Conception, a friend of mine used to say, “is the biggest word in the English language.” His aphorism came to mind when I learned of the recent passing of John Cooper. It was never my privilege to meet Cooper, but the cars he and his father, Charles, created were central to the motorsports landscape of my youth and lie at the very core of our concept of racing cars today. Had the Cooper team not existed, would the great mid-engined…

Sir Jack Brabham at the wheel of the Cooper T-53 which he drove to the 1960 Driver’s and Manufacturer’s World Championships.
Photo: Jim Williams