Brabham BT52B BMW F1 Ayrton Senna Test 1983

[StarLight]

Presents another Formula One car tested by Ayrton Senna, the Brabham-BMW BT52B.
A test that not goes very well for Senna, the car was still in development and it seems that Nelson Piquet has told the mecaniciens to mess up the cars setup, so Senna was not able to set a good lap time and so get rid of Senna. It's no public secret but the two Brazilians didn't like each other.
Anyway later on Bernie Ecclestone said that Piquet indeed has blocked Senna entry to Brabham. Further the main sponsor of Brabham doesn't want two Brazilians drivers in the same team as well.

On 1983 November, 14 at the Paul Ricard circuit in France, Bernie Ecclestone, at that moment owner of Brabham, has invited Ayrton Senna, Mauro Baldi, Pierluigi Martini and Roberto Guerrero for a test session with his Brabham F1 car.

At the end Senna was 2 seconds slower as Piquet and only 0,1 second slower as Baldi ... but finally no one of those would be Piquets teammate, they choose later for Teo Fabi.
For Senna a test to forget because of his controversy.

The Brabham BT52 Formula One car was designed by longtime Brabham designer Gordon Murray for the 1983 season. The car ran on Michelin tyres and was powered by the massively powerful BMW M12/13 turbocharged engine which in 1983 produced about 850 bhp (630 kW) in qualifying trim, detuned to around 640 bhp (480 kW) for the races proper. Its drivers were 1981 World Champion Nelson Piquet and Riccardo Patrese.

After the ground effect cars were banned at the end of the previous season, the FIA mandated that all F1 cars be designed with flat undersides for safety reasons. The previously crucial sidepods were now generating lift rather than suction and so the BT52 had short, angular sidepods to keep lift at a minimum. The car featured a distinctive dart-shaped profile and oversized rear wing in an effort to claw back as much downforce as possible, while the monocoque was built from aluminium and carbon fibre composite to keep weight as low as possible. The 1983 season saw refueling stops reintroduced after successful experiments in 1982 so the BT52's fuel system was designed with this in mind and had a small fuel tank positioned high up behind the driver.

The BT52 was updated after the Canadian Grand Prix to the BT52B and proceeded to win three of the remaining seven races of the season. A further update came later in the season when Brabham adopted the Ferrari style 'winglets' on the rear wing in order to generate more downforce.

Technical specifications
Chassis: Carbon fibre monocoque with rear subframe
Suspension (front): Double wishbones, push-rod operated coil springs over dampers
Suspension (rear): Double wishbones, push-rod operated coil springs over dampers
Axle track: Front: 1,759 mm (69.3 in)
Rear: 1,645 mm (64.8 in)
Wheelbase: 2,743 mm (108.0 in)
Engine: BMW M12/13, 1,499 cc (91.5 cu in), Straight 4, turbo, mid-engine, longitudinally mounted
Transmission: Brabham/Hewland 5-speed manual Weismann Differential
Weight: 540 kg (1,190 lb)
Fuel: Castrol
Tyres: Michelin

THE OTHER SENNA CARS ARE HERE:

 

[MatskiMonk]

I'd vote for the BT52, but I'm not going to vote for this on the grounds it would probably be interpreted as a vote for another Senna car.

Also, I think the badge you've used is from the unrelated BMW tuning company that got sued IIRC. The Brabham logo on the car is the snake one...

 

[StarLight]

I'd vote for the BT52, but I'm not going to vote for this on the grounds it would probably be interpreted as a vote for another Senna car.

Also, I think the badge you've used is from the unrelated BMW tuning company that got sued IIRC. The Brabham logo on the car is the snake one...

Thanks for the logo, really didn't see the little sticker on the noses car.
Actually you vote for the car, because Senna only did a test in the car ... it was not his racing car.
As you know what I mean.
👍

 

[MatskiMonk]

Thanks for the logo, really didn't see the little sticker on the noses car.
Actually you vote for the car, because Senna only did a test in the car ... it was not his racing car.
As you know what I mean.
👍

Yeah, I know that.. but I'm so done with the Senna hype. Ayrton wasn't particularly well linked with this car... nominating it as Piquets BT52 would make more sense since Piquet won the title in it.

I do love the car, I spent a bundle on a 1/18th die-cast of it,... and could still only get Patresse's!

 

[Pete05]

Yeah, I know that.. but I'm so done with the Senna hype. Ayrton wasn't particularly well linked with this car... nominating it as Piquets BT52 would make more sense since Piquet won the title in it.

I do love the car, I spent a bundle on a 1/18th die-cast of it,... and could still only get Patresse's!

Senna was a genius behind the wheel but it makes a lot more sense to associate this with Piquet's World Championship.

 

[StarLight]

Senna was a genius behind the wheel but it makes a lot more sense to associate this with Piquet's World Championship.

Yes, you right ... only I really don't like Piquet.

 

[Dhalism]

Yeah, I know that.. but I'm so done with the Senna hype. Ayrton wasn't particularly well linked with this car... nominating it as Piquets BT52 would make more sense since Piquet won the title in it.

I do love the car, I spent a bundle on a 1/18th die-cast of it,... and could still only get Patresse's!

i think it's much more likely to get a car on an already established relationship with the Senna foundation.

 

[PPMagic]

Still in development? It won the World Championship!

This test must have been one hell of a baptism for Ayrton because the car wasn´t that easy to drive. It was quick, but it wasn´t easy. The BMW engine had a single cast-iron turbo and it took a while to spool, which meant there was a bit of throttle delay before it boosted power. It must have been very different to anything Ayrton had driven before, but I dont remember him having any problems with it.”

— technical director Gordon Murray about Ayrton Senna’s F1 test with the Brabham BT52B in 1983.