Bernie Ecclestone Could Be Bringing Brabham Back to Formula One
The former F1 boss ran the Brabham team back in the ’80s.
Brabham is one of the most important names in Formula One history. Period. The team, formerly led by Sir Jack Brabham, was a powerhouse in the 1950s and '60s, and has since made some of the greatest grand prix cars to date. Ex-F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone owned the team in the '80s before coming to overall power later on, but the Brabham name has been dormant since 1992. However, recent reports tell that Ecclestone may be back in the market to revive the historic team, and Brabham's son David Brabham may be there to help, according to Autoweek.
Ecclestone has reportedly shown interest in purchasing Force India to gain stake once more in the Formula One game. What's been kept under wraps, though, is the Brit's plan once (and if) he was to take control. After recent talks with David Brabham, Bernie may end up buying the team and giving that historic moniker a revival, dependent on the situation.
David does own rights to the name, and if Ecclestone were given his permission, he would be able to put Brabham back in motorsport. This comes after a failed crowd-funding attempt back in 2009, one that was eventually all for naught after raising $300,000 from supporters.
Autoweek spoke with Brabham about the potential move, and he responded by saying "Brabham is a brand with over 69 years of racing heritage and it is our intention to see the name back on track." The former F1 driver continued, "Since Project Brabham was launched, we have received a lot of inquiries from different parties who have expressed an interest in licensing the name and we are evaluating a number of options. We have no further comment."
If you ask us, that sounds like something mysterious is in the works.
Will Ecclestone make the leap and purchase Force India? Will he collaborate with Brabham and make for a motorsport renaissance? Or will this rumor stop at the mill? Let us know what you think by dropping us a line on Facebook or leaving a comment below.
