Cooper T55

The Cooper-Climax T55 is a Formula One car built by the Cooper Car Company for the 1961 Formula One season. Its best result was third-place for Bruce McLaren at the 1961 Italian Grand Prix. ^[1][2][3]

Cooper T55

Tony Maggs' T55 pursues Phil Hill's Ferrari at the 1962 Dutch Grand Prix
Category	Formula One
Constructor	Cooper Car Company
Designer	Owen Maddock
Predecessor	Cooper T53
Successor	Cooper T58
Technical specifications
Chassis	Steel spaceframe
Suspension (front)	Double wishbone, coil spring and damper
Suspension (rear)	Double wishbone, coil spring and damper
Axle track	F: 1,190 mm (47 in) R: 1,220 mm (48 in)
Wheelbase	2,310 mm (91 in)
Engine	Coventry Climax FPF 1.5-litre straight-4, naturally aspirated, rear mid, longitudinally mounted.
Transmission	Cooper 6-speed manual gearbox.
Weight	500 kg (1,100 lb)
Tyres	Dunlop
Competition history
Notable entrants	Cooper Car Company
Notable drivers	Jack Brabham Bruce McLaren Tony Maggs John Love
Debut	1961 Monaco Grand Prix
Races Podiums 14 1

Development

The T55 was a stop-gap development of the Cooper T53 for the start of the 1961 Formula One season, pending the introduction of a new chassis to take the Climax FWMV V8 for the new 1.5 litre formula. Smaller and lighter than the T53, it was powered by the 170 hp (130 kW) naturally aspirated Coventry-Climax FPF four-cylinder engine driving through a new Cooper six-speed gearbox.^[4][5]

Racing history

The T55 debuted at the non-championship 1961 Aintree 200. Jack Brabham and Bruce McLaren finished first and second, and Brabham set fastest lap. However, it would be unable to match the power of the new Ferrari 156 in the World Championship events, where McLaren's third place at Monza would be its best result. Cooper would finish fourth in the Constructors' championship.

The works team continued with the T55 at the start of 1962, along with the V8-powered T60, primarily driven by Brabham's replacement Tony Maggs, although McLaren used it in some non-championship events. John Love then obtained one of the cars and campaigned with it in several South African events, including its last World Championship appearance at the 1965 South African Grand Prix.^[6]

Complete Formula One World Championship results

Year	Entrants	Engine	Tyres	Drivers	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	Points1	WCC
1961	Cooper Car Company	Climax FPF 1.5 in-line 4	D		MON	NED	BEL	FRA	GBR	GER	ITA	USA			14 (18)2	4th
				Jack Brabham	Ret	6	Ret	Ret	4
				Bruce McLaren	6	12	Ret	5	8	6	3	4
1962	Cooper Car Company	Climax FPF 1.5 in-line 4	D		NED	MON	BEL	FRA	GBR	GER	ITA	USA	RSA		29 (37)2	3rd
				Tony Maggs	6	Ret				9
	John Love			John Love									8
1963	John Love	Climax FPF 1.5 in-line 4	D		MON	BEL	NED	FRA	GBR	GER	ITA	USA	MEX	RSA	25 (26)3	5th
				John Love										9
1965	John Love	Climax FPF 1.5 in-line 4	D		RSA	MON	BEL	FRA	GBR	NED	GER	ITA	USA	MEX	143	5th
				John Love	Ret

¹ Points were awarded on an 8-6-4-3-2-1 (1961) and 9-6-4-3-2-1 (1962 onwards) basis to the first six finishers at each round, but only the best placed car for each make was eligible to score points. In 1961 and 1962 only the best five results from the season were retained, and only the best six results for 1963 and 1965.

² Includes points scored by other Cooper-Climax models

³ All points scored by other Cooper-Climax models