Matthew Brabham, the grandson of triple Formula One world champion Sir Jack Brabham, has won the USF2000 Championship in his first year in the championship. The 18-year-old Australian, who is the son of Jack’s oldest son Geoff, began karting at the age of seven and has raced single-seaters since he was 14.
“I didn’t expect to come into the year and, within the first couple of races, to be up to the front straight away,” he said. “So my goals changed pretty quickly and I was going for the championship for the rest of the year.”
Brabham was born in Florida but also lives in Australia.
He has a lot to live up to. Sir Jack Brabham was the Formula 1 World Champion in 1959, 1960 and 1966. His three sons Geoff, David and Gary were also accomplished racing drivers, with David being a regular F1 driver in the 1990s and Geoff and Gary both getting close.
Joe – it was interesting seeing David in the Senna documentary. Any reason why he never got a chance with a bigger team?
If McLaren flick Hamilton, they should sign the boy up pronto.
As a fan growing up in the ’60s, there’s something warm about seeing the name Brabham up there again. Here’s hoping he can get to the top – I wish him all the best. He has a lot to live up to; doubtful if he’ll surpass the achievements of Sir Jack but you never know!
One Championship down many more to come well Done….
There must be something in the Genes. Think of all those “sons of ” that have become racing drivers. The Hills, The Surtees (RIP), The Brundles, The Heifeilds, The Rosbergs- to name but a few.
Apologies to the Heidfields!
Congrats to him, but, the AOWR ladder leads to nowhere…
Forget the history Matthew, just enjoy yourself and do your best like your GrandPa did.
Being American/Au, Matthew has taken the necessary step towards avoiding the Au tall Poppy Syndrome his Grandfather is currently suffering.
We long for the day when an Aborigine Australian gets into F1, then there will be some deep soul-searching in the Homeland.
As an Australian, I’m utterly baffled by these comments. Clearly you made them with honest intentions, but they are so divorced from reality I have to wonder what made you think they were real?
Sir Jack is not a victim of tall poppy syndrome. I assume you are talking to his and Alan Jones’ relative obscurity in the pantheon of sporting heroes of our past?
So… in effect Australians only revere cricketers and the pack rapist thugs that are rugby league players?
Not the same as tall poppy syndrome. And how, just how, do you think the presence of an Aborigine in the sport would cause soul searching here?!
I spot a new resident of Parramatta!
You are surely not up to speed on Sir JB, and the recent multiple accusations of (true or false) business impropriety.
To answer you final question, simply ask any passing Aborigine in Sydney, if he or she feels they have been given equal opportunity to flourish in Australia, and if not to explain in simple words why not.
I suggest you stand well back.
For one; I live on the lower North Shore; and two I would submit being the victims of genocide might rate highly on their list.
However, in asking that question, or indeed shoehorning awareness onto a bunch of large indifferent blog posters, have to do with Formula 1?
If I may just jump in for a second as an Aussie in Melbourne.
We don’t care for Rugby that much.. AFL is more our thing.
Also a bit of tennis…. But mostly AFL. AFL gets onto the front page of the Herald Sun and Age regularly even if there are politics are other ‘actual news’ happening.
No one really knows about Jack Brabham nor Alan Jones for several reasons… which I will list a few
- JB raced nearly half a century ago. Won two of his titles more than a century
- Alan Jones is hardly doing anything to promote his name
- AJ also shares a name with Alan Jones the idiotic broadcaster who does get his name about. It’s hard for most to think of two fringe people even if one is political frigne and the other raced in a fringe sport
- F1 is not mainstream
As for why no Aboriginal racers (some reasons again)
- more likely to be disadvantaged, hence no money for karting championship after championship – not really relevant here as most people can’t afford it
- more likely to be raised playing footy (in its forms)
I’ve heard many things, one of them isn’t Aboriginals wanting to become an F1 driver though.
Manley has limited news access now?
A relevant F1 comment was made, a “large indifferent blog poster” asked for elucidation.
Light was given sufficient to pass mental blinkers.
Subject now closed by Joe
correct me if I’m wrong, but I believe two of his sons are also LeMans winners?
Quite an accomplished racing family – So congrats to Matthew!
If he was born in Florida that means he holds duel citizenship? When he makes it to the big show we can say we have an American in F1!!
Wasn’t the last one the embarrassingly named Scot Speed?
Inappropriately named surely, but nothing to be embarrassed about
A subtle but important difference
That name again!
Monisha, Don’t be fooled…
I was shocked to see a photo of a Sauber today with a war-mongers name prominently emblazoned on its airbox.
Doubtless Monisha has been swayed by PR patter about silicon photovoltaic cells, and how green they are today.
But to punters of a certain age, the name Oerloikon is indissolubly linked to lethal 20mm cannons used as anti-aircraft weapons, and German air to air guns during the Second World War. The WW1 German company was quietly moved to neutral Switzerland, after the 1919 Armistice agreement prohibited Germany from manufacturing lethal weapons.
Hint to Monisha: Try getting them to change their name something more Swiss.
With that line of reasoning, we may as well ban all German, Austrian, Italian, Japanese, Finnish, Romanian, Hungarian, Spanish, Swedish, and Czech drivers, teams, sponsors, races, and companies from F1. Also, French, Polish, Russian, Dutch, Belgian, Ukrainian, Belorussian, Korean, and Chinese slave labourers helped them, so they’re out too. Leaving the Brits, the Norgewians, and Bulgarians, with some crazy Canucks, Kiwis, and Ozzies for F1. Americans are out because, well, they’re American…
This appears like the response of a 15 year-old for whom the name Oerloikon means nothing. For the rest of us, it means weapon of death, and so best avoided Monisha.
Time moves on. Oerlikon is a multi-faceted technology comglomerate. The name is associated with an anti-aircraft gun used by all sides during and after WW2. The Oerlikon firm, named after the town where it was based, acquired all rights to the German design after a previous Swiss firm went bankrupt. As to whether it was a weapon of death one might argue that as its role was to shoot down bombers, it was only ever used in self-defence.
I agree Joe, Colin seems to be unaware that Benz sublet offices next door to their showroom in the thirties to help out the NAZI party. Plus BMW supplied a few motors to the war effort!
Entire books have been written on this subject. While one should not forget what happened, we should also remember that it was all 70 years ago – and we are smart enough to have created a community that does not need to destroy its best and brightest every 30 years.
Agreed. Colin seems fixated on the one company, however, the Germans are now allies. Let’s be sensible about this.
Sensible, not insensible and naive.
Get it off!
Those Swiss genes emanating again Sir!
The Oelikon cannon was the basis for the cannon used in all front-line German fighter aircraft such as the FW-190 and Me-109. As such, it was clearly an offensive weapon, not defensive.
The gun you are talking about was the MG FF. The Oerlikon was an anti-aircraft gun. Anyway, this has got nothing to do with F1.
Source error Sir! All German WW2 aircraft cannon were based on the original Oerlikon design, whether credited or not, check again and you’ll see.
I have not denied that they were based on Oerlikon designs, which were in any case based on the German Becker design, but they were modified and manufactured by a German company in Germany. Anyway. This is an F1 blog. The subject is closed.
That’s the third go at it…….& you got the spelling right.
Just why do you say they can’t have the name of a German town on their bodywork?
I’m familiar with Oerlikon and if memory serves, they supplied to Allied and NATO forces both before and after the war as well. And I’m old enough to have heard first hand stories of family being bombed (or bringing bombs) on both sides during the war.
Plenty of modern day iterations of old companies helped to bring far too much death on both sides. Name a current F1 Team without a single relationship to a manufacturer or sponsor without blood on it’s hands somewhere along the line.
Well my anti-war comment seems to have provoked a little thinking, and some misinformation.
To defend the use of the name Oerlikion on current F1 cars, on the basis that we tolerate the use of the monikers; BMW and Benz, whose engines were used by the Nazis, is unbalanced and wrong-headed.
The engine manufacturers were broad-based engineering companies, whereas Oerlikon simply manufactured weapons of death. Their recent expansion into “green” products is a modern wash.
Sauber’s use of the name is akin to emblazoning the airbox with the name; Zyclon B, and claiming it is an innocent greenhouse fumigant.
Naive in the extreme, and I suspect Monisha and Peter knew nothing of Oerlikon’s history. Though Peter should have known better.
Get it off guys, try Toblerone for a wedge.
I think you should have a lie down and move on 50 years.
“Move on”… ah the ubiquitous New World Order parlance creeps into our Swiss friend’s vocabulary yet again.
Let us see if Sauber dare take their Oerlikon be-decked airbox to Goodwood Festival of Speed, and observe how many people have “moved on”.
Hint to Monisha: It’d be wise to “move on” from the war-mongering promotion to less controversial Toblerone, and BMC bicycles.
Lovely lie-down, Ta! But we must not forget recent history must we?
Neo-Nazis are flourishing because of such PC amnesia.
We need more heroes to speak up, and NWO-conformist to button-up.
This subject is closed. This is a blog about motor racing.
Fair enough Sir! It is your Blog, and I respect that.
Thank you for at least allowing me to make the points.
Have a good trip, and I hope you meet Monisha along the way, and have a quiet (private) word.
Using your logic should I now toss any Krupps commercial products from my home? or avoid all ThyssenKrupp elevators??
Why don’t you pony up several million dollars in alternative sponsorship and I’m sure Mr. Sauber will gladly shit can the Oerlikon funding.
Mr. Plow, that’s my name, that name again is Mr. Plow!
Saw him race at Road America a few weeks ago, smooth as glass.
While we’re at it, an unfamiliar name – Jack Hawksworth – has done rather well for himself in Star Mazda this year.
In a series that is building in strength, the young(ish) Briton took the crown with a round to spare, knocking down a few records in the process.
Good for him, says I.
I saw that too in this month’s issue of F-1 Racing.
Following one’s WC father is never easy, Geoff & David both did well in motorsport………but remember poor Gary & the Life F1 team? Total embarrassment.
Great to see another Brabham hit the spotlights. And remember, one does not necessarily need to get into F1 to be considered a great driver! But I have to admit it would be nice… and we can never have too many Australians in F1!
Ditto, best wishes to Matthew. But forty-one years onward, I’m still astounded by what fellow three-time champion Jackie Stewart wrote about “Black Jack” in his first book, “Faster! A Racer’s Diary”: “…when he puts it all together, he drives very, very well, although by no stretch of the imagination do I consider him great.”
Joe, should Matthew be able to become an F1 driver, would that make him the first 3rd generation driver for the sport?
No
Come on Joe – no teasing! And the answer is …
Quite a few third generation racing drivers (Hills, Brabhams, Andrettis, Fittipaldis, Unsers), but third generation F1 drivers specifically?
Aye, that’s what I meant by my other post. Sadly, I should have been more specific.
Anyhow, Matthew Brabham wouldn’t be a third-generation F1 driver ‘cos Geoff Brabham never drove in F1.
He drove F1 but he never raced them
Depends what you mean – he would still be the third generation, since his uncle David drove in F1, but not direct father to son descent.
We could keep this up for weeks…
Oh no……please no.
A quick perusal of the GP Encyclopedia at some website called GrandPrix.com, reveals no sets of three (related) drivers sharing a surname. Unless the line goes through a differently-named nephew or neice (or a woman racer is involved), I don’t think there has yet been a third generation F1 driver.
I’ll be properly fascinated when someone proves me wrong though!
I wrote most of the grandprix.com encyclopaedia! It is a bit hard to have third generation drivers in the World Championship as this began only in 1950, but if one adds pre-war Grand Prix racing one finds families such as the Pilettes, and in America you can have Andrettis and Unsers aplenty.
I’m aware of your role at grandprix.com – it’s a much appreciated resource!
Here’s another name to watch – Sage Karam. Check out this astonishing on-board from the Mazda series in Toronto, some of the best racing in the series all year, the TV coverage barely watched him as he made the others look ordinary. Reminds me of Hamilton at the Turkish GP2 race… http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MW5Dt5qmLYA