The FISA decided in November 1982 that the ground-effect and skirts of the 1982 cars were no more allowed and that a flat-bottom had to be installed. This was originally scheduled for 1985, but the new rule would be effective from the first race of 1983 onwards.
Brabham designer Gordon Murray was already very advanced with his new ‘pitstop’- designed car. Included and already tested were his high-pressure fuelling rigs and the tyre warmers. He thought he was safe, because his boss, Bernie Ecclestone, was the one who looked after all the rules. But this time, no luck. To make things worse, Ferrari had already testes his 162C2 car without skirts. John Barnard and Ron Dennis decided that Mclaren would start the season with a tweaked version of their 1982 car.
Murray’s response was the dart-shaped Brabham BT52. He started from a sketch, based on theory, experience and gut feeling and without any wind tunnel modelling. He dumped the sidepods and moved the centre of gravity towards the rear and shifted everything to the back of the car, including the driver. He increased the wheelbase in order to create maximum traction and maximum downforce over the rear. He designed the biggest and curviest rear wing possible; the front wing was there for the balance. He did not want a complicated car: fixed rollbar at the front and no rear anti-roll bar. His second focus was the engine: maps, boosts, driveability. He designed a ‘race rear end’-in unit engine, a Brabham developed gearbox ,suspension and outboard rear carbon fibre discs could be prepped and set-up at the factory and ready -to-go. The BMW engine had a large oil/water radiator on the right and a air-to-air intercooler in front of the KKK turbocharger on the left. The monocoque was made in two sections: the lower half from aluminium panelling, the upper section from moulded carbon fibre composite. At the front of the monocoque, a magnesium casting had been machined to carry the inboard mounted spring/damper units activated by a double wishbone/pushrod system. The car was designed as a ‘pit stop car’ and was unlikely to run a non-stop race.
The whole staff worked 24/7 and the result was this beautiful BT52 F1 car.
During the season, Murray would redesign the rear for more downforce, creating the B, C and D models.
First race. Brazil. Nelson Piquet qualified fourth in 1.35.114 and Patrese seventh. Pole position was for Keke Rosberg in his Williams FW 08C. At the start, it was Rosberg who shot straight into yje lead and kept that position for six laps. The Piquet got past him. From then on it was plain sailing for the new Brabham BMW. He kept the lead even when he had his routine pitstop at the end of lap 40.It ended in a debut victory. Patrese had worked his way up to third before his exhaust broke as a consequence of a loss of turbo power pressure.
The next race at Long Beach was a disappointing race. Both cars out. Before the French GP, there was the non-championship race at Brands Hatch. In the car was Hector Rebaque. It ended when the mechanics damaged the suspension during a pitstop. In France, Renault, Ferrari and Alfa Romeo joined into the pitstop actions. It was a brilliant Prost and his new Renault RE 40 who took the lead at the start. He lost it for a short while to Piquet’s understeering B52, but regained it when Nelson stopped for fuel and tyres. At the finish he had almost half a minute over the Brabham; his team mate Cheever was third. Patrese was out.
It went all wrong again at the San Marino GP. Piquet qualified second and then he stalled the BMW engine at the start. He climbed through the field to P5 once he was going again, but retired after 36 laps with a broken valve. Patrese had made a pit stop at the wrong position and lost 20 seconds with it. However, he passed the Tambay Ferrari on lap 55 to take the lead. He had the race in the bag! But at the Acque Minerale he threw it all away for an unknown cause and shot head on into the protective barrier. In the wet-dry race at Monaco, Piquet finished a strong second, while Patrese had electrical problems. At Spa, it looked like Alain Prost was the dominant driver aiming at a world Champion title. He won the race. Piquet ran second until lap 33, but then fell to P4 with gearbox issues.
Arnoux and Piquet were on the front row in Detroit. Nelson let Arnoux run ahead; he would come out as a leader after his spit stop. And he was helped when the Ferrari’s engine died. But then in lap 51, he got a rear tyre puncture. He drove gently to the pits leaving the win to Michele Alboreto Tyrrell. Nelson recovered to fourth place; Patrese retired. A week later in Canada, Nelson retired from third place. Rene Arnoux won the race, Cheever was second for Renault.
In the Championship, Prost had 30 points while Piquet and Tambay were 2 points behind.
A BT52 specification “B” and a new Parmalat livery was seen at the British GP. Gordon Murray had modified the underbody and the bodywork and the car had a shorter nose. Two new Ferrari 162C3 were on the front row. It was Prost who was again superior. After his pit stop, Piquet was in a position to challenge him, but the pit did not give him any indication how far he was behind. He turned down the turbo power, only to find out after the race he was second and that the gap was only 19 seconds. At the Hockenheim Ring, it was Ferrari demonstration, but this time Patrese was third. Nelson’s engine caught fire with only 3 laps to go.
It was during the Austrian GP, that Nelson started to see his possible championship win coming his way. After the start, Nelson drove confidently behind the two Ferrari cars, ahead of Prost’s Renault RE40. Arnoux, in the lead, did a routine stop at the end of lap 29; that gave Piquet the lead. His pitstop, 2 laps later, was so efficiently done that he came out of the pitlane in front of Ferrari on already warmer tyres. He was again immediately in the rhythm and stayed in front. When the BMW engine started to show signs of overheating, he turned down the turbo pressure and conceded the battle for the lead. He finished third. Prost won from Arnoux and immediately warned his team that he needed an engine development otherwise he would lose the championship.
In Zandvoort, Nelson took pole from Tambay by half a second thanks to an engine upgrade. He took of as a rocket when the starting lights went green. By lap 10 he was 5 sec ahead of Prost. But then the Frenchman started to come closer. After the pitstop in the Tarzan corner at lap 40, Prost swung to the inside but lost the rear of the car. He took the BT52 with him and both crashed in the barriers. Piquet was out, but Prost kept going only for a short while. Too much damage!. Patrese was challenging for a second place when his engine suddenly lost power and he finished eight.
Only three races left and Piquet was 14 pts behind Prost in the chase for the title. In Monza it was Riccardo Patrese on pole. He bounced into the lead at the start of the race, but in lap 4 his engine went into smoke, allowing team mate Piquet on at the head of the field. He was never challenged and stayed in front even when he made his splendid 10 sec pitstop for fuel and tyres. Prost retired with turbo problems.
New wing for the European GP at Brands Hatch. Patrese was again on pole and again he shot away in the lead. This time it was the new Lotus 94T of Elio de Angelis that took him in a spin during lap 11. That gave Piquet the lead. Patrese did his best to hold Prost behind him. So the win was again for Nelson. In the standings, Prost now had only 2 pts over Piquet.
Final race in South Africa. Tambay was on pole; Piquet second. Team boss Bernie Ecclestone had an idea. He would start the race with a minimal amount of fuel on board. This way, Piquet would get away at the start and when he had to pit, he would be very much in the lead. And that’s what happened. After the end of lap 1 he was already 2 seconds in front; fastest lap on lap 6; still in the lead after his pitstop. At the end of lap 35, the yellow Prost Renault crept into the pitlane, turbo failure. Piquet was warned of that, so he let Patrese through and gave him the well-deserved win. He even dropped behind Andrea de Cesaris in the Alfa Romeo.
Nelson Piquet was the world champion with 2 points over Alain Prost. He was the first man to win the Championship at the wheel of a turbocharged car. Ferrari, however won the constructors' championship.
Publication: 23/09/2025Back to overview
