It’s close to 50-years since five-time Formula 1 champion Juan Manuel Fangio and three-time winner of Jack Brabham went wheel-to-wheel in a ‘demonstration’ at the 1978 Australian Grand Prix.
It was very clear from the start that this was not a demonstration as Fangio driving his famous Mercedes-Benz W196 pushed the BT19.
Both world champions drove extremely hard to the joy of the large crowd in what was a four lap battle of the Formula 1 eras.
Fangio’s W196 had dominated the 1954 and 1955 titles featuring a 2.5-litre, fuel-injected, eight cylinder engine producing around 213kW.
It marked a significant change for Mercedes-Benz due to the lack of supercharger, which had been part of the company’s engine construction for many years.
In fact, the W196 was defeated only once during the shortened 1955 season making it a good match up with Brabham’s BT19.
A decade split the two, but the Brabham used Australian knowledge and knowhow to win the World Drivers’ Championship in 1966 for the driver it was named after.
On the original layout of Sandown including the infamous causeway, the duo put in a thrilling performance welcomed by fans, competitors and officials alike earning a standing ovation.
Also forgotten is that Bob Jane was driving his Maserati and Bill Patterson was in a Cooper.
It is a memory that is lasting for anyone in attendance on the day.