Eric Brandon facts for kids
| Born | 18 July 1920 East Ham, Essex, England, UK |
|---|---|
| Died | 8 August 1982 (aged 62) Gosport, Hampshire, England, UK |
| Formula One World Championship career | |
| Nationality |  British |
| Active years | 1952, 1954 |
| Teams | non-works Cooper |
| Entries | 5 |
| Championships | 0 |
| Wins | 0 |
| Podiums | 0 |
| Career points | 0 |
| Pole positions | 0 |
| Fastest laps | 0 |
| First entry | 1952 Swiss Grand Prix |
| Last entry | 1954 British Grand Prix |
Eric Brandon (born July 18, 1920, died August 8, 1982) was a British racing driver and a smart businessman. He was very important in the early days of the Cooper Car Company, a famous car maker.
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Eric Brandon: A Pioneer in Racing
Eric Brandon was born in East Ham, Essex, England. He later passed away in Gosport, Hampshire. He was known for his skills both on the race track and in business.
Starting with Cooper
After World War II, Eric and his childhood friend John Cooper worked together. They built two racing cars that followed the new rules for 500 cc engines. Eric's family business sold electrical goods. This helped them get special parts called BTH magnetos for their JAP engines. John Cooper's father, Charlie, also helped get these engines.
Eric raced his Cooper car in many events. He took part in hillclimbs (races up hills) and sprints (short, fast races). In 1947, at a place called Gransden Lodge airfield, Eric won a very important race. It was Britain's first-ever circuit race for 500 cc cars. He also won the first Formula Three championship title in 1951. This showed he was a very talented driver.
Racing in Formula One
Later in the 1950s, Eric Brandon raced in five World Championship Formula One races. He drove larger Cooper-Bristol cars, which were part of the Formula Two rules at the time. Even though he raced against the best drivers, he did not score any championship points in these races.
For a lot of his racing career, Eric raced for a team he helped create. It was called the Ecurie Richmond team, and he formed it with another driver named Alan Brown.
Beyond Car Racing
In 1955, Eric used his own money to build a special sports car. He named it Halseylec, after his electrical supplies company. He kept racing cars until 1956. However, he became more and more interested in hydroplane racing. Hydroplanes are very fast boats that skim across the water. By 1957, Eric had decided to focus all his competitive energy on hydroplane racing.
