BRM P201 F1
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Manufacturer: | B.R.M |
Production period: | 1974 and 1975 |
Class : | Race car |
Body versions : | Open F1 |
Engines: | V12 |
The BRM P201 was a Formula One racing car , built and used in 1974 and 1975 by British Formula 1 team British Racing Motors (BRM).
History
The P201 was developed by Mike Pilbeam and had very angular design with Aluminium alloy monocoque Chassis. The driver was sitting very deep in the cockpit. The weak point of the race car was the outdated mid-mounted BRM 2,998 cc (182.9 cu in) V12 naturally aspirated engine , which had too little power, and consumed a lot of fuel and fitted with a 5-speed manual.
The P201 had its first race with the Frenchman Jean-Pierre Beltoise at the wheel of the South African Grand Prix 1974 in Kyalami . In practice, Beltoise was already a good 11th and in the race he surprised the competition with the second place behind Carlos Reutemann in the Brabham BT44 . What looked like a return to success for the experts was the last podium finish for a BRM Formula 1 racing car. At the Belgian Grand Prix in Nivelles-Baulers Beltoise achieved fifth place, the last points for BRM in Formula 1.
BRM used four works drivers in 1974, but only two P201s were fully operational. Henri Pescarolo and François Migault had to fall back on the P160 alternately .
In 1975 , BRM tried once again with the British Mike Wilds a restart. Most employees had left BRM and Louis Stanley used the P201 as Stanley BRM P201 . From the Grand Prix of South Africa , Wilds was replaced by Bob Evans , who, like his predecessor, had no chance to succeed with this vehicle.
