AUTOSPORT International ASI 2014 Live - Friday
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Brabham also reveals more about the fight he has had over the Brabham trademark since learning that an individual in Germany had registered the name.
"It took seven years to sort and three court appearances, and it cost me a lot of time, energy, money and stress, but I felt like the name was worth fighting for," says Brabham.
He is now working on future projects involving the Brabham brand. The first to come to fruition will be a new website about the family's motorsport heritage, but there is more in the pipeline.
"Brands are so important in today's world. We've got a golden nugget there. We can't talk about it yet, but the ball is rolling."
"It took seven years to sort and three court appearances, and it cost me a lot of time, energy, money and stress, but I felt like the name was worth fighting for," says Brabham.
He is now working on future projects involving the Brabham brand. The first to come to fruition will be a new website about the family's motorsport heritage, but there is more in the pipeline.
"Brands are so important in today's world. We've got a golden nugget there. We can't talk about it yet, but the ball is rolling."
Brabham underlines that it's been made clear to Sam and Matthew that they can't rely on their famous name.
"Motorsport has changed, it's more of a business now and you've got to treat it as such.
"There are people putting good money behind you as a driver and if you don't give it 100 per cent, somebody else who is will jump you. It doesn't matter if you're Brabham or a Hill or whatever."
"Motorsport has changed, it's more of a business now and you've got to treat it as such.
"There are people putting good money behind you as a driver and if you don't give it 100 per cent, somebody else who is will jump you. It doesn't matter if you're Brabham or a Hill or whatever."
David Brabham is on stage with Henry Hope-Frost now, and has been talking about being part of an amazing motorsport family.
He reminisces about how it was initially hard to convince legendary father Sir Jack that any of his children should race, before elder brother Geoff paved the way for both David and Gary to follow.
Now there's a third generation of Brabhams on the circuits, with David's son Sam racing in British Formula Ford last year and Geoff's son Matthew heading for Indy Lights this season after winning the USF2000 and Pro Mazda titles.
He reminisces about how it was initially hard to convince legendary father Sir Jack that any of his children should race, before elder brother Geoff paved the way for both David and Gary to follow.
Now there's a third generation of Brabhams on the circuits, with David's son Sam racing in British Formula Ford last year and Geoff's son Matthew heading for Indy Lights this season after winning the USF2000 and Pro Mazda titles.
John Surtees
One of the AUTOSPORT International 2014's highlights is an exhibition of classic cars and motorcycles from John Surtees' incredible career.
That means that the great man has the chance to sit on his Vincent to make phonecalls if he wants.
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Martin Brundle: "I'm at @Autosport_Show NEC Birmingham all weekend on the stages and signing the 'MB Scrapbook' on stand 6240 hall 6. Hope to see you there."
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Solberg has just described how it felt to win the World Rally Championship in 2003:
"From when I went past the finish line I don't remember anything. I just heard I was jumping around like a maniac!
"The feeling is huge, and that's why the dream still continues. From those memories, I want that back again, and I will try to win the world championship in another form of motorsport [Rallycross].
"I'm dreaming every night, I want to reach those goals. Life is too short..."
"From when I went past the finish line I don't remember anything. I just heard I was jumping around like a maniac!
"The feeling is huge, and that's why the dream still continues. From those memories, I want that back again, and I will try to win the world championship in another form of motorsport [Rallycross].
"I'm dreaming every night, I want to reach those goals. Life is too short..."
The rally legends just keep on coming this morning: now 2003 world champion Petter Solberg is on stage. He's been on typical good form so far, claiming that he plans to still be competing at the age of 80, and how lucky his wife is to be married to him.
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Walter Rohrl
On the subject of rallying versus racing, Rohrl has evidence that the former discipline might be superior...
"If you want to be the best in the world, you should be able to also be fast in a race car.
"When I came to England in my head it was better to also drive in the 1000kms of Silverstone and the 6 Hours of Brands Hatch, but in my head I was always a rally driver.
"I remember once when I was first world champion, Emerson Fittipaldi and I did a combined test.
"I couldn't fit properly in the F1 car - I was much too tall - but after two interrupted days I was about two seconds slower than he was.
"Then we went rallying, and he was 28 seconds slower than me..."
Rohrl has been discussing the differences between his era of rallying and its current guise.
"I was first champion in 1980, and it was a really interesting time because you had a number of cars at the same level and 15-20 drivers able to win the championship.
"It's a different sport now. Maybe you have five pilots at the maximum level.
"You also have two day stages, which means it is more a race than a rally. For example you do 1300km; in my time it was 5000. Now you compete for 10-11 hours; in my time it was 40.
"That doesn't mean it isn't interesting, but I prefer the old times, because that was something more of a test of the driver, the cars, and maybe you could use your head a bit more.
"Today you have to go flat out the whole way, before you could have more tactics."
"I was first champion in 1980, and it was a really interesting time because you had a number of cars at the same level and 15-20 drivers able to win the championship.
"It's a different sport now. Maybe you have five pilots at the maximum level.
"You also have two day stages, which means it is more a race than a rally. For example you do 1300km; in my time it was 5000. Now you compete for 10-11 hours; in my time it was 40.
"That doesn't mean it isn't interesting, but I prefer the old times, because that was something more of a test of the driver, the cars, and maybe you could use your head a bit more.
"Today you have to go flat out the whole way, before you could have more tactics."
Paddy Hopkirk and Walter Rohrl
Enormous fever in the bunker under the AUTOSPORT Stage with KX just now.
As Paddy Hopkirk came off stage and Walter Rohrl prepared to go on, the two legends bumped into each other and realised it was the first time they had actually met.
A short delay in stage proceedings followed as they embarked on an unforgettable chat about their careers and the state of rallying.
It's fair to say that Henry Hope-Frost enjoyed the moment...
On the subject of rally fever, our next guest is two-time champion Walter Rohrl.
But he's concerned about the state of rallying itself: "I'm quite amazed that the WRC has kept going the way it does, because it gets very little publicity.
"If I owned a car factory, I don't know if I'd think the cost per annum is good value for advertising."
"If I owned a car factory, I don't know if I'd think the cost per annum is good value for advertising."
Hopkirk is full of praise for another man who once drove a factory Mini at rallying's top level - Kris Meeke: "I think he's a wonderful driver. He speaks well and he's a clever guy."
"Back then motor racing was more like the Olympics in some ways - you were representing your country, representing British engineering. It was a very big thing for Mini to win the Monte Carlo Rally," says Hopkirk.
Paddy Hopkirk
Our first guest of the morning is Paddy Hopkirk, who is on stage now to reminisce about his famous Monte Carlo Rally win for Mini, 50 years ago this month.
Here's a reminder of everything that happened at the NEC yesterday:
AUTOSPORT International blog day one
AUTOSPORT International blog day one
Twitter
Henry Hope-Frost: "Whisper it: there's a plan to get Walter Rohrl on the Stage @Autosport_Show this morning. I've come out in a rash just thinking about it..."
AUTOSPORT columnist Toby Moody's interview was one of Thursday's stage highlights.
The MotoGP commentator shared his forthright views on just how good Marc Marquez is, Valentino Rossi and Ducati's struggles, and the rise of Cal Crutchlow.
The MotoGP commentator shared his forthright views on just how good Marc Marquez is, Valentino Rossi and Ducati's struggles, and the rise of Cal Crutchlow.
Twitter
Andy Priaulx: Early flight this morning! Had a great day @Autosport_Show, always good to meet everyone @BRDCSilverstone @UnitedSportsCar @IMSA @BMW_UK
Today is the second of the trade days, before the show opens to the public on Saturday.
Full details and tickets are available here.
Full details and tickets are available here.
Good morning and welcome to day two of AUTOSPORT Live's coverage of AUTOSPORT International 2014.
AUTOSPORT Stage with KX host Henry Hope-Frost has arrived in the backstage bunker (43 interviews down on Thursday, many, many more to go...) and we'll be kicking off with some rally fever shortly.
AUTOSPORT Stage with KX host Henry Hope-Frost has arrived in the backstage bunker (43 interviews down on Thursday, many, many more to go...) and we'll be kicking off with some rally fever shortly.
By: Matt Beer, Sam Tremayne, Glenn Freeman
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