The new Brabham BT62 will be a 700bhp track monster

Brabham Automotive – a new chapter for one of Formula 1’s most storied teams – is entering the bloodthirsty world of the track-only supercar.

It will be called the Brabham BT62 (the BT52 remember, gave Nelson Piquet an F1 world title in 1983 using BMW power), and feature a Brabham 5.4-litre naturally-aspirated V8 as its motive force.

And it’ll produce around 700bhp. A free-breathing, slightly unhinged and insanely powerful V8 in the back of a Brabham. It should sound brilliant.

Further technical details come in the shape of a dry-weight of 972kg, a “performance-optimised" body with “aggressive” aero, and the ability to deliver over 1,200kg of downforce. Just scope out that rear wing – carbonfibre, naturally – in the teaser image above. 

Brakes? It has some, and they are six-piston items front and back, made of carbon; Brabham points to this F1 tech first being introduced by, well, itself, way back in 1976.

Ah yes, history. This year, Brabham celebrates 70 years since Sir Jack Brabham (a three-time F1 world champion) launched his racing career in Australia. As such, this is a special moment, and commands both a special price and special audience. We’re told it’ll cost £1m a piece (plus tax), and that’s before options. And only 70 BT62s will be built.

Owners will however, join a Brabham driver development programme – like Ferrari’s XX programme – to get the best performance from the supercar on track. That sounds wise.

“With performance characteristics that point to the potency of the car,” we’re told, “the new Brabham is pure-bred for the track and capable of setting blistering lap times, designed and engineered to demand more from the driver and reward the limited few who will rise to its challenge.”

The final car will be revealed on May 2. We suspect it will be quite something.