Pretty and unreliable

The Brabham BT45 was a Formula One car designed by South African engineer Gordon Murray for the 1976 Formula One season. The car was the first Brabham to use the Alfa Romeo type 115-12 flat 12 cylinder engine that produced 500 horsepower.

Picture above : Carlos Pace, Brabham BT45 Alfa Romeo, trying hard in a rain-sodden Belgian Grand Prix at Zolder, where he had to retire.

The BT45 had its first start at the 1976 Brazilian Grand Prix in the hands of Carlos Pace and Carlos Reutemann. They suffered reliability problems all through the season, especially with the engine. During this first season, the best results were three fourth places. Two for Pace in France and Germany, and one for Reutemann in Spain. A meagre booty.

Rolf Stommelen was entered in Germany in a third car, and he finished in a solid sixth position, while Larry Perkins (picture below, leading Laffite’s Ligier) replaced Reutemann for the three last races of the season in North America, but failed to score a point.