The Cooper-Bristol, formally called the Cooper Mk.I or the Cooper T20, is a

Formula 2 Formula Two (F2 or Formula 2) is a type of open-wheel formula racing category first codified in 1948. It was replaced in 1985 by Formula 3000, but revived by the FIA from 2009–2012 in the form of the FIA Formula Two Championship. The name r ...

racing car Auto racing (also known as car racing, motor racing, or automobile racing) is a motorsport involving the racing of automobiles for competition. Auto racing has existed since the invention of the automobile. Races of various sorts were organis ...

, built, designed, and developed by British manufacturer

Cooper Cars The Cooper Car Company is a British car manufacturer founded in December 1947 by Charles Cooper and his son John Cooper. Together with John's boyhood friend, Eric Brandon, they began by building racing cars in Charles's small gara ...

in 1952.

Development history and technology

With the T20 in 1952, Cooper not only interrupted the series of Formula 3 racing cars, but also built the first vehicle for Formula 2. The designation T was originally introduced by Cooper for the 500 cubic centimeter racing car. These racing cars ran in Formula 3 and

Formula Junior Formula Junior is an open wheel formula racing class first adopted in October 1958 by the CSI (''International Sporting Commission'', the part of the FIA that then regulated motorsports). The class was intended to provide an entry level cla ...

. Through this commitment, Cooper had a large customer base of drivers and their sponsors. Many of them wanted to enter the highest class of motorsport and expected a car from Cooper to do so. The answer was quickly found there and the T20 was developed. The T20 was based on the T15 and, like there, had the engine in a simple frame in front of the driver. The suspension and wheels were also taken over from the T15.

Racing history

The engine used was the 2-liter engine from

Bristol Bristol () is a city, ceremonial county and unitary authority in England. Situated on the River Avon, it is bordered by the ceremonial counties of Gloucestershire to the north and Somerset to the south. Bristol is the most populous city i ...

, a

six-cylinder The straight-six engine (also referred to as an inline-six engine; abbreviated I6 or L6) is a piston engine with six cylinders arranged in a straight line along the crankshaft. A straight-six engine has perfect primary and secondary engine bala ...

, the basis of which was the engine from the

BMW 328 The BMW 328 was a sports car offered by BMW from 1936 to 1940, with the body design credited to Peter Szymanowski, who became BMW chief of design after World War II (although technically the car was designed by Fritz Fiedler). Specifications ...

. The engine made about 130 hp. Therefore, the car had to be light and easy to handle in order to keep up with the Ferrari that dominated at the time. As expected, the car had no chance against the vehicles from Italy, but it did score the first points for Cooper in the Formula 1 World Championship by Alan Brown at the Swiss Grand Prix in 1952. Mike Hawthorn achieved his first success on a T20 and was in Britain became a popular racing driver almost overnight.

References

{{Cooper Car Company Cooper racing cars Formula Junior cars Formula Two cars 1950s cars Cars of England