Ron Tauranac facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ron Tauranac
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Ron Tauranac at the 1971 Monaco Grand Prix
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| Born | 13 January 1925 Gillingham, Kent, England
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| Died | 17 July 2020 (aged 95) Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia
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| Nationality | British |
| Citizenship | Australian |
| Occupation | Racing car designer |
| Known for | Co-founder of Brabham |
Ronald "Ron" Sidney Tauranac (born January 13, 1925 – died July 17, 2020) was a very talented engineer and designer of racing cars. He was born in Britain but later became an Australian citizen. Ron Tauranac is best known for starting the famous Brabham racing team with Formula One driver Jack Brabham in 1962. He designed many successful race cars throughout his life.
Building the Brabham Team
Ron Tauranac and Jack Brabham created the Brabham racing team together. Jack Brabham was a famous driver, and Ron Tauranac was the brilliant designer behind the cars. They worked as a team to build cars that could win races.
After Jack Brabham stopped driving at the end of 1970, Ron Tauranac took over the team. He managed Brabham until 1972. Then, he sold the team to Bernie Ecclestone, who later became a very important person in Formula One.
Even after selling Brabham, Ron continued to help design race cars. He worked with Frank Williams on a Formula One car in 1973. He also helped another team, Trojan, make a Formula One version of their Formula 5000 car.
Creating Ralt Cars
After a short break in Australia, Ron Tauranac went back to England. There, he started his own company called Ralt. The name "Ralt" was actually something he and his brother Austin had used for their special cars back in Australia in the 1950s. One of these early Ralt cars even won a championship in 1954!
The first modern Ralt car was called the Ralt RT1. This car was designed to race in different categories like Formula Three, Formula Two, and Formula Atlantic. The RT1 was a big success! It helped Australian driver Larry Perkins win the European Formula Three championship in 1975. The RT1 also won the European F3 championship again in 1978 with driver Jan Lammers.
Ron Tauranac also designed a Formula One car for the Theodore Racing team in 1978. For 1979, he created two new Ralt designs: the RT2 for Formula Two and the RT3 for Formula Three. The RT3 was incredibly successful. It won the European F3 championship in 1983 with Pierluigi Martini. It also won five British F3 titles in a row!
Ralt also worked with Honda to create the RH6 car. This car won championships in 1981, 1984, and 1985. In 1988, Ron Tauranac sold his Ralt business to another company called March Engineering.
Later Life and Recognition
Even after selling Ralt, Ron Tauranac stayed involved in motor racing. He designed cars for Honda's racing schools. He also designed a car for the Formula Renault series. He even worked as a consultant for the Arrows Formula One team. He continued to have a strong connection with Honda.
Ron Tauranac was also a judge at the Formula SAE Australasia competition in Melbourne. This competition is where university students design and build their own race cars.
In 2002, Ron Tauranac received a very special award in Australia. He was made an Officer of the Order of Australia. This award recognized his great contributions to motor racing. It honored his work in designing and building Formula One cars. It also recognized how he helped young drivers get a chance to race at high levels. And it celebrated his willingness to share his knowledge to help the sport grow.
Ron Tauranac passed away on July 17, 2020, at the age of 95. He left behind a huge legacy in the world of racing car design.
See also
In Spanish: Ron Tauranac para niños
