The Brabham BT44 was a Formula One

Formula One

Formula One, also known as Formula 1 or F1 and referred to officially as the FIA Formula One World Championship, is the highest class of single seater auto racing sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile . The "formula" designation in the name refers to a set of rules with which...

 racing car designed by Gordon Murray

Gordon Murray

Prof. Gordon Murray , is a renowned designer of Formula One race cars and the McLaren F1 road car.-Early life:...

, Brabham's chief designer. An update of the partially successful BT42 of 1973, the BT44 was a simple design with a standard Ford DFV

Cosworth DFV

The DFV is an internal combustion engine that was originally produced by Cosworth for Formula One motor racing. Named Four Valve because of the four valves per cylinder, and Double as it was a V8 development of the earlier, four-cylinder FVA , making it a Double Four Valve engine...

/Hewland

Hewland

Founded by Mike Hewland in 1957, Hewland is a British engineering company specialising in racing-car gearboxes. Hewland was the first company to manufacture a bespoke racing-car gearbox....

 gearbox combination, but was very clean aerodynamically. Murray had an eye for clean lines, and the BT44 was particularly graceful. He was also a forward thinker, and tinkered with side skirts and airdams on the car, a precursor to ground effects aerodynamics. Sponsorship came from Martini

Martini Racing

Martini Racing is the name under which various motor racing teams raced when sponsored by the Martini & Rossi distillery that produces Martini vermouth. Martini's sponsorship program began in 1968...

.

The 1974 season was successful for Brabham. Carlos Reutemann

Carlos Reutemann

Carlos Alberto Reutemann , nicknamed "Lole", is an Argentine former racing driver , and later a politician in his native province of Santa Fe, for the Justicialist Party....

 took 3 wins with the car, partnered by Carlos Pace

José Carlos Pace

José Carlos Pace was a racing driver from Brazil. He participated in 73 Formula One World Championship Grands Prix, debuting on March 4, 1972. He won one race, achieved six podiums, and scored a total of 58 championship points...

 who was able to string a series of promising results together. Brabham finished at a fighting fifth place in the Constructor's Championship after a closely fought season.

The BT44 was modified for 1975, and Pace won his first and only Grand Prix at his home event in Brazil

1975 Brazilian Grand Prix

The 1975 Brazilian Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at Interlagos on January 26, 1975. It was the fourth Brazilian Grand Prix since its introduction in 1972. The race was memorably won by São Paulo native Carlos Pace driving a Brabham BT44B. It would be the only win of Pace's...

, while Reutemann won at the Nürburgring

1975 German Grand Prix

The 1975 German Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at Nürburgring on August 3, 1975. It was the 37th German Grand Prix and the 34th to be held at the Nürburgring. The race was held over 14 laps of the 22 kilometre circuit for a race distance of 319 kilometres.The race was won by...

. A series of other strong finishes helped Reutemann to finish third in the drivers' championship in 1975, whilst Brabham equalled his feat in the constructors' championship. Whilst the BT44 was a good car, it couldn't match the McLaren M23

McLaren M23

The McLaren M23 was a Formula One racing car designed by Gordon Coppuck, with input from John Barnard, and built by the McLaren team. It was a development of the McLaren M16 Indianapolis 500 car. A Ford Cosworth DFV engine was used, which was prepared by specialist tuning company Nicholson Engines...

 or the Ferrari 312T

Ferrari 312T

The Ferrari 312T was a Ferrari Formula One car design, based on the 312B3 from 1974. In various versions, it was used from 1975 until 1980. It was designed by Mauro Forghieri for the 1975 season and was an uncomplicated and clean design, that responded to mechanical upgrades.The 312T series won 27...

.

The BT44 was replaced by the Alfa Romeo powered BT45 for 1976 which proved to be a serious step back for the team. The BT44Bs were sold to RAM Racing

RAM Racing

RAM Racing was a Formula One racing team which competed during the racing seasons of 1976 to 1985. The team entered other manufacturers' chassis from 1976 to 1980, then ran March's team from 1981 to 1983, only entering a car entirely their own in 1984 and 1985.The team was formed in 1975 by Mike...

, who ran them for a variety of drivers in the 1976 World Championship

1976 Formula One season

The 1976 Formula One season included the 27th FIA Formula One World Championship season, which commenced on January 25, 1976, and ended on October 24 after sixteen races...

, including Loris Kessel

Loris Kessel

Loris Kessel was a racing driver from Switzerland. He was born in Lugano and died in Montagnola following a long illness.He participated in six Formula One World Championship Grands Prix, debuting on 2 May 1976...

, Emilio de Villota

Emilio de Villota

Emilio de Villota Ruíz is a former racing driver from Spain, born in Madrid. He participated in 15 Formula One World Championship Grands Prix, debuting on 2 May 1976...

, Patrick Neve

Patrick Nève

Patrick Marie Ghislain Pierre Simon Stanislas Nève de Mévergnies is a former racing driver from Belgium. He participated in 14 Formula One Grands Prix, debuting on 16 May 1976. He scored no championship points....

, Jac Nelleman

Jac Nelleman

Jacob "Jac" Nelleman is a former racing driver from Denmark. Reaching Formula One in 1976, his single entry was at the 1976 Swedish Grand Prix, driving Brabhams run by the small RAM team. Despite taking part in qualifying sessions in two cars, a BT42 and a BT44B, he failed to qualify.-Complete...

, Damien Magee

Damien Magee

Damien Magee is a British former racing driver from Northern Ireland. He participated in two Formula One World Championship Grands Prix, debuting on 8 June 1975. He scored no championship points....

, Lella Lombardi

Lella Lombardi

Maria Grazia "Lella" Lombardi was a racing driver from Italy.Born in Frugarolo, she participated in 17 Formula One World Championship Grands Prix, debuting on July 20, 1974...

 and Bob Evans, none of whom had much success.