Ken Wharton – F1 | The “forgotten” drivers of F1

Grand Prix de Belgique 1952, Spa Francorchamps. Photo and info via FB group

1954 Auckland – New Zealand – Ken Wharton BRM P15/2 (1496cc V16). Photo J. Short via FB

The first contemporary Grand Prix car to be seen at Snetterton was the BRM V16 on 25th July 1953. Ken Wharton easily won the Formula Libre event at the AMOC ‘USAF Trophy’ meeting in the 1500cc V16 Formula 1 car, built in Bourne Lincolnshire. A very complicated car with a Rolls Royce supercharger, this 550bhp beast could be heard for miles around at 12,000 RPM. I have heard tales of schoolboys on hearing the noise, when BRM were testing at the circuit , jumping on their bicycles to go to the track from the surrounding villages. A photo by George Phillips thanks to the Revs Institute. Info Graham Etheridge. Posted by Andy Kitson via FB Snetterton