BRM V16

I took this photograph at the Donington Park Museum in March 1996.

On the left is a 1950 BRM P15, originally known as a BRM V16 MkI, and it is chassis no. 3. It's got the light green finish that was first favoured but which was later changed to a much darker shade of green. The P15 had a supercharged 1,496cc V16 engine which was claimed to achieve 600bhp. It was notably unsuccessful in the 1950 and 1951 racing seasons, retiring from many races. To the right is a 1954 BRM P30, V16 Mk2 No2, alternatively known as V16/05. This car competed in Formula Libre races for a few years, and the only time I saw one in competitive action was in the Formula Libre race at the 1955 Aintree 200 meeting when Peter Collins won the race in P30/2.

1954 BRM P30

This car is at Luffield Corner competing in the Chopard Grand Prix Cars Race at the Coys International Historic Festival meeting at Silverstone in July 1993.

It's the 1954 BRM P30, the Mk2 version of the original V16 BRM P15. The Mk2 was shortened and lightened, but had the same 1,496cc V16 supercharged engine which was claimed to produce 600bhp at 12,000rpm. This car is chassis V16/04 (or V16 Mk2 No.1) and is being driven by Nick Mason who owned it at that time, but it's now part of Bernie Ecclestone's large collection of rare Grand Prix cars.

BRM P30

This car is competing in the Chopard Grand Prix Cars Race at the Coys International Historic Festival meeting at Silverstone in July 1993.

It's Nick Mason at Luffield Corner in his 1952 1½ litre supercharged BRM P30, #V16/04, now owned by Bernie Ecclestone.

On 4 August 2016 I showed a photograph of this car at the Coys meeting of 2000 at Silverstone.

BRM P30

This car was on display in the paddock at the SeeRed meeting at Donington Park in September 2006.

It's the Donington Museum's 1954 BRM P30, V16 Mk2 No2, alternatively known as V16/05. After the demise of the 4½ litre/1½ litre supercharged Formula One at the end of the 1951 season the Mk1 and Mk2 BRM's were raced in Formula Libre events until 1955, after which the BRM team concentrated on the new Formula One 2½ litre BRM P25.

BRM P30

This was one of the display cars at the Coys International Historic Festival meeting at Silverstone in July 2000 when the theme was 50 years of Formula 1 racing.

It's Nick Mason's 1954 BRM P30 V16/04, now owned by Bernie Ecclestone, and seen here leaving the pit lane on a demonstration run driven by Ray Boulter. He appears to be wearing Nick Mason's helmet.

BRM V16

The Coys International Historic Festival meeting at Silverstone in July 1999 included a display of BRM cars to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the marque. Included in the display were three of the original BRM V16 cars.

This is the original car, designated BRM Mk1 No. 1 or V16/01 and this is the one usually on show at the National Motor Museum at Beaulieu, The Mk1 is also known as the P15.

This is BRM Mk1 No. 3, or V16/03 and is the Donington Museum car. It was driven in the BRM demonstration run that day at Silverstone by José Froilán Gonzáles.

The third car on display was the BRM V16 Mk2 No. 1, or V16/04, which was then owned by Nick Mason and driven by him in the demonstration run. It is now owned by Bernie Ecclestone. The Mk2 was also known as the P30 and was a shorter and lighter version of the Mk1.

You can read the history of the V16 BRMs in this madasafish.com history of the car.