Bristol Formula 1 Engines
Founder: Sir George White (1854-1916)
Nation: United Kingdom
First GP: Switzerland 1952
Last GP: Britain 1957
Best Result: 3rd (1952 French GP)
Best Grid Position: 3rd
War-Reparation Engineering
Bristol’s F1 engines originated from an unlikely source:
- Based on BMW 328 engine (1937 design)
- Acquired by UK as WWII reparations in 1946
- Powered class winners at 1939 Le Mans and 1940 Mille Miglia
- Bristol improved the design for post-war racing
Formula 1 Record
Best Driver: Mike Hawthorn (5th, 1952)
Constructors: Never ranked
| Season | Notable Achievement |
|---|---|
| 1952 | Mike Hawthorn 4th in championship |
| 1953 | Three top-5 finishes |
| 1956 | Final development of BS2 engine |
Racing Statistics
- 17 Grand Prix entries
- 5 no starts
- 1 podium finish
- 19 drivers
- 6 seasons
- 2,318 laps raced
- 13,859 km raced
Engine Specifications
Bristol BS1 (1952-1955)
The war-reparation engine that became a giant-killer. Mike Hawthorn finished 4th in the 1952 championship against dominant Ferraris with this engine in his Cooper chassis.
Origin: BMW 328 (1937) acquired as war reparations
Configuration: Inline-6
Displacement: 1,971 cm³
Power: 130 hp (1952) → 150 hp (1953)
RPM: 5,800
Teams: Cooper, ERA, Frazer Nash, AFM
Bristol BS2 (1956-1957)
Final evolution with increased displacement, but couldn’t compete with newer engine designs.
Configuration: Inline-6
Displacement: ~2,200 cm³
Teams: Cooper
Mike Hawthorn’s 1952 Season
The Bristol engine’s greatest success came with future World Champion Mike Hawthorn:
- Belgian GP: 4th place (first F1 start)
- British GP: 3rd place → upgraded to 2nd after disqualification
- Dutch GP: 4th place
- Italian GP: 3rd place
Hawthorn finished 4th in the championship ahead of established names like Giuseppe Farina.
Engineering Features
- Crossflow Head: Unusual for era, improved efficiency
- Hemispherical Combustion Chambers: Enhanced combustion
- Triple Carburetors: Progressive power delivery
- Robust Construction: Known for reliability
Technical Legacy
Though obsolete by 1957, Bristol engines influenced:
- Early Cooper chassis development
- Post-war British engine design philosophy
- Later ERA and BRM engine architecture
The BS1 remains celebrated in historic racing, with original engines still competing in Goodwood Revival events.
End of an Era
Bristol engines disappeared from F1 after 1957 due to:
- Introduction of 2.5L formula in 1954
- Rise of specialized racing engines (Coventry-Climax)
- Limited development resources
- Bristol’s focus on road cars
