TOP 10 BRABHAM F1 DRIVERS
10 CARLOS PACE
Brabham years 1974-77
Brabham starts 39
Brabham wins 1
Brabham poles 1
After showing promise at Surtees, Pace joined Carlos Reutemann at Brabham during 1974. The Brazilian demonstrated his talents early in 1975 with the iconic Gordon Murray-designed BT44B, winning his home race in round two and taking pole next time out in South Africa.
A lack of development frustrated Murray and hurt Brabham as the season progressed, but Pace still finished a solid sixth – with Reutemann third – in the final standings.
As Reutemann started to lose interest in the Alfa Romeo-powered BT45, Pace picked up the cudgels in 1976. Reliability was poor, but Pace’s attitude pleased the team and boss Bernie Ecclestone was convinced he was a future great.
The revised BT45B was more competitive in 1977 and Pace finished second in the Argentinian Grand Prix season opener, but he would not live to fulfil his potential. Pace was killed in a light aircraft crash in Brazil that March.
“If Pace had lived, I would not have needed Niki Lauda,” said Ecclestone in Alan Henry’s book Brabham: The Grand Prix Cars.
9 JOHN WATSON
Brabham years 1973-74, 1977-78
Brabham starts 50
Brabham wins 0
Brabham poles 1
Quite how Watson didn’t take a victory for Brabham is bewildering and his stats do not do justice to his time there. Watson contested his first world championship GP and first
