Brabham wins last French GP at Reims

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On this day in 1966, Jack Brabham took his own BT19 to an eighth career win in F1, triumphing in the French Grand Prix on his way to winning his third world championship title.

The event was the last F1 Grand Prix to be run at the Reims circuit, located in the country's Champagne region, but also marked the first win in the history of F1 for a driver racing a car of his own construction. It was also the maiden GP win for the Repco engine.

Jim Clark was forced to withdraw from the meeting after suffering an eye injury when he was hit by a bird in qualifying!

Ferrari had set the early pace with Lorenzo Bandini leading the field for over half the race before a throttle cable failure forced the Italian into retirement, with Brabham then taking command all the way to the checkered flag.

Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.