Britain’s Original F1 Team, British Racing Motors (BRM) is celebrating its 70th anniversary in style by fulfilling a long held ambition of one of the Owen family’s oldest surviving members to see and hear the world famous Type 15 Mk 1 BRM V16, in action once again at racing speeds. John Owen, 81, was just ten years old when he first heard and fell in love with the 16-cylinder 600-horsepower engine which can rev up to 12,000 revs – a sound widely acknowledged as one of the finest in the history of Motor Sport. A car built by Britain’s finest engineers for an expectant nation, to take on the might of the post-war Italians and Germans and raced around the grand prix circuits of Europe by legendary drivers including Juan Manuel Fangio and Jose Froilan Gonzalez.
John’s father, BRM’s team principal and leading industrialist, Sir Alfred Owen, was a founding member of the consortium with a vision to build a world beating race car for the Nation – a vision that was ultimately fulfilled in 1962. “Watching the likes of the Pampas Bull (Gonzalez) and,in particular, Fangio, master the power of the V16 was very special. The fabulous noise of the engine is still ringing in my ears 70 years on…” said John “In a selfish way, I have always dreamed of hearing that sound again and indeed would like to share that experience with others. To hear it for the first time, to hear the V16 screaming at full tilt, is something special to behold…”Now, in a unique partnership, historic automotive restoration specialists, Hall and Hall, will use the 20,000 original hand drafted drawings to re manufacture a new forensically authentic example of the P15 V16 MK1 machine, piece by historic piece. Founder, Rick Hall, is emotionally and professionally bound to BRM, having actually been part of their original Formula 1 team in the early 70’s and together with his son, Rob, have since been providing authentic parts and technical support for the few cherished BRM machines still being raced in private hands.
