US 1959; Brabham Pushes Car to the Line to Secure Championship Title

The 1959 US Grand Prix is remembered as one of the greatest races of Jack Brabham’s career. The Aussie driver, using every last ounce of strength to secure to push his car past the chequered flag and secure the 1959 F1 Championship title.

In a three-way championship battle between Jack Brabham, Stirling Moss and Tony Brooks, it all came down to the final race of the season in the US, on the 12th of December 1959, for the title.

Sterling lined up on pole for the race, but it was Brabham with the better start off the line, but Moss was quick to fight back and regain the lead at the first corner. Brooks, behind the pair on the second row, looked to be out of contention for the title after he was rammed by his teammate Wolfgang von Trips at the first corner.

 

Brabham looked to be in the clear after Moss retired out of the race when Moss’s gearbox failed on lap 5. All Brabham had to do know was drive safe and get his car past the chequered flag.

 

Brabham fuelled his car light for the race, mindful of the low fuel Brabham slowed his car, in the process Brabham also provided aid for his teammate, the young Bruce McLaren. Bruce dropped back in the race after some mistakes and was able to get ahead of Brabham with threats from Maurice Trintignant behind.

 

By Lap 24, Moss’s teammate, Trintignant, was on the hunt for McLaren after Cliff Allison’s Ferrari retired out of the race. Trintignant put the pressure on the Cooper’s, making Brabham’s plan risky. Trintignant in pursuit of McLaren set the fastest lap of the race of 101.11mph in 3 minutes and 5 seconds.

 

Going into the final lap, Trintignant was 4.8 seconds behind the Cooper’s, gaining at least a second per lap.

 

With sight of the chequered flag, Brabham’s car came to a halt at the start of the finishing straight with no fuel left in the car. After racing over 2 hours in gruelling conditions, Brabham showed true strength as he jumped out of his car to push it 400 yards to take the chequered flag, Brabham making sure no marshals could touch the car to avoid disqualification.

 

With one Cooper on the fence of finishing, Brabham signalled to McLaren to keep going and fend off Trintignant, McLaren winning the race by 0.6 seconds in a dramatic drag race to conclude. Brabham finished in fourth, passed by rival Brooks as he pushed with every last ounce of stamina.

 

Though Brooks finished ahead in third, the 4 points Brooks gained was not enough for him to take the title, it was Brabham to charge across the finish line in fourth and take the championship title. Brabham securing his first title with a legendary finish.