Tributes flow for Sir Jack Brabham

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PEOPLE from around the world have hailed Sir Jack Brabham.

Former Formula 1 driver Mark Webber hailed Brabham as a trailblazer, who paved the way for fellow Australians on the world stage.

"He was a trailblazer; he took the hardest road and made it easier for the rest of us to follow," he said.

"When I think of Jack, I think of a tenacious individual; an absolute grafter; he did it his own way and made it stick.

"What he achieved taking on the best in the world and winning one of his three world titles in his own machinery is the stuff of pure legends.

"I was very fortunate that I was introduced to Jack before I left Australia and to be in his presence as a 17 or 18-year old as I must have been at the time, just blew me away. He provided me with endless support and advice over the years and became a close confidante.

Webber said he was disappointed he was unable to join Brabham and Alan Jones as world champion.

Daniel Ricciardo, Webber's replacement at Red Bull Racing, tweeted his condolences.

Australia's Prime Minister leading the tributes following the motorsport legend's death.

Prime Minister Tony Abbott said "Australia has lost a legend" with Sir Jack's passing.

The 88-year-old, who once served in the RAAF, "boasted many great Australian traits," Mr Abbott said.

"He was respected and admired for his spirit, and for his great skill as an engineer."

Opposition leader Bill Shorten echoed his sentiments, suggesting "Sir Jack Brabham reminds us of an Australia that perhaps has become a memory.

"He was an archetypal Australian modest sporting hero ... the Bradman of the motor circuit, he invented and designed his own motor cars.

"He was a truly modest man who perhaps never realised how much all Australians loved him and Australia should be grateful for what he did and acknowledge this upon his passing."

Brabham won three Formula 1 world drivers' championships and remains the only man to win one in a car he built himself. He was also the first driver to be knighted for services to motorsport.

"It's a very sad day for all of us," son David Brabham, an accomplished racer himself, said in a statement on Monday morning.

"He lived an incredible life, achieving more than anyone would ever dream of and he will continue to live on through the astounding legacy he leaves behind."

Brabham was Australia's first F1 race winner, his success at the sport's top level encouraging other Australian's to test their mettle overseas.

"I think he was inspirational for any young bloke that wanted to go across overseas and race cars," Alan Jones, Australia's second and most recent F1 world champion, told Sky News.

"He was the man they looked up to and he was the man they wanted to emulate."

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The Confederation of Australian Motorsport (CAMS) said the legendary driver, known as "Black Jack" would never be forgotten.

"Always a man of few words - his nickname 'Black Jack' referred to both his dark hair and his propensity for maintaining a shadowy silence - he avoided small talk and was undemonstrative in the extreme," a statement on the CAMS website said.

"But behind the wheel he was anything but shy and retiring. He put his head down and drove exceedingly forcefully."

Australian drivers from all around the world have tweeted their respects to a man who played a role in many drivers careers, whether by their achievements, as an inspiration, or as a fountain of wisdom.

A young Courtney receives award from Brabham and Jones in 1996. Source: Supplied

V8 Supercars CEO James Warburton said Brabham will be forever loved, admired and remembered.

"Many people in our Championship were inspired by Sir Jack and the incredible feats he achieved in conquering the world as a driver, engineer and team owner," Mr Warburton said.

"Sir Jack led the way for many Australians to succeed on the global stage and for Australia to be recognised as a leader in motorsport."

Around the world, drivers and motorsport figures have also remembered a man whose unique achievements will certainly never be matched.

"The word 'legend' is often used to describe successful sportsmen, but often it exaggerates their status," McLaren CEO Ron Dennis, who was a mechanic for Brabham early in his career, said in a statement.

"In the case of Sir Jack Brabham, however, it's entirely justified.

"When I started out in Formula 1 in the late 1960s, I worked first for Cooper and then for Brabham.

"Even as a callow youth, I could recognise greatness when I saw it, and I'll always regard it as an honour and a privilege to have worked for Sir Jack. I learned a lot from him too."

Awarded Australian of the Year in 1966 and National Treasure in 2012, Sir Jack was the first motorsport member to be knighted.

He won world titles in 1959 and 1960 with the Cooper Racing Team, and again in 1966 when he became the first driver to win in a car that he built himself.

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