The combination of Brabham, BMW and Piquet in 1983 led to the first World Championship title with a turbocharged engine. The Brazilian Nelson Piquet overtook the long-term leader Alain Prost in the Renault during the last race in South Africa and became World Champion with a lead of only two points. However, the World Constructors’ Championship title went to Ferrari.

Piquet was already teamed with Niki Lauda for Brabham in 1979, the latter having already described him as a future world champion. Following Lauda’s resignation, Piquet became number 1 in Brabham and was crowned World Champion for the first time in 1981. Brabham then led from 1982 with BMW turbocharged engines, winning the first race, the Canadian Grand Prix, in June with Nelson Piquet. Brabham and BMW continued their working cooperation until 1987.

From 1962 to 1992, Brabham competed with its own team in Formula One. The car designations “BT” are a combination of the initials of the owner and twice World Champion Jack Brabham and his chief designer and engineer Ron Tauranac. Following Brabham’s withdrawal from the team, Bernie Ecclestone headed Brabham for one and a half decades, and it was under his leadership that BMW entered Formula One as an engine constructor. The Brabham team won four World Drivers’ Championship titles (1966, 1967, 1981, 1983) and two World Constructors’ Championship titles (1966, 1967).