An Australian airline has paid tribute to one of its nation’s most famous racing cars with a special commemorative livery.
Alliance Airlines, based in Brisbane, Queensland, has chosen to honour the 60th anniversary of the Brabham BT19 Formula 1 car.
Driven by the legendary Sir Jack Brabham, the BT19 took the Australian to his third and final Formula 1 World Drivers’ Championship in 1966.
It remains the only time a driver has secured the F1 Drivers’ Championship in a car of his own make, and run by his own team.
Alliance Airlines marked the occasion by giving one of its newest Embraer E190-100 aircraft an eye-catching livery of green, gold and white.
An icon of Australian motorsport
The design for the Brabham BT19 was by Ron Tauranac, initially with a view to using a Coventry Climax flat-16 engine.
However, Formula 1 rule changes saw the flat-16 abandoned before the BT19 even turned a wheel. Australian firm Repco then persuaded by Jack Brabham to build a new 3.0-litre V8 specifically for the car.
Making use of old General Motors components, the Repco V8 was lightweight and offered a plentiful amount of torque. It also proved affordable to maintain.
With Sir Jack behind the wheel, the BT19 took four Grand Prix wins during the 1966 Formula 1 season. This was enough to secure both the drivers’ and manufacturers’ titles for the Australian team.
Such was the strength of the BT19, it claimed another Manufacturers’ World Championship the following year, with Jack Brabham finishing second in the Drivers’ standings.
Commemorating a special achievement
Recognising the significance of the BT19 to Australian motorsport, Repco purchased the sole example of the Brabham racer in 2004. It has since been displayed at the Australian National Sports Museum in Melbourne, and will make various public appearances throughout 2026.
In designing the special livery, Alliance Airlines made use of a bespoke colour palette featuring custom-developed ‘F1 Gold’ and the official Australian green hue.
Commenting on the livery, Stewart Tully, managing director at Alliance Airlines, said: “This aircraft signifies the magnitude of the achievements of Sir Jack Brabham, Ron Tauranac and the Repco-Brabham BT19 in 1966.
“Alliance Airlines has a proud history of paying tribute to innovation and excellence through its special liveries. This latest design is in keeping with that legacy and pays tribute to an Australian icon whose passion forever changed his field”.
A tribute to Sir Jack Brabham
David Brabham, MD of the Brabham Group and son of Sir Jack Brabham, commented: “This is a wonderful and very meaningful tribute to one of the great moments in Australian sport.
“The Repco-Brabham BT19 that propelled Jack to that historic title is clearly featured on the aircraft, making this tribute even more special. It brings to life this remarkable story in a very visible and powerful way. The Brabham family thanks Alliance for honouring this legacy.”
Alliance Airlines’ special aircraft, registration number VH-A2N, will enter service later this year and fly between various cities throughout Australia.
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