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The first test run of the BRM THURSDAY 15th DECEMBER 1949
A RUNWAY at the Folkingham RAF Station, which a few years ago roared to the sound of Britain's reply to the aggressor, resounded on Thursday morning to the country's reply to the Grand Prix racing machines of other lands. With Bourne's famous racing motorist, Mr Raymond Mays, at the wheel, the new BRM racing car, which has been built at Bourne, the home of the famous ERAs, streaked past the onlookers to give renewed hope to Britain's Grand Prix competitors. Before the car was put through its paces, it was unveiled by Earl Howe, the great motor racer who was supported by many other notable figures in the racing world including the chairman of the committee of the BMR Research Trust (Mr Donald McCullough) and the Duke of Richmond. In his introductory remarks, the chairman said that the production of the car marked the first stage of a gallant team effort by 100 patriotic and sporting British firms. The project, which was quite without precedent, started as a result of the burning enthusiasm of a tiny group of experts. Thanks to the energy and public spirit of this group of key men in the motoring and engineering industries, the designs were produced, the money raised and arrangements made to share out the work. They also received facilities and encouragement from the Government. Now they faced the bigger task of developing a team of BRM cars to represent this country. It is a formidable undertaking but he believed that every patriotic Britisher would support it if they realised the national significance of carrying the Union Jack to the fore in international racing events to prove the superiority of British engineering skill. The chairman also spoke in glowing terms of the work of Mr Mays and Mr Peter Berthon. Earl Howe said that that was the moment for which everyone in this country, and, in fact, every country, had waited. He stressed the importance of the car as a great advertisement for British industry, and commented that it would also help us to sell our "pots and pans" abroad. Both Mr Mays and Mr Berthon paid tribute to the heads of the industry and to the men responsible for the building of the car. Both spoke in favour of the 1½ litre formula and urged its use. The car was then taken from the building for the demonstration and inspection was later made of the second car in the course of construction at Bourne. Report reproduced from the Stamford Mercury, Friday 23rd December 1949. Return to Raymond
Mays 
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