1980 season. The team’s official drivers were returning Brazilian talent Nelson Piquet and “pay driver” Ricardo Zunino, who had already replaced Niki Lauda in the final two races of 1979. Midway through the season, Zunino was replaced by another paying driver, a common practice in the early 1980s, Mexican Héctor Alonso Rebaque, who no longer had his own team. The BT49 proved to be one of the best cars of the season. With Piquet’s skill behind the wheel, it achieved three wins, two second places, and one third place, along with several other points finishes. All these results came from Piquet alone and helped Ecclestone’s team secure third place in the Constructors’ Championship with 55 points.

 BRABHAM BT49, Nelson Piquet
Montecarlo, Monaco GP 1980

During the winter between the 1980 and 1981 seasons, a special version of the car, the BT49T, was used for private testing at the Paul Ricard circuit. This mule car served for the initial trials of the BMW 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine, equipped with a single KKK turbocharger and rated at 550 hp, which would power future Brabham single-seaters.