BRM P261
The journey BRM made to the sharp end of the Formula 1 grid was a painful one, littered with humiliating failures, but during the 1960s it struck a rich seam of form before mediocrity crept back in. With the P261 it conceivably hit its competitive peak, for while this car did not carry any of its drivers to the world championship it came tantalisingly close; it won races in both the 1.5-litre and 3-litre F1 eras; and it enabled a young Jackie Stewart to announce himself on the international stage and win the Tasman series for 2.5-litre cars. The P261’s success was also achieved against a typically BRM background of politics and disorganisation behind the scenes.
Engineer Tony Rudd was a key figure in BRM’s renaissance. Nicknamed “Moleskin Harry” because of his weather-beaten coat and diffident demeanour, he contributed to the design of several BRMs in the 1950s. He might have remained a peripheral figure but for arace weekend operations. This latter field was one in which BRM noticeably fell short but, owing to the involvement of team such as Raymond Mays and chief engineer Peter Berthon, change had to be enacted diplomatically to avoid bruising egos. After another tempestuous season in 1961 – BRM, like the rest of the British teams, wasn’t as prepared as Ferrari for the 1.5-litre formula – Owen promoted Rudd to be both chief engineer and team manager, but said unless BRM won at least two GPs in 1962 the team would fold.
