Mike Pilbeam

Michael Roy Pilbeam (born March 1937) is a British motorsport designer and engineer known for his work with BRM, Lotus, Surtees and his own company, Pilbeam Racing Designs. An early design was the experimental four wheel drive Formula One BRM P67 of 1964. , Pilbeam's company continued to produce hillclimb cars and sports prototype chassis for endurance racing. In 1959, he constructed a small sportscar with which he competed himself, but without much success. However a later design and an association with club racer Tony Gould brought some success in the class.

Pilbeam Racing Designs

Pilbeam left BRM in late 1974, after Louis Stanley took control of the company, and in 1975 established Pilbeam Racing Designs, initially working from home. His first design was a Formula Atlantic chassis for Tom Wheatcroft which was also adapted to Formula Two, where it was driven by Brian Henton.

Pilbeam was also involved in the design of the Penske PC3, as well as engineering the RAM Racing Brabham BT44s in 1976.

He also designed the LEC CRP1 F1 car for David Purley, which competed in the 1977 Formula One season. Pilbeam has a reputation for the structural integrity of his designs and it has been considered that this was crucial to the driver's survival. This machine won British Hillclimb titles in 1979 and from 1981 to 1984, powered by a Brian Hart engine. and Pilbeam continued to work within the industry on both road and racing car projects on a freelance basis. and in 2014, produced the MP100 intended as a customer car for LMP2 and the Le Mans race itself.