BRM P126

The BRM P126, also known as B.R.M. P126 designated, was a Formula 1 racing car, which was used in the world championship of Formula 1 in 1968 and 1969.

Development history and technology

In the years 1966 and 1967 had B.R.M. placed on the motor design of the H16 -16 - cylinder engine. After this path does not lead to the desired success, was in 1967 an alternative unit - the BRM P142 -3 -liter V12 engine - which was used in the McLaren M5A by Bruce McLaren. Around this vehicle designed by the British race car builder Len Terry a new single-seater. Terry was not at B.R.M. employed, but worked as a freelance designer. Thus was the P126, the first BRM race car that the team did not construct itself.

Terry built a new Trellis frame for the 12 - cylinder engine. The engine was originally a sports car engine, which was designed in 1967 for the Mirage M2. The engine had two valves per cylinder - in contrast to other engines in the formula, which possessed almost all already have four valves per cylinder - and made 360 hp. The vehicle had an aluminum monocoque, a 5 - speed quick shift gearbox from Hewland and weighed 540 kg. 3 cars were built, with a vehicle to Reg Parnell Racing was issued.

Racing history

His racing debut of the P126 in 1968 the Grand Prix of South Africa. At the wheel of the company car Pedro Rodríguez sat. After a tenth place in the training of Mexicans fell in the race after 20 laps due to a defective fuel supply from. In Spain, the work team decided on a use of the P126 and relied on the parallel developed P133. Piers Courage fell out in Parnell P126. Again was a faulty fuel pump, the reason for the failure. At the third race of the season, the Monaco Grand Prix, there were the first countable income. Richard Attwood drove the factory P126 to the second place overall and set the fastest lap of the race. It was the best finishing position of P126 in a World Championship race.

More rankings in the points reached Courage in France ( sixth) and the race in Germany ( fourth).

In 1969 the factory team only a P133 and P138 types. At the beginning of the season denied Pedro Rodríguez some races with the Reg Parnell P126; significant results could not be achieved.