Brabham’s grandson Matthew, who is a racing driver based in Florida, tweeted:
“RIP Poppy. Will miss you very much. You were my inspiration. ‘Get after
em’.”
A former Royal Australian Air Force mechanic, Brabham began racing midget cars
in 1948 before he moved to Britain and won the Formula One title with the
Cooper Racing team in 1959 – when he famously ran out of fuel in the last
race and pushed his car to the finish to claim his first world championship
– and 1960.
Brabham and his friend and fellow Australian Ron Tauranac then set up a
company to design and build their own cars, one of which – the BT19 – he
drove to the F1 title in 1966. He also won the constructors’ championship
that year, and again in 1967.
Through his partnership with Tauranac, more than 500 Brabham race cars were
built from the team’s British Surrey base in the 1960s alone, while the
Brabham name continued in Formula One for 30 years.
In his final years, he battled failing eyesight, problems with his kidneys and
liver disease.
In 2009, Brabham revealed he had to spend three days a week in hospital having
the treatment after his kidneys started to fail in 2007.
“Unfortunately, I don’t get the time to do the things I want any more,” said
Brabham.
“I really only get two days a week where I can do anything. I am a dialysis
patient and it takes five hours, three days a week. I have really had my
wings clipped.”
He added: “The last Formula One event I went to was in Melbourne a couple of
years ago.
“I used to go every year, but unfortunately my condition doesn’t let me. But I
am not complaining. Aside from my kidneys, I am in good health.
“I had ambitions to keep on achieving things in my life, but I am resigned to
the fact I have to be in hospital three days a week.”
Brabham is survived by his wife, Lady Margaret, and sons Geoff, Gary and David
and their families.