The iconic Brabham marque and Goodyear, two names synonymous with motorsport history, have announced a powerful partnership that sees Goodyear Racing tires become the official fitment for the Brabham BT62 track car and the road-legal conversion option. This collaboration marks a significant resurgence of a winning formula that first roared to life in 1965, promising to deliver cutting-edge performance and innovation for both track and road enthusiasts.
This rekindled alliance arrives as Brabham Automotive makes its highly anticipated return to racing. The Brabham BT62, a thoroughbred track machine, is set to make its competitive debut at the Britcar ‘Into the Night’ race at Brands Hatch on November 9th/10th. This event is particularly symbolic as Brands Hatch is the very circuit where Jack Brabham, in his Brabham-Repco BT19, secured British Grand Prix victory 53 years prior, a triumph achieved with Goodyear tires.
The historical significance of the Goodyear and Brabham partnership is deeply rooted in Formula One success. Together, they achieved an impressive 26 Grand Prix victories. The pinnacle of this era was Jack Brabham’s 1966 Formula 1 World Championship win in the Goodyear-equipped Brabham-Repco BT19. This was an unprecedented achievement, marking the only time a driver has won the title in a car of their own construction and bearing their name. Denny Hulme continued this dominance, securing another championship for Brabham and Goodyear in 1967. Throughout the 1970s, legendary drivers like Carlos Reutemann, Niki Lauda, and Carlos Pace proudly wore the Goodyear cap on the podium. The partnership further tasted victory in 1981 when Nelson Piquet clinched the World Championship after switching to Goodyear tires mid-season for his Brabham car.
David Brabham, Director of Brabham Automotive and son of Sir Jack Brabham, emphasized the legacy of this renewed partnership: “Goodyear and Brabham’s combined successes in motorsport are iconic. The partnership historically brought an incredible amount of success in Formula 1 and Endurance Racing and we look to continue this winning legacy through Brabham Automotive, the BT62 and future car variants. Goodyear’s ongoing global commitment to motorsport makes this the perfect time for our two brands to reunite as we progress towards Le Mans.”
The Brabham BT62 stands as the embodiment of this revitalized collaboration. This track-focused car, limited to just 70 units, is designed for ultimate performance. Weighing a mere 972kg (dry) and boasting 700bhp from its 5.4-liter V8 engine, the BT62 delivers breathtaking speed, already setting new GT3-class lap records. Generating over 1200kg of downforce, the Brabham BT62 demands tires engineered for extreme performance, making the motorsport-derived development program with Goodyear crucial for both track and future road applications.
Dan Marks, Commercial Director at Brabham Automotive, highlighted the technical synergy: “Goodyear and Brabham shared four decades of F1 success. Reigniting this technical collaboration is incredibly exciting. We chose Goodyear because they possess the tire technology to support our ambition of achieving peak performance both on the road and track.”
Beyond the track-only Goodyear Racing tires for the BT62, Brabham also offers a road-compliant conversion option. This variant will be equipped with Goodyear Eagle F1 SuperSport tires. This tire range benefits from Goodyear’s extensive racing heritage and award-winning road tire technology, delivering exceptional grip and handling. The Goodyear Eagle F1 SuperSport has already earned accolades, topping the Ultra Ultra High Performance (UUHP) tire test conducted by Tyre Reviews, a leading online tire review platform.
The Goodyear Eagle F1 SuperSport range achieves its high performance through a motorsport-derived high-friction compound. This technology provides superior lateral grip and traction and is closely related to Goodyear’s FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) tires for the 2019/20 season, commencing at Silverstone on September 1st. The track version of the Brabham BT62 will utilize Goodyear Racing tires akin to those used in the WEC, further cementing the direct link between track and road technology in this exciting partnership.
