Founded in 1946, the Cooper Car Company competed in Formula 1 from 1953 to 1968, securing two drivers’ and constructors’ championships in 1959 and 1960.
Notable Team Members and Drivers
Jack Brabham: The Australian driver was instrumental in Cooper’s success, winning the Formula One World Championship in 1959 and 1960.
Bruce McLaren: A key driver for Cooper, Bruce McLaren achieved his first Formula 1 win at the 1959 United States Grand Prix. McLaren’s success with Cooper laid the groundwork for his own F1 team, McLaren.
John Cooper: As a founder of the Cooper Car Company, John Cooper was a pioneering figure in the introduction and development of the mid-engine layout in Formula 1, contributing to the team’s two Constructors’ Championships and making a lasting impact on the sport.
Throughout their time on the grid, Cooper entered 129 races, achieved 16 wins, secured 11 pole positions, and recorded 14 fastest laps.
The T43 model marked a pivotal moment in F1 history as the first mid-engined car to secure a Formula 1 race win. This innovation was highlighted when Stirling Moss won the season’s opening race in Argentina, followed by Maurice Trintignant’s win in Monaco, which started the era of mid-engined cars in the sport.
Once every Formula 1 car manufacturer shifted to building mid-engined cars, the simplicity and clever design of Cooper’s single-seaters were surpassed by more advanced technology from companies like Lola, Lotus, BRM, and Ferrari. The decline of the Cooper team accelerated following a serious road accident in 1963 that left John Cooper gravely injured while driving a twin-engined Mini, compounded by the death of Charles Cooper in 1964.
Following his father’s death in April 1965, John Cooper sold the Cooper Formula One team to the Chipstead Motor Group.
The final nail in the coffin for the Cooper Car Company began in 1969 when it unsuccessfully sought sponsorship for a new car powered by the Cosworth DFV engine, leading to numerous layoffs. Frank Boyles, responsible for building customer cars, was the last to leave. There was hope that more Formula 2 cars would be sold, but this did not materialise. Beyond F1, Frank designed and constructed a Formula Ford car named the Oscar and a series of Oval Circuit cars called Fireballs. Competing in a rear-engine Fireball, Frank won over 200 races until 1975, a record believed to be unmatched, in a car he designed and raced himself.
Cooper Formula One World Championship Records
| First entry | 1950 Monaco Grand Prix |
|---|---|
| Races entered | 129 |
| Constructors’ Championships | 2 (1959, 1960) |
| Drivers’ Championships | 2 (1959, 1960) |
| Race victories | 16 |
| Pole positions | 11 |
| Fastest laps | 14 |
| Final entry | 1969 Monaco Grand Prix |
Cooper Drivers’ Champions
The following drivers won the Formula One Drivers’ Championship for Cooper F1.
| Driver | Nationality | Championship Year |
|---|---|---|
| Jack Brabham | Australian | 1959 |
| Jack Brabham | Australian | 1960 |
Cooper Championship Results
The World Constructor’s Championship was not awarded until 1958.
| Year | Name | Car | Drivers | Points | WCC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950 | Cooper-JAP | T12 | Harry Schell | – | – |
| 1951 | No works team | – | – | – | – |
| 1952 | Cooper-Bristol | T20 | Mike Hawthorn Reg Parnell Alan Brown Eric Brandon David Murray | – | – |
| 1953 | Cooper-Bristol Cooper-Alta | T20 T23 | John Barber Adolfo Schwelm Alan Brown Helmut Glöckler Ken Wharton Bob Gerard Rodney Nuckey Jimmy Stewart Tony Crook Sterling Moss Peter Whitehead | – | – |
| 1954 | Cooper-Bristol Cooper-Alta | T23 T24 | Bob Gerard Horace Gould Eric Brandon Rodney Nuckey Alan Brown Peter Whitehead | – | – |
| 1955 | Cooper-Bristol | T40 | Jack Brabham | – | – |
| 1956 | Cooper-Bristol | T23 | Bob Gerard | – | – |
| 1957 | Cooper-Climax Cooper-Bristol | T41 T43 T44 | Roy Salvadori Mike MacDowel Les Leston Jack Brabham Brian Naylor Tony Marsh Paul England Dick Gibson Bob Gerard | – | – |
| 1958 | Cooper-Climax | T43 T45 | Maurice Trintignant Stirling Moss Ron Flockhart François Picard Roy Salvadori Jack Brabham Bruce McLaren Jack Fairman Ian Burgess Tony Marsh Robert La Caze André Guelfi Dick Gibson Christian Goethals Brian Naylor Wolfgang Seidel Tom Bridger | 31 | 3rd |
| 1959 | Cooper-Climax | T45 T51 | Jack Brabham Bruce McLaren Masten Gregory Giorgio Scarlatti Maurice Trintignant Stirling Moss Henry Taylor Tim Parnell Peter Ashdown Mike Taylor Jack Fairman Harry Schell George Constantine Alain de Changy Lucien Bianchi Ivor Bueb Jean Lucienbonnet Trevor Taylor Keith Greene Bill Moss | 40 | 1st |
| 1960 | Cooper-Climax | T43 T45 T51 T53 | Jack Brabham Bruce McLaren Chuck Daigh Ron Flockhart Olivier Gendebien Tony Brooks Henry Taylor Phil Hill Chris Bristow Bruce Halford Lucien Bianchi Maurice Trintignant Stirling Moss Lance Reventlow Roy Salvadori Carel Godin de Beaufort Piero Drogo Wolfgang Seidel Harry Schell Jack Fairman Arthur Owen Vic Wilson | 48 | 1st |
| Cooper-Maserati | T45 T51 | Carlos Menditeguy Masten Gregory Wolfgang von Trip Ian Burgess Roberto Bonomi Maurice Trintignant Mário de Araújo Alfonso Thiele Keith Greene | 3 | 5th | |
| Cooper-Castellotti | T51 | Giulio Cabianca Gino Munaron Giorgio Scarlatti | 3 | 6th | |
| 1961 | Cooper-Climax | T53 T55 T58 | Bruce McLaren Jack Brabham John Surtees Roy Salvadori Jackie Lewis Roger Penske Masten Gregory Ian Burgess Hap Sharp Bernard Collomb Jack Fairman Walt Hansgen | 14 | 4th |
| 1962 | Cooper-Climax | T53 T55 T59 T60 | Bruce McLaren Tony Maggs Timmy Mayer Jackie Lewis John Love Ian Burgess Hap Sharp Bernard Collomb | 29 | 3rd |
| 1963 | Cooper-Climax | T51 T55 T60 T66 | Bruce McLaren Tony Maggs Jo Bonnier John Love Mário de Araújo Frank Dochnal | 25 | 5th |
| 1964 | Cooper-Climax | T60 T66 T73 | Bruce McLaren Phil Hill John Love Jo Bonnier Edgar Barth Jean-Claude Rudaz | 16 | 5th |
| 1965 | Cooper-Climax | T55 T60 T73 T77 | Bruce McLaren Jochen Rindt John Love John Rhodes | 14 | 5th |
| 1966 | Cooper-Maserati | T81 | Jochen Rindt John Surtees Richie Ginther Chris Amon Moisés Solana Jo Siffert Joakim Bonnier Guy Ligier | 30 | 3rd |
| 1967 | Cooper-Maserati | T81 T81/B T86 | Pedro Rodríguez Jochen Rindt Jacky Ickx Alan Rees Richard Attwood Jo Siffert Joakim Bonnier Guy Ligier | 28 | 3rd |
| Cooper-Climax | T79 T82 | John Love Tom Jones | 6 | 9th | |
| 1968 | Cooper-BRM | T81B T86 T86B | Brian Redman Ludovico Scarfiotti Lucien Bianchi Vic Elford Johnny Servoz-Gavin Robin Widdows | 14 | 7th |
| 1969 | Cooper-Maserati | T86 | Vic Elford | 0 | – |
