Gary Thomas Brabham (born 29 March 1961) is an Australian former professional racing driver and convicted child rapist. He is the son of three-time World Formula One Champion Sir Jack Brabham and the brother of Le Mans winners Geoff and David Brabham.
Brabham's solitary F1 berth came with Life, a team that failed to prequalify for a single F1 race in its lone season of existence. Brabham's career never fully recovered, despite winning the 1991 Sebring 12 Hours and being the first Australian to start the Gold Coast Indy Grand Prix. After his career, Brabham was convicted of child rape.
Early life Brabham, born in Wimbledon, England, was the second-born of the triple World Champion Sir Jack Brabham. Despite hopes from his mother that he would avoid the motor-racing scene altogether, he grew up on a diet of Formula Ford in both Australia and the UK.
Brabham made his racing debut in 1982, finishing his first race at Calder Park Raceway in third despite being in a nine-year-old car. He later broke the Formula Ford lap record at the Sandown Raceway in the same car.
Career
Starter formulae
Later in 1982, Brabham was chosen to go to Europe for 1983. Despite very little support from the Australian public, he raced in the British Formula Ford 2000 Championship for Neil Trundle Racing, in a Reynard SF83. He finishing the season in 11th place. During this season, he also made his sports car-racing début, sharing a March-Ford 83S, with Alo Lawler at Brands Hatch.
For the following season, Brabham remained in the same series, joining Penistone Racing, partnering Julian Bailey in their Reynard SF84. He regularly outpaced his team-mate, and despite team orders not to outperform his team-mate, he still was not disgraced taking sixth overall in the final championship positions. During 1984, he tried his hand at other categories, including racing sport cars in the Thundersports Series, taking his maiden victory at Snetterton, sharing a Tiga-Ford TS84 with Tim Lee-Davey. With no top single-seater drives available for him in 1985, Brabham had a slight reprieve through the Thundersports series, where he raced for the TechSpeed Racing team in a Shrike-Ford P15 alongside Divina Galica, recording five second places.
In 1986, Brabham's father got a team together under the banner of Jack Brabham Racing. Gary raced in 9 of the 18 rounds of the British Formula 3 Championship in a Ralt-Volkswagen RT30, managing some decent results such as second at Silverstone. This was enough to take him to fifth in the championship. For 1987, the team had secured Panasonic backing for 15 of the 19 F3 races, in a Ralt-Volkswagen RT31. Brabham won two races at Silverstone and Donington Park, coming I sixth in the championship. He was threatening Johnny Herbert for the title until his budget tragically ran out.
During the 1987 season, Brabham made one-off appearances at Oulton Park in the British Touring Car Championship, and at Silverstone in the MG Maestro Challenge. In the latter, he notably battled for the lead with future F1 World Champion Damon Hill and won the race, though neither were eligible for points as they were guest drivers. He also contested a Ford Escort Celebrity race at Brands Hatch and finished 4th.
Brabham returned to Australia briefly to race in the 1987 James Hardie 1000 at Bathurst, sharing a works BMW M3 with Juan Manuel Fangio II. The car was up to fifth at one stage before Fangio glanced a stricken car in the rain. Brabham showed his speed late in the race, dicing and passing the Aussie legend Peter Brock. Although Brock would eventually win the race, Brabham and Fangio were classified 16th at the end.
For 1988, Brabham returned to England, joining Bowman Racing for a third season of British Formula 3. Although JJ Lehto won the championship, Brabham stormed home late in the season, winning four races in his Ralt-Volkswagen RT32 to finish second. On his way, he also won the Scottish Superprix and Oulton Park Gold Cup. This earned him his first chance to test a Formula One car. He tested a Benetton B188 at the behest of team manager, Peter Collins, at Jerez.
A chance to move up to International Formula 3000 arose in 1989, but the drive went to Andrea Chiesa, instead. Brabham settled for a drive with Bromley Motorsport, in the British Formula 3000 Championship, in an ex-Roberto Moreno Reynard-Cosworth 88D. He took this car to the inaugural title with four victories and pole positions along the way. During the season, he also managed to secure some outings in the International series for both Bromley and Leyton House teams, his best result being fifth at Brands Hatch.
Also, Brabham finished fifth at the 1988 Formula 3 Macau Grand Prix and sixth in 1989.
Life in F1
After more F1 testing for Leyton House and Brabham teams, Brabham also assisted Porsche with their Indy car, before the opportunity arose to race in F1.
Brabham failed to prequalify for two Formula One Grands Prix with the troubled Life project, a team that failed to prequalify for all 14 of its attempts during the 1990 season. Brabham was the second-slowest prequalifier (leading only the Coloni-Subaru of Bertrand Gachot, who recorded a lap time of 5:15.010, but 30 seconds behind the EuroBrun of Claudio Langes) at Phoenix, and the engine gave up after only 400 m in Brazil. One small plus of the car was that it was the sixth-fastest car in a straight line in untimed practice in Brazil. After those two races, when clearly no improvement was forthcoming, Brabham promptly quit the team in disgust. He had a small chance to join the Brabham team at the time, but confusion over his Life contract caused him to lose the seat to his brother David.
After Formula One
For the remainder of 1990, Brabham raced in F3000 for Middlebridge Racing in their Lola-Mugen T89/50, collecting two third places at Monza and Enna. However, his bad luck continued as he failed to qualify for Pau and Birmingham. He returned to Australia for the Eastern Creek 500, teaming up with his brother David in a Ford Sierra RS500 for Frank Gardner’s team. The brothers finished fourth.
In 1991, Brabham went Stateside to the IMSA championship and drove for Nissan Performance Technology Inc. [NPTI] at the Sebring 12 Hours along his other brother Geoff and Irishman Derek Daly. Starting from pole, they won the race in their Nissan NPT-90. This victory did not open any more doors. Brabham settled for a series of one-off drives: a drive in an older Nissan at Miami, an outing in a Stürtz-BMW SM in an Interserie race at Brands Hatch and another visit to the Bathurst 1000.
Brabham accepted an invitation from NPTI to race in the IMSA Endurance races in 1992 alongside Daly and Steve Millen at Daytona, recording a DNF after running in third. At Sebring, the winning crew from 1991 was joined by Arie Luyendyk. This crew came close to defending the title, finishing second.
In 1993 and 1994, Brabham later raced in CART, becoming the first Australian driver to race the Gold Coast Indycar street race before retiring from racing in 1995 to teach advanced driver training. His pupils have included Rowan Atkinson and Captain Mark Phillips, for celebrities competing in the Australian and British GP celebrity races
Criminal convictions In 2009, Brabham pleaded guilty to charges of indecent dealing of a child under 12 years. Brabham managed to have his name suppressed as he served out his time in high security at Wacol jail.
In 2016, a Brisbane District Court 12-person jury found Brabham guilty of one charge of rape and one charge of indecent treatment of a child then aged six. The offences occurred between 2003 and 2007 in Brisbane. After the verdict was handed down, the court was told Brabham had a criminal history. In September, an appeal by Brabham against the conviction was unanimously rejected by the Queensland Court of Appeal. He was sentenced to 18 months in jail, but was released after 6 months.
Racing record
Career highlights Season Series Position Car Team 1982 TAA Formula Ford Driver to Europe Series 12th Birrana-Ford 1983 British Formula Ford 2000 Championship 11th Reynard SF83-Ford Neil Trundle Racing 1984 BBC Grandstand Formula Ford 2000 Championship 4th Reynard SF84-Ford Penistone Racing British Formula Ford 2000 Championship 6th 1986 Lucas British Formula 3 Championship 5th Ralt RT30 Volkswagen Jack Brabham Racing 1987 Lucas British Formula 3 Championship 6th Ralt RT31 Volkswagen Jack Brabham Racing 1988 Lucas British Formula 3 Championship 2nd Ralt RT32 Volkswagen Bowman Racing 1989 British Formula 3000 Championship 1st Reynard 88D Cosworth Bromley Motorsport International Formula 3000 Championship 17th Reynard 88D CosworthMarch 89B Judd Bromley MotorsportLeyton House Racing 1990 Formula One World Championship NC Life L190 Life-W12 Life Racing Engines International Formula 3000 Championship 11th Lola T90/50 Cosworth Middlebridge Racing Australian Endurance Championship 17th Ford Sierra RS500 Tony Longhurst Racing 1991 IMSA GTP Championship 40th Nissan NPT90Nissan GTP ZX-T Nissan Performance Technology 1993 CART World Series 40th Lola T92/00 - Chevrolet Dick Simon Racing 1994 CART World Series 52nd Penske PC-22 - Ilmor Bettenhausen Racing
Complete British Formula Three Championship results (key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap) Year Entrant 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 Total Points 1986 Jack Brabham Racing THR SIL THR SIL BRH THR DON SIL SIL OUL ZAN DON SNE SIL BRH SPA ZOL SIL 5th 22 1987 Jack Brabham Racing THR BRH SIL THR SILRET BRH THR SIL ZANRET DON SIL SNE DON OUL SIL BRH SPA THR 6th 37 1988 Bowman Racing THR SIL THR BRH DONRET SIL BRH THR SIL DON SIL SNE OUL SIL BRH SPA THR SIL 2nd 81
Complete British Touring Car Championship results (key) (Races in bold indicate pole position in class) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap in class - 1 point awarded)
Year Team Car Class 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 DC Pts Class 1987 Alan Docking Racing Holden Commodore VK SS Group A SIL OUL THR THR SIL SIL BRH SNE DON OULRet‡ DON SIL NC 0 NC ‡ Endurance driver (Ineligible for points)
Complete World Touring Car Championship results (key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap) Year Team Car 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 DC Points 1987 BMW Motorsport BMW M3 MNZ JAR DIJ NUR SPA BNO SIL BATovr:16cls:6 CLD WEL FJI NC 0 † Not registered for series & points
Complete British Formula 3000 results (key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap) Year Entrant 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Total Points 1989 Bromley Motorsport BRH3 THR OUL2 DON BRH1 SNE SIL1 OUL BRH1 1st 55
Complete International Formula 3000 results (key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap) Year Entrant 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 DC Points 1989 Bromley Motorsport SIL VAL PAU JER PER 18th 2 Leyton House Racing BRH BIR SPA BUG DIJ 1990 Middlebridge Racing DON SIL PAU JER MNZ PER HOC14† BRH BIR BUG NOG 11th 8
Complete Formula One results (key) Year Entrant Chassis Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 WDC Points 1990 Life Racing Engines Life L190 Life W12 USA BRA SMR MON CAN MEX FRA GBR GER HUN BEL ITA POR ESP JPN AUS NC 0
Complete Australian Endurance Championship results (key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap) Year Team Car 1 2 3 DC Points 1990 Benson & Hedges Racing Ford Sierra RS500 SAN BATECK 17th 10 1991 Allan Moffat Enterprises Ford Sierra RS500 SAN BAT NC 0
Complete 24 Hours of Le Mans results Year Class No Tyres Car Team Co-drivers Laps Pos. Classpos. 1989 C1 55 Porsche 962CPorsche Type-935 3.0L Turbo Flat-6 Team Schuppan Vern Schuppan Eje Elgh 321 13th 10th
Complete 24 Hours of Daytona results Year Class No Tyres Car Team Co-drivers Laps Pos. Classpos. 1992 GTP 84 Nissan R90CKNissan V8/90° 4v 3.0L Turbo Nissan Performance Technology Inc. Derek Daly Steve Millen 150DNF