Brabham boys roll out Dad's championship winning BT19

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David Brabham and son Sam – the son and grandson of three-time F1 world champion Jack Brabham – showcased on Saturday in Adelaide perhaps the most splendid piece of the family's motorsport heritage.

Just a week ahead of next weekend's Australian Grand Prix at Melbourne, local fans warmed up to the third round of the F1 world championship with the Adelaide Motorsport Festival, an annual event held on a shortened version of the former Aussie GP held in the city at Victoria Park.

A collection of heritage F1 cars took to the track, but the center piece was undoubtedly the Brabham B19, designed by Ron Tauranac and raced to the title by Sir Jack in 1966.

Beyond its remarkable track record, the green and gold liveried machine - once called the 'Old Nail' by its legendary driver - is also the only eponymous car in the history of F1 to win the championship.

And for both David and son Sam, pleasing the crowd with demo laps onboard the immaculate Repco-powered car this weekend has been a succession of a "lump-in-throat" moments, even if the pair's speed was limited for insurance reasons.

"Any time you get in something like that, it’s always special – and I’m not doing a lot here," said David ahead of his run.

"When we drove some of his cars before the Australian GP in 2019, the response from the crowd was amazing – Dad was treated like royalty here.

"He was so down to earth, would speak to anyone but was probably the most famous person in Australia at one point.

"Over here, particularly when you get the BT19 out – it’s an iconic Australian F1 car with an Australian engine – it certainly helps bring the emotions to the front."

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.