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Ron Tauranac R.I.P.

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    Ron Tauranac R.I.P.

    I know a lot of us are also interested in Motorsport. So just wanted to let you know we lost a great - maybe the best - racing car designer and builder 2 days ago.

    Ron Tauranac was the other half of the Brabham team that won 2 world championships, 1966 and 1967. And almost 1970. Ron was 95 13th January last.

    I have been lucky enough to race 3 of his creations, a BT6 which was the 63 works car for Denny Hulme in Formula Junior, a BT15 in both F3 and FB specs and a BT21C. These cars were designed and built by Ron in the 60s and they are truly a cut above the rest, making a good driver out of an average one. Brabham built around 650 customer cars like these. BT stands for Brabham Tauranac co-owners of Brabham MRD.

    I was very lucky to get to know Ron in recent times, they say he mellowed as he got older, certainly talking to those that worked for him back then said he had over the years. A wonderful person who sold Brabham MRD to Bernie Eccelstone after Jack retired and he was there without that great driver to bounce ideas off. He then went on to recreate RALT which was where he started back in the 50's - but this time the RALT cars were again the things to have winning championship after championship in the 70s and 80s. Larry Perkins was one of the benefactors. Ron gave a start to many people, and helped a lot of Aussies and Kiwis with jobs in the UK. That included a few Englishmen too like Ron Dennis and helped many emerging teams knowing one day they would be the opposition.

    If you worked for Ron for a year or more at Brabham MRD then you could walk into any race team in the world and be given a job, that's how highly he was thought of in period.

    It is difficult to say in a few words just what an influence Ron had on the world scene - but I can say for certainty that the world of motorsport would have been a lot poorer but for him.

    Guess one story sums up how highly the drivers of the era thought of Brabhams - Jochen Rindt agreed to drive for Brabhams for half the money Lotus were paying him, but even then Brabhams couldn't afford him - Rindt was killed in 1970 driving for the Lotus marque. He was posthumously awarded the Formula One World Drivers' Championship. low res Me and Ron T 2016.jpgRon and Ed EC BT15.jpg

    #2
    Vale Ron. A giant.

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      #3
      Ed, thanks for your brief introduction to Ron and sharing your experiences. You've certainly been very fortunate to have known him and more particularly to have driven 3 of the BT creations. I'm not a racer, but am still very envious.

      Peter Williams
      Secretary
      Peter Williams #049
      Secretary TYP901
      1971 2.2T light ivory (36407-H)

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