BRM P57
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| Category | Formula One | ||||||||
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| Constructor | British Racing Motors | ||||||||
| Designer(s) | Tony Rudd | ||||||||
| Predecessor | P48 | ||||||||
| Successor | P61/P261 | ||||||||
| Technical specifications | |||||||||
| Chassis | spaceframe | ||||||||
| Suspension (front) |
1961: double wishbones, coil springs over dampers, anti-roll bar. 1962: IFS Double wishbone, outboard spring/damper. |
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| Suspension (rear) |
1961: double wishbones, coil springs over dampers, anti-roll bar. 1962: IRS with double wishbones, coil springs over dampers, anti-roll bar. |
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| Engine |
1961: Coventry Climax FPF 1496cc S4 naturally aspirated Mid-engined, longitudinally mounted. 1962: BRM P56 1498cc V8 naturally aspirated Mid-engined, longitudinally mounted. |
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| Transmission |
1961: 5-speed manual ZF differential. 1962: Colotti, later BRM 6 speed Colotti, 5 speed BRM manual ZF differential |
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| Tyres | Dunlop | ||||||||
| Competition history | |||||||||
| Notable entrants | Owen Racing Organization | ||||||||
| Notable drivers |
 Graham Hill Tony Brooks Richie Ginther
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| Debut | 1961 Monaco Grand Prix | ||||||||
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| Constructors' Championships | 1 | ||||||||
| Drivers' Championships | 1 | ||||||||
The BRM P57, (originally referred in 1961 as the BRM P48/57 and in 1962 as the BRM P578), was a Formula One racing car built to race in Formula One from 1962 to 1965.
Like the other British teams, BRM were caught off-guard by new regulations for the 1961 Formula 1 season that limited engines to 1.5 litres. They had a new 1.5 liter V8 engine on the drawing board, but this was not likely to be ready until late in the season. (In the event, it did not race until the next year). The Coventry Climax 4-cylinder unit used by Cooper and Team Lotus was chosen as a stopgap solution. It was installed in the first BRM spaceframe chassis, based on the 1960 BRM P48 Mark II designed by Tony Rudd. The P48 Mark II had abandoned the single rear disc brake introduced by the P25 in favor of a more conventional 2 disc layout at the rear.
At 450 kg, the new BRM P57 was heavier than its British rivals, and the Climax engine was no match for the V6 in the Ferrari 156. The later V8-powered version of the P57 was originally designated the P578, but both types have since been commonly referred to as the P57.
The P578's design can be traced back to the Climax powered P57 (also called P48/P57) raced in 1961. The car's chassis, a tubular spaceframe, and suspension remained unchanged. The underpowered Coventry Climax engine was replaced with BRM's own V8, producing 190 horsepower. Also new for BRM was a Lucas fuel injection system. Although it produced about the same power as the Climax, BRM's unit revved up to 11,000 rpm, some 3,500 revolutions faster. Mounted to the back of the engine was Colotti's new 6 speed gearbox. However, reliability problems forced BRM to revert to their own, older specification, 5 speed unit. The original eight exhausts were mounted vertically, but they were prone to working loose and were replaced by a more conventional horizontal layout.
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Wikipedia