Formula Student teams with Brabham Racing

Brabham Racing is aiming to inspire the next generation of engineers through Formula Student.

The Brabham name represents a racing dynasty that is passionate about engineering, innovation and success.

Before he sadly passed away in 2014, Sir Jack Brabham – acclaimed as one of the best ever driver-engineers in Formula 1 – was presented with a Heritage Award from the Institution. 

Now David Brabham, son of Sir Jack, is bringing back the Brabham Racing team. With its bold new model for open source motor racing, making the connection between fans, drivers and engineers truly interactive, he aims to bridge the gap between the motorsport industry and future engineers. 

David has also recently become a Formula Student ambassador. Formula Student is the Institution’s flagship international engineering challenge and is delighted to welcome David as an ambassador. 


Photo by Jakob Ebrey.

The spark that engages many young engineers is often found in motor sports. Engineering projects such as Brabham Racing and Formula Student are all about providing people with skills that can be adapted in all areas of engineering. 

David’s racing success, innovation and dedication to inspiring the next generation of engineers is a perfect fit with the objectives and successes of the Institution’s long-running competition. 

Brabham Racing will return to the track in the FIA World Endurance Championship and Le Mans Prototype 2 (LMP) in 2015. As part of this, the team is creating an online learning environment that allows its community to contribute to the team’s strategy, develop core skills and be involved in the collaborative design of the first future Brabham LMP1 car.

David said: “Through our unique online portal, Brabham-Digital, you will get exclusive access to team information, that is usually a closely guarded secret, and become a vital part of the team.”


Photo by Chris Shotanus.

One of the three Brabham-Digital web applications, Brabham-Engineer will be an e-learning portal, online motorsport engineering experience and a series of open source engineering challenges rolled into one.

David commented: “The UK has always been a global leader in motorsport engineering, dating back to the 1950s and 1960s when my father, Sir Jack Brabham, was at the centre of British dominance in Formula 1. That dominance has grown 10-fold since. Over 3,000 motorsport companies are based in Motorsport Valley, employing around 40,000 people and accounting for 80 per cent of the world’s high-performance engineers. To ensure that heritage continues, young people must have access to learning materials and know a career in motorsport is possible. 

“In motorsport, engineering knowledge and knowhow is usually locked away behind closed doors in the spirit of competition. By creating an open source platform that allows people from around the world to learn through the team, contribute to and influence its development, Brabham Racing will push the boundaries of engineering once again and help inspire the next generation of engineers.”

More details
Explore the learning opportunities provided by Brabham-Engineer. Or find out more about Formula Student.