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Brabham’s 1966 victory was born in Maidstone

07/10/2015

Australian Grand Prix corporation chief executive Andrew Westacott and Maribyrnong’s deputy mayor Cameron McDonald with Brabham's championship winning car.

By Benjamin Millar

When Sir Jack Brabham claimed his third and final Formula One drivers’ championship in 1966, there was an extra loud cheer in Maidstone.

The V8 engine powering his winning BT19 race car was developed at the former Repco-Brabham engine factory at Maidstone.

Brabham’s link to the west started a decade earlier when raced a car at nearby Cherry Lake, Altona (below).

The car enjoyed pride of place last Wednesday at a ceremony to unveil an historic marker where engineers developed the V8 engine that powered Sir Jack to his historic victory over the likes of Jackie Stewart and Stirling Moss.

The win made him the first and only driver to take out the world championship in a car of his own make.

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