BRMpeople

The British Racing Motors (unofficial) information centre.

The People

Hall & Hall (previously Hall & Fowler) are experts in BRM restoration.

Spencer Flack 17 June 1942 - 23 February 2002
Spencer ran his Flack Air airline from Southend Airport in the 1980s. He flew vintage aircraft in air displays, including escaping from a crash in his Hawker Sea Fury fighter.
Spencer became a member of the Historic Grand Prix Car Association and raced Bentley, Cooper-Bristol, Maserati 250F and Brabham BT7. In 2001 he bought BRM P258, the car previously owned by the late The Hon. Amschel Rothschild at a reported cost of one and a half million pounds. Fittingly he won the VSCC Rothschild Memorial race at Silverstone, April 2001.
Spencer Flack died driving BRM P258 at the Penrite Scratch Race at the Shannon's Phillip Island Classic Festival. (Phillip Island, Australia Saturday 23 February 2002). During the last lap of the historic car race, as the leading pack swept past a back-marker, the third placed BRM and the slower car touched. In the ensuing crash Mr Flack was thrown out and died of head injuries.
Some may say that the only completely original P25 was too valuable to be risked on the track. Some may say that a man approaching retirement age should not have been driving a powerful Grand Prix car. I would respond that both car and man were built to race. Spencer risked his one and a half million pounds investment and his own life while giving pleasure to race fans around the world - battling for victory in the best BRM tradition.

Raymond Mays , the son of a wool merchant and fertiliser manufacturer, was born on 1st August 1899. The family home was Eastgate House, Bourne and is marked by a plaque on the front wall stating that he was born there and that it was his lifetime home. He was a successful racing driver and hillclimb champion and ran English Racing Automobiles (ERA) during the 1930s and 1940s from workshops built on the orchard adjoining his home. After gaining support from many areas of British industry he launched British Racing Motors (BRM) on the long road to the 1962 World Championship. Mays was awarded with a CBE for his services to motor racing in 1978. He died at the age of 81 in 1980 as one of the "elder statesmen" of British motor racing.
For more details, visit the ...Raymond Mays timeline.

The Raymond Mays Room at the Heritage Centre in Baldock's Mill in Bourne is a particularly noteworthy enterprise because it has been financed and executed entirely by volunteers anxious to preserve the name of someone who brought fame to the town. Its main funding comes from the publication of an illustrated booklet "Raymond Mays of Bourne" written in 1994 by Dr. Michael McGregor, a retired local general practitioner, and comprises almost 200 early photographs from Raymond Mays' career which were found in a trunk in the attic of his home after he died. Sales of the booklet have already raised more than £10,000 for the project and copies are still available at weekends from Baldock's Mill, price £6, and from the local bookshop Bourne Book World at 19 North Street, Bourne, Lincs. PE10 9AE, United Kingdom.

Mike Pilbeam worked for BRM from 1963 originally as a stress engineer then moving on to work on the 1.5 litre four wheel drive project. He was involved in its success in the RAC British Hillclimb Championship before leaving the team. Mike rejoined BRM in 1973 and went on to design the P201 before setting up Pilbeam Racing Designs during 1974 and is still making racing cars in Bourne.

Tony Rudd worked for Rolls-Royce in Derby and was shortly involved in aero-engine development during the Second World War. When Rolls-Royce supplied the superchargers for the BRM V-16 engine Tony was sent to oversee there use. He was soon a permanent employee of BRM. As Chief Engineer and Team Manager he saw the team score its World Championship. After leaving BRM, the third of September 1969 was Rudd's first day of work, for their great rival - Lotus !

Jean Stanley, sister of Sir Alfred and Ernest Owen, was closely involved with the team from the 1950’s. With her husband Louis they were team principals for BRM from the 1960’s and as Stanley-BRM from 1974 until the team's closure in 1977. Jean died in June 2002.

Louis T Stanley, with wife Jean, were team principals for BRM from the 1960’s and Stanley-BRM from 1974 until the teams closure in 1977. “Big Lou” other activities also included being managing director of London's Dorchester Hotel, a prolific book writer and one time honorary secretary of the Grand Prix Drivers Association. One of the driving forces for greater safety in a deadly age of Formula One and Director General of the Grand Prix Medical Service active from 1967. One of the first to bring overt sponsorship into F1 with the 1972/3 Marlboro cigarette livery.

Stewart Tresilian
1904..............Born 9th January 1904.
1917-1925....Qualified in engineering via Wellington College and Cambridge University. While at university took part in racing and hill-climbs.
1925-1927....Worked for JAP motor-cycle engine manufacturers.
1927-1936....Worked for Rolls-Royce in Derby. Thought to have done consultancy work for ERA.
1936-1938....Worked for Lagonda Cars. Chief designer- The V12 Lagonda similar to his unused design at Rolls-Royce.
1938-1939....At Templewood Engineering at Slough. Worked on using aircraft technology and light alloys for Hawker Aircraft outside of the aircraft industry. Designed a car with a monocoque and independent suspension. Designed a disc transmission brake (the P25 BRM of the mid 1950s used the same layout).
1939-1945....War work in the aero industry with Armstrong Siddeley and the RAF as liaison with the US air force.
1945-1948....Worked for Rolls-Royce aero engines. Also did outside work for ERA, and later BRM. Tresilian also did a design of a very over-square 4 cylinder 21/2 litre car engine (the P25 BRM of the mid 1950s used the same layout).
1948-1953....Worked as an independent Consultant. Worked closely with BRM. The P25 was the work of Peter Berthon based on the original Tresilian design
1953-1962....Worked for Bristol Aircraft. Did consultancy work for Coventry Climax on their racing engines.
1962..............Died on 20th May 1962.

V1.8 - 21 June 2011.