Brian Hart, engine builder who powered Ayrton Senna to first Formula One podium, dies aged 77

Brian Hart, the engine builder who powered Ayrton Senna to his first Formula One podium, has died aged 77.

After enjoying a relatively successful career as a racing driver himself, Hart turned his attention to engine building in the late 1960s, experiencing his breakthrough with the Toleman team in the 1984 season. Hart powerplants provided the legendary Brazilian with three podium finishes that year, including a memorable drive to second place at Monaco in torrential rain.

Hart engines went on to power the Jordan team in 1993 and 1994, with his 3.5 litre V10 bringing Eddie Jordan’s outfit their first podium, as well as a pole position for Brazilian Rubens Barrichello in Belgium.

Hart, who died on Sunday following an illness, supplied engines to minnows Minardi in 1997 before the Hart name left Formula One for good.

Gary Anderson, the BBC’s F1 technical analyst, who worked with Hart when designing Jordan cars, said Hart had a “pure racing instinct” and a “no-nonsense approach”.

"There was nothing in the world as satisfying for Brian Hart and myself as taking on the big boys who had 10 times the budget and showing them up on Sunday afternoon”, Anderson told Autosport.

"He was an ex-racing driver, which was a huge advantage for him on the engineering side and meant that he was a racer at heart. This was part of what made him so rewarding to work with.”

The Force India team added: “Our thoughts are with the friends and family of engine guru Brian Hart, who passed away yesterday, aged 77.”