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.jpg) TheBrabham-Alfa Romeo BT45B | |||||||||
| Category | Formula One | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Constructor | Brabham | ||||||||
| Designers | Gordon Murray Carlo Chiti(Engine Designer (Alfa Romeo)) | ||||||||
| Predecessor | BT44 | ||||||||
| Successor | BT46 | ||||||||
| Technical specifications[1] | |||||||||
| Chassis | aluminium monocoque | ||||||||
| Suspension (front) | double wishbones, pull-rod actuated coil springs over dampers, anti-roll bar | ||||||||
| Suspension (rear) | single top links, twin lower links, twin radius arms, coil springs over dampers, anti-roll bar | ||||||||
| Axle track | Front: 1,448 mm (57.0 in) Rear: 1,524 mm (60.0 in) | ||||||||
| Wheelbase | 2,464 mm (97.0 in) | ||||||||
| Engine | Alfa Romeo 115-12 andFord-Cosworth DFV 2,995 cc (182.8 cu in),Flat-12NA,mid-engine,longitudinally mounted | ||||||||
| Transmission | Hewland, Brabham 6-speedmanual | ||||||||
| Fuel | 1976-1977:FINA 1978:Agip | ||||||||
| Tyres | Goodyear | ||||||||
| Competition history | |||||||||
| Notable entrants | Martini Racing ParmalatRacing Team | ||||||||
| Notable drivers |  Carlos Pace Carlos Reutemann Rolf Stommelen John WatsonHans-Joachim Stuck Niki Lauda | ||||||||
| Debut | 1976 Brazilian Grand Prix | ||||||||
| Last season | 1979 | ||||||||
| |||||||||
| Constructors' Championships | 0 | ||||||||
| Drivers' Championships | 0 | ||||||||
TheBrabham BT45 was aFormula One car designed by South African engineerGordon Murray for the1976,1977 and1978 Formula One seasons.
The car was the first Brabham to useAlfa Romeo type 115-12 flat 12-cylinder engine with 500 hp (373 kW) and 340 N⋅m (251 lb⋅ft) of torque. It was equipped with a Hewland six-speed transmission. It used the front air intakes of the previous Brabham, but by regulation no longer has the air brooms behind the cockpit and has side panels with larger air intakes to feed the engine and more radiant surfaces. The frame was an aluminium monocoque, while the braking system was constituted by ventilated disc brakes produced by Girling. The front suspension consisted of double wishbones with pull-rods, coil springs and stabilizer bars, while the rear used coil springs and stabilizer bars.For the1978 season, pending the development ofBT46, a C version of the BT45 was created. This model was equipped with a revised radiator.
The BT45 had its first start at the1976 Brazilian Grand Prix in the hands ofCarlos Pace andCarlos Reutemann. They suffered reliability problems, especially the engine. During the first season, the best results were three-fourth places.
In1977 Pace finished second in the first race and led for thirteen laps inSouth Africa with the BT45B, and died a few days later in a plane crash. His teammate,John Watson, drove to the pole at theMonaco Grand Prix but was passed on the first lap byJody Scheckter'sWolf, after that he spent more than half of the race in second position, before retiring with gearbox problems. He then took second place inFrance, and Stuck gained two podiums, inGermany andAustria. Its results allowed the German to finish 11th overall in the Championship.
The BT45C competed in two Grands Prix in1978, before the arrival of the BT46. With this latest release, Niki Lauda achieved two podiums.Jackie Stewart tested an early BT45C (chassis number 8) in 1978 and returned an overall favourable impression of the car as well as the team, with the smooth, torquey Alfa Romeo flat-twelve and the Brabham gearbox coming in for particular praise. The chassis was not yet fully sorted and Stewart disliked the cable-operated clutch; but the Brabham was still the fastest car he ran in a series of tests atPaul Ricard.[2]
(key) (results inbold indicate pole position, results initalics indicate fastest lap)
| Year | Entrant | Engine | Chassis | Tyres | Drivers | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | Points | WCC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1976 | Martini Racing | Alfa RomeoF12 | BT45 | G | BRA | RSA | USW | ESP | BEL | MON | SWE | FRA | GBR | GER | AUT | NED | ITA | CAN | USE | JPN | 9 | 9th | ||
| Carlos Pace | 10 | Ret | 9 | 6 | Ret | 9 | 8 | 4 | 8 | 4 | Ret | Ret | Ret | 7 | Ret | Ret | ||||||||
| Carlos Reutemann | 12 | Ret | Ret | 4 | Ret | Ret | Ret | 11 | Ret | Ret | Ret | Ret | ||||||||||||
| Rolf Stommelen | 6 | Ret | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Larry Perkins | 17 | Ret | Ret | |||||||||||||||||||||
| 1977 | Martini Racing | Alfa RomeoF12 | BT45B | G | ARG | BRA | RSA | USW | ESP | MON | BEL | SWE | FRA | GBR | GER | AUT | NED | ITA | USE | CAN | JPN | 27 | 5th | |
| John Watson | Ret | Ret | 6 | DSQ | Ret | Ret | Ret | 5 | 2 | Ret | Ret | 8 | Ret | Ret | 12 | Ret | Ret | |||||||
| Carlos Pace | 2 | Ret | 13 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Hans-Joachim Stuck | Ret | 6 | Ret | 6 | 10 | Ret | 5 | 3 | 3 | 7 | Ret | Ret | Ret | 7 | ||||||||||
| Giorgio Francia | DNQ | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1978 | ParmalatRacing Team | Alfa RomeoF12 | BT45C | G | ARG | BRA | RSA | USW | MON | BEL | ESP | SWE | FRA | GBR | GER | AUT | NED | ITA | USE | CAN | 531 | 3rd1 | ||
| Niki Lauda | 2 | 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| John Watson | Ret | 8 |
^1 This total includes points scored using theBrabham BT46.
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