BRABHAM, SIR JACK

born April 2, 1926, Hurtsville, N.S.W., Australia byname of Sir John Arthur Brabham Australian automobile racer who won the world driving championship in 1966 in a car of his own construction. After serving in the Royal Australian Air Force in World War II, Brabham set up his own engineering business in 1946. He drove in midget racing (194652) in Australia, and in 1955 he moved to England to drive for the Cooper team in Grand Prix racing. He won the world driving championship in 1959 and 1960. He left Cooper in 1961 to build his own Grand Prix cars and retired as a driver in 1970 while remaining active in racing management and engineering. He was knighted in 1979.