Brabham-BMW 1984 and Fabi / Formula 1 double

In 1984, when Brabham-BMW was looking for a partner for the first turbo world champion Nelson Piquet, an unusual way was taken: the Italian Corrado Fabi (born April 12, 1961) always drove while his older brother Teo Fabi (born March 9, 1955) had to fulfill other racing duties in the USA.

And before one or the other reader raises a warning finger: Yes, brothers Emerson and Wilson Fittipaldi also drove a car of the same make – that is Copersucar – but not in the same year. This is just for completeness.

It was also natural for me in my role as BMW Motorsport’s media spokesperson to look after a pair of brothers.

The oldest during his time at the Benetton BMW Formula 1 team, the youngest since his Formula 2 days, as well as winning the European championship in 1982 for the March BMW factory team.

Both Teo and Corrado were easy going people when it came to my work.

Corrado Fabi’s 63rd birthday today is reason enough not only to take a closer look at the child of the time in international formula racing, but also to look at another pair of very successful brothers; Think of the Hahnes, the Schumachers, the Winkelhocks, the Brambillas, the Fittipaldis.

After just half a season in Italian Formula 3 in 1979, Corrado finished a surprising third in European Formula 3 the following year – 1980 – and third in the European Formula 2 Championship a year later.

In 1982, Corrado started with Johnny Cecotto and Christian Danner in the March factory team, which behind BMW four-cylinder engines were at their peak performance and ready for their fifth championship title.

Fabi won the team’s internal battle with the Venezuelan – five to three and after the results were annulled.

The name of Corrado Fabi was the last in the work of the Rosche engine, which drove the champion five times with Jean-Pierre Jarier (1973), Patrick Depailler (1974), Bruno Giacomelli (1978), Marc Surer (1979) and Corrado (not) . forget Jacques Laffite, 1975, and the Schnitzer engine).

Corrado F.’s upward trajectory became more horizontal: a year after winning the title of Formula 2, it entered Formula 1, but there it could not pass the tenth place in Austria with the overweight and underpowered Osella.

A year later, due to scheduling conflicts with the US CART series, he was allowed to represent his brother Teo at Brabham-BMW in three races, where he achieved his best result in Formula 1 with a seventh place in Dallas. But at that time there were only points for the top six.

Teo continued his journey in motorsport with great success, while Corrado now manages the family business.

The elder Fabi drove in Formula 1 until 1987 with Toleman and Benetton, where two pole positions, two third places and a fastest lap resulted from many good performances.

Teo was also one of the fastest cars in American motorsports and sports until the 1990s; In 1991 he won the sports car world championship with the Jaguar XJR-14, the crowning glory, so to speak, of the extraordinary works of two brothers.