The Cooper T51 was a ground-breaker in the history of Grand Prix racing, becoming the first rear-engined car to win the World Championship when Jack Brabham took the title in 1959. The chassis was dominant in F1 and F2 for many years, and remains a highly competitive proposition for historic motorsport today.
This example bears chassis number F2/11/60, which was supplied new to Robert Adda and was driven by Gerard Laureau in several F2 events including the 1960 Solitude International and 1960 Grand Prix des Frontieres. In 1961 the car was driven by Swiss competitor André Wicky in the F1 non-Championship race at Pau and at the Mont Ventoux hillclimb.
Crashed heavily in period, the remains of the car were reputedly bought from Robert Adda’s estate by restorer John Harper. Following restoration, the Cooper had a lengthy period on static display in the Brooklands Museum. Most recently the car has benefitted from significant expenditure in preparation for its appearance in the action sequences of the film ‘Ferrari’, driven by Ben Collins.
Fitted with a 1,969cc Coventry Climax FPF engine with twin Weber 48 DCOE carburettors and a Cooper ERSA 4-speed gearbox. The car has just been run on a rolling road, producing 180bhp. Complete with fresh HTP papers and a selection of running spares.
