Lot details Registration No: N/A Chassis No: F2/11/60 Mot Expiry: N/A
- Supplied new to Robert Adda who had Gerard Laureau drive it for him in various F2 and F1 events including the 1960 Solitude GP and 1960 Grand Prix des Frontieres
- Crashed heavily in period with the remains later being bought by restorer John Harper from Mr Adda's estate
- Currently fitted with a 2-litre Coventry Climax FPF engine
- On dispay in the Brooklands Museum until recently
- Offered for sale with expired FIA HTP papers
Every now and again, motorsport experiences a technological leap forwards that makes other designs obsolete. Although engines had been seen behind the driver in the 1930s, it was Owen Maddock's mid-engine F1 designs for the Cooper Car Company in the late 1950s that established this as the dominant layout. His Cooper-Climax T43 in the hands of Stirling Moss was the first car with engine behind the driver to win a Grand Prix in 1958, but the following year it was the Cooper Type 51 driven by Jack Brabham that took him to his first F1 World Championship win. For the next four years, the T51 was dominant, driven by both works teams and privateers alike in both Formula 1 and 2 races.
Cooper T51 FII/11/60 was built by the Cooper Car Company for customer Robert Adda whose driver Gérard Laureau competed in the car throughout the 1960 season. After races at Montlhéry, he achieved creditable 12th places at both Nürburgring Südschleife and Schloss Solitude amongst fields containing Von Tripps, Clark, Bonnier, Surtees and Graham Hill. Laureau's best result in the car came in the Formula 2 race at Chimay where he secured a 5th place on the road circuit. In 1961 the car was driven by the Swiss competitor André Wicky in the Formula One Non-Championship race at Pau and at the Mont Ventoux hillclimb in June.
The car is now fitted with a 1,969cc FPF engine with twin Weber 48 DCOE carburettors and a Cooper ERSA 4-speed gearbox, as detailed in its MSA Technical Passport which is included in the sale. The vendor describes the bodywork, engine, gearbox and electrical components as all being in 'very good' condition, with 'good' paintwork. Presenting well, with good period racing history, this Cooper T51 offers significant historic racing potential.
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