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Carlos and his BT44

24. Apr 2023 
by Ziv Knoll
2620 views

Argentinian Carlos Reutemann was signed by Brabham F1 team boss Bernie Ecclestone to drive for the 1972 season. Sensation at the first race in Buenos Aires, Reutemann qualifies his Brabham BT34 on pole position! Two podium finishes then punctuated his 1973 season, and for 1974, engineer Gordon Murray designed the Brabham BT44, which was an even more competitive car.

Reutemann, who very much liked the BT44, took the first three victories of his Formula One career in 1974; in South Africa, Austria and the Untied States. Though he matched Drivers’ Champion Emerson Fittipaldi’s win total, inconsistent performances in the other races, left Reutemann sixth in the season standings.

Five podium finishes in 1975, at the wheel of the slightly improved BT44b, including a win in Germany, at the great 14-mile Nürburgring (picture below), allowed Reutemann to place third in that year’s championship, won by Niki Lauda.

Gordon Murray remembers: “He had this temperament where everything had to be right in his head, but when it was right… On his day, unbelievably quick. And the BT44 was his favourite little car. On a quick circuit, when his head was in the right place, untouchable. And a very nice guy in between races as well.”

 

 

 

Source: Stuart Dent

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