Legendary BRM V16 F1 monster set to roar at Silverstone Festival

F1

A faithful continuation version of the famous BRM V16 will run at this year's Silverstone Festival – in addition to a plethora of other historic competition machines

BRM V16 Silverstone

Back on track: V16 set to be on-song at this year's Silverstone Classic

Author

Henry Hudson

The hugely ambitious BRM V16 was Britain’s first great hope in grand prix racing – and the project almost collapsed under the weight of expectation.

The 600bhp brute garnered more derision than adulation in its early ’50s day, almost solely down to a hopeless reliability record, but also due to its litany of mechanical foibles. Stirling Moss wasn’t sparing in his criticism, and Juan Manuel Fangio was polite at best.

However, as with all cult heroes, it slowly gathered a fan base as motor sport enthusiasts had their imaginations captured by the idea of such an outlandish F1 car.

Heralded as the world championship’s best ever sounding engine, BRM’s awe-inspiring V16 is now due to make a thunderous comeback at the upcoming Silverstone Festival later this month, in the form of a continuation car.

BRM V16 Fangio test

Fangio testing the V16

The immensely powerful F1 machine will be the perfect tonic to those who bemoan the muted chorus of the modern hybrids, yearning for the glory days when an GP car would shake the soul and burst eardrums. Even the most devote V10 loyalist will be left reeling by the absurd and beautiful soundtrack the BRM V16 – once recorded and sold as an EP vinyl – will produce.

The legendary supercharged 1.5-litre powerhouse propelled the BRM Type-15 in the early 1950’s and was the most ambitious engine ever devised at the time, with the British public and media eagerly awaiting how it would take Formula 1 by storm.

From the archive

However, the overly ambitious engine proved far too complex, failing to make its much-hyped debut at the 1950 British Grand prix, with the aforementioned reliability issues plaguing its racing career thereafter. A few videos are available online of the original Type 15s, but it’s said that only in person can the real force of the engine be appreciated.

Now, 70 years since a V16 last shook a Silverstone crowd, the first of three continuation models will headline the Sunday running of the upcoming Silverstone Festival.

The resurrection of the V16 marks the beginning of the so-called “reawakening” of the BRM marquee, championed by the family of one of BRM’s original sponsors – Sir Alfred Owen. The Owen family tasked renowned historic motoring specialist Hall & Hall to revive the beast, reproducing all 4,000 engine parts to remake a motor that produces nearly 600 bhp and revs to 12,000 rpm, a feat that would’ve been ground-breaking back in 1950.

In an age of restricted motor sport development tied to road relevance, the V16 is refreshingly bonkers, bringing some theatricality back to the Northamptonshire track whilst also reintroducing fans to the iconic BRM brand.

The Silverstone Festival takes place on the 25-27th August and will feature even more historic track action with various Le Mans legends and a plethora of 3-litre F1 machines ensuring this will likely be the best sounding weekend of the year.

Meanwhile off track, a variety of live music from headliners Mcfly and the Sugarbabes will provide relief to those who prefer their noise a little less petrol-powered.

Tickets for the Silverstone Festival start from £25 and can be purchased here.

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