r/F1Technical • u/phoexnixfunjpr • Dec 27 '21

Historic F1/Analysis Brabham BT46B: Designed by Gordon Murray who found a loophole in the regulations and attached a massive fan to create a vacuum under the car and increase downforce. Driven by Niki Lauda at the '78 Swedish Grand Prix, it won the only race it ever competed in as it got withdrawn immediately after.

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20

u/DragonAspect Dec 27 '21

Why was it withdrawn? I image the other teams protested hard against this but was there any other reason?

29

u/Omnislip Dec 27 '21

In addition to Bernie’s masterful politics, the engineers and drivers of this car have commented on their fear that this car could kill someone, such was it’s impressive speed through the corners on tracks where safety was a million miles from where we are now.

While this wasn’t the main reason, I’m sure it didn’t hurt the decision either.

8

u/kavinay John Barnard Dec 27 '21

safety was a million miles from where we are now.

Indeed, watching races from the early 80s and my heart is in my mouth not from wheel to wheel but rather drivers just sauntering across the track after beaching their car, etc.

10

u/[deleted] Dec 28 '21

As an example of how lax were the safety concerns, in 1981 Arrows mechanic Dave Luckett was still on the grid trying to fire up Riccardo Patrese's car when they actually started the race, he was hit by the second Arrows driver Sigfried Stohr and suffered broken legs in what was a sickening incident that anyone who witnessed it like me will never forget. It was a miracle he wasn't killed.

26

u/phoexnixfunjpr Dec 27 '21

The team owner became the Chief of Formula One Constructor's Association (FOCA) the same year and felt that other teams would be upset and that could collapse the FOCA.

13

u/phonicparty Dec 27 '21

Bernie Ecclestone - who was then the owner of Brabham - was working to build FOCA and was worried that the other teams' objections to the fan car would lead to it collapsing

7

u/SatisfactionAny20 Dec 28 '21

I think the fan doesn't actually create a vacuum, but it basically helps direct the air underneath the car to the diffuser, that's what's actually creating downforce, he talked about this in one of his videos on the T50, and said that it's a common misconception that people think the fan is sucking the car down.

2

u/downvotegilles Dec 28 '21

While true for the T.50, this fan was all about creating suction "per square inch" as he describes in a video about the Brabham.