IndyCar legend Rick Mears - who was born on this day 70 years ago - is often considered as the greatest Indy 500 racer of all time. But in 1980, as his career in the US series was flourishing with Penske Racing, Mears was offered a couple of F1 tests with Brabham, at the behest of team owner Bernie Ecclestone who believed the American would make a good fit for his team and for F1. Mears first sampled Brabham's BT49 at Paul Ricard where his smooth and steady style wasn't exactly what the Gordon Murray-designed machine required. At his second test at Riverside a few months later, Rick hustled the Brabham around the California track and ended up quicker than the benchmark time set earlier in...
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