Eurobrun F1 Team
Italian-Swiss Formula 1 Grand Prix Racing Team
The Eurobrun team which entered Formula 1 in 1988 was the result of an interesting partnership devised by Argentinean driver Oscar Larrauri. In the early 1980s Larrauri had been a hot property, claiming the 1983 European Formula 3 title but a Formula 1 drive was not forthcoming. His Formula 3 success had come while driving for the Euroracing team, after which he drove Group C Porsches for the Swiss entrant Walter Brun. By persuading the two teams to join forces Larrauri guaranteed himself a seat in Formula 1.
Promising Start for Eurobrun in F1
The first Eurobrun, designed by Mario Tolentino and dubbed the ER188, was equipped with a normally aspirated Cosworth engine, at a time when turbos ruled the roost. Stefano Modena, who was the reigning Formula 3000 champion and already had one Grand Prix start behind him, was signed to partner Larrauri.
To begin with the cars showed reasonable pace, and usually qualified for the races. Modena was disqualified in both Monaco and Mexico for rule infringements, but in Canada he qualified his ER188 a very respectable 15th. If qualifying wasn’t a problem, lasting a race distance was. In the first half of the 1988 season Larrauri and Modena managed just three finishes between them, none of them near the points positions.
As the 1988 season progressed Eurobrun’s form disappeared, often struggling to qualify. Hungary provided the highlight of their year, when Modena finished the Grand Prix in 11th place. Larraruri very nearly lost his seat in the team he’d created. If the cockpit hadn’t been too cramped he would have been replaced by Christian Danner.
Foitek Signed for 1989 F1 Season
Eurobrun started the 1989 season with an updated version of the ER188, christened the ER188B. All of the teams efforts were focused on a single car, to be driven by Brun’s countryman Gregor Foitek. At the opening round in Brazil Foitek was unlucky not to make the grid but it proved to be the closest he got all season. Foitek departed later in the year, to be replaced by Larrauri, who had been driving for Brun again in sports cars. Despite a new car, the ER189, Eurobrun finished the year without qualifying for a Grand Prix.
Moreno and Langes in Eurobrun's Last F1 Season
The Euroracing part of the Eurobrun partnership disappeared before the start of the 1990 season. Despite this, Brun kept the name and decided to enter two cars. The talented Brazilian Roberto Moreno was signed to drive one, with Claudio Langes in the other.
Moreno caused a sensation at the United States Grand Prix when he topped the pre-qualifying sheets. It got even better in first qualifying, when he took the Eurobrun to the 16th fastest time. When it rained for final qualifying it assured the little team of a Grand Prix start. The ER190 was seemingly quite good in the wet, as Moreno recorded the second fastest lap of the session. Unfortunately, it didn't rain much during the 1990 season. In the race Moreno was still around at the end, finishing 13th after a long pit-stop.
In contrast, the other car driven by Langes never made it past Friday morning’s pre-qualifying session. Eurobrun withdrew from Grand Prix racing before the penultimate race in Japan, by which time Langes had recorded 14 failures to pre-qualify out of 14 attempts. Brun cut his losses and returned to what he knew best, sports car racing.
More disastrous Formula 1 efforts.
Oscar Larrauri in Eurobrun ER188
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