Ex - Mike Knight, Monaco

1967 Brabham BT21 Formula 3

Sold new to Winfield Racing for Mike Knight to campaign in European Formula 3 races in 1967.

Raced by Knight at circuits including Pau, Montjuïc Park, Montlhéry, Magny-Cours, Reims, Crystal Palace and Monaco, where it scored a 5th place finish along with podiums at Montjuïc and Magny-Cours.

Sold to Len Gibbs of Slade’s Garage in 1968 and retained by him for the rest of his life. Ultimately sold by Gibbs’ family in 1992 in unrestored condition and with complete history.

Beautifully restored with a keen eye for detail by Andrew Tart Motor Engineers for current owner and period F3 star Mike Walker.

A regular in the British Historic Formula 3 scene for many years, remaining immaculate and a potential race winner at events including the Goodwood Members’ Meeting.

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Price: £POA

Chassis Number: BT21-28

Brabham’s Formula 3s

By the end of the 1960 Formula 1 season, Australian driver Jack Brabham had become double World Champion, taking the two titles back-to-back for Cooper. The small, garagista style British manufacturer had pioneered the rear-engine concept and defeated the might of Ferrari and Maserati in the process.

Brabham was key to the development applied at Cooper and in 1961 began constructing cars under his own name. Working with friend and compatriot Ron Tauranac, their first car was built for Formula Junior and named under Motor Racing Developments (MRD). Sold to Australia, the MRD was a success and a developed model was planned.

Built in time for the 1962, the new Formula Junior mode, the Brabham BT2, was the first car to carry the Brabham name and proved a popular product with 11 cars built. 1962 also saw the first Brabham Formula 1 car built, the BT3. Completed in time for the second half of the 1962 Formula 1 season, the BT3 scored two 4th place finishes with Jack Brabham at the wheel.

Brabham and Tauranac’s first cars took the attention of many, and demand for their products was healthy. Over the following years they built several different models, from Formula Junior, to F3, F2, F1 and even sports racers, winning across the categories.

As Formula Junior drew to a close in late 1963, Brabham lightly revised their successful BT6 model to make the BT9 for the new 1000cc Formula 3 era of 1964. A bigger step was made for 1965 with the BT15, and 1966 saw the BT18 which covered both F2 and F3 classes, with 32 BT18 F3s being produced. The BT21 came in 1967 and proved to be one of Brabham’s most lucrative models as 50 examples were built.

As a revision of the BT18, the BT21 kept the light and stiff Arch Motors built space frame with double wishbone front suspension and coil over dampers all-round. The BT21 came at the time of the introduction of the down-draught engine inlet configuration which signalled a change in pace amongst the F3 ranks.

With the 1000cc Formula 3 era running until its conclusion 1970, the BT21 continued to be campaigned across the UK and Europe within the formula and the cars were often later adapted for other series.

This car, BT21-28

This car, BT21-28, was built in early 1967 and supplied new to Winfield Racing for Mike Knight. Knight, who together with his brother Richard ran the Winfield Racing School at Magny-Cours in France, would go on to campaign BT21-28 through the 1967 season in Formula 3 both in the UK and in Europe.

Finished in white, BT21-28 made its race debut at the Grand Prix Automobile de Pau on the 2nd April 1967. With a capacity field, Mike Knight and BT21-28’s best practice time was not enough to make the grid selection, so did not progress to the race.

An all-round more successful weekend was had at Barcelona the following weekend. With another full entry reading like a who’s-who of ‘60s drivers, the F3 competition was held with two heats leading to a final race. Knight took 3rd place in Heat 1 and ran a very strong Final to finish 3rd overall, behind the Matra of Henri Pescarolo and the Brabham of Derek Bell.

Knight and BT21-28 next raced at Montlhéry on the 23rd April in the Challenge Raymond Sommer. Here Knight took 6th place, just behind the similar car of teammate Tico Martini. On the 1st May, BT21-28 and Knight were at Magny-Cours, their home race, and Knight claimed another 3rd place finish, this time behind the two Matras of Jaussaud and Pescarolo.

The crowning race in the Formula 3 calendar, the Monaco Grand Prix, was held a week later on the 6th May. With another full entry, Knight took 3rd in Heat 1 on the street circuit. In the Final, held on the same schedule as the Formula 1 race, Knight took 5th place and was the second British driver behind Derek Bell.

A short break followed Monaco, and it wasn’t until the 24th June that Knight was back out in F3. At the Grand Prix de Reims, Knight took 6th place in his heat but didn’t feature in the results of the Final. On the 9th July, the F3 establishment was in Normandy for the Grand Prix de Rouen. Here, Knight took 8th place.

Heading to the UK for the first time on the British Grand Prix weekend, Knight took 13th there while taking a 7th on the 5th August at Crystal Palace. At Zandvoort in late August, Knight finished 6th and at Zolder on the 17th September, Knight and BT21-28 didn’t make the finish.

At Albi on the 24th September, Knight finished 5th in the Final and on the 29th October he was classified 11th at Brands Hatch where BT21-28 ran a replacement cockpit body section after finding a hay bale in practice.

Brands Hatch would be the last outing for Knight with BT21-28, and for 1968 it was sold to Len Gibbs of Slade’s Garage. Gibbs would go on to race BT21-28 through the year, exclusively at Silverstone, adding a dark nose band and centre stripe to the white bodywork.

Gibbs would retain BT21-28, unmodified from how he raced it in 1968, for the rest of his life. In 1992, his estate sold the car to Keith Norman. Norman submitted an FIA Historic Vehicle Identity Form for BT21-28 in 1992, with a photograph showing the period configuration, down to the Firestone tyres still fitted.

Norman retained BT21-28 until 1997 when it was sold to Vivian Ayres. Together with 1000cc Historic F3 stalwart Keith Messer, Ayres competed with BT21-28 annually in the HSCC’s Classic Racing Cars series. In 2008, BT21-28 was sold to Chris Holland, who in turn campaigned it with the HSCC over many years.

In late 2016, BT21-28 was bought by the current owner, Mike Walker. Walker was one of the brightest British prospects of the 1000cc Formula 3 era and having raced the sister BT21-29 in period, obtaining BT21-28 was an attractive prospect.

During his ownership, BT21-28 has been treated to a detail intensive, bare chassis restoration with Andrew Tart Motor Engineers. Several original and often lost features were found to still be present on the chassis and are retained today, along with the Arch Motors chassis serial number.

The 1,000cc Cosworth MAE engine was stripped and rebuilt by Andrew Tart, with upgrades to numerous components to bring it to top spec, leaving the engine wanting for nothing. Hewland gearbox specialist Tony Wilson has taken care of the Hewland Mk6 gearbox, with it receiving any parts needed.

Details such as the original oil tank, fuel pressure collector and regulator arrangement, matched and dated Girling brake callipers, Lucas ignition box, and Lucas rocker cover are set off by the chrome plated suspension, instead of the yellower nickel finish often seen today.

On the interior of the cockpit, original Smiths gauges are joined by period aircraft toggle switches, the faded Brabham chassis plate and quick release mounted leather steering wheel.

New lightweight bodywork was made and finished in its period white colour to finish BT21-28, while several pieces of old bodywork accompany BT21-28 in the spares. Further original parts still accompanying the car extend to the cast magnesium Brabham wheels shod with original Firestone tyres, the aluminium fuel tank, the original Armstrong dampers, and importantly what is thought to the be the original engine.

For ease of use, BT21-28 is fitted with a re-packable stainless steel silencer, while a straight-through tail pipe accompanies it. A further set of wheels is also present, mounted with wet tyres, as are various used suspension components including old wishbones and two radiators.

With a 2019 dated HSCC Vehicle Identity Form and the restoration completed in 2020 with only a handful of races under its belt since, BT21-28 is one of the highest quality 1,000cc Historic Formula 3 cars in circulation.

The Historic Formula 3 series is continuing to flourish in the UK thanks to the One-Litre F3 Racing Association. The domestic UK championship runs with the HSCC incorporating some of the best tracks in the country and regular outings at the annual Goodwood Members’ Meeting.

BT21-28 carries interesting period F3 history with Mike Knight and a 5th place result at Monaco. Coming today from the ownership of Mike Walker, one of the most revered British up-and-coming drivers of the era. Walker, at 21 years old, competed against this very car in 1967. Beautifully restored by Andrew Tart Motor Engineers, BT21-28 is a potential race winner in Historic Formula 3 today and awaiting its next custodian to get behind the wheel.