Brembo’s 50-Year Legacy: Braking Barriers in Motorsports

Brembo entered motorsports in 1975 by supplying Scuderia Ferrari with cast-iron rotors for its F1 car. During its five decades of motorsports participation, the Italian stalwart has arguably been the preeminent provider of competition braking components and most successful, as well. To mark the 50^th anniversary of Brembo’s motorsports participation, The BRAKE Report provided a series of questions about the adventure.

Why did Brembo get involved in motorsports at the time?

Brembo first entered motorsport out of a passion for racing and the desire to enter a fundamental and strategic business sector to invest in research and development. Furthermore, whoever entered motorsport had access to a vast media showcase. Entering motorsport is difficult—you need skills, strategy and vision. Once you have the keys to access this Olympus, the pressure increases and you cannot afford to make mistakes because often, it is not the one who goes fastest who wins, but the one who brakes best.

Why did they provide brakes for the Ferrari Formula 1 team?

It all started with a meeting between Alberto Bombassei, now Brembo’s Emeritus Chairman, and Enzo Ferrari. Bombassei, who had been always a Formula 1 enthusiast, dreamed of being able to supply brake discs to the Maranello team, and in the mid-70s Brembo was the only Italian company that produced disc brakes for cars. There was a meeting between the two entrepreneurs, the meeting went well (as did the tests on track) and Brembo began supplying brake discs to Scuderia Ferrari in 1975.

What led Brembo to branching out to provide braking components for motorcycles?

At the beginning of the 70s, Brembo supplied the first calipers for the Laverda and Guzzi road bikes. As it’s often said, “appetite comes with eating…” Why settle for supplying road bikes when there are bikes built to race on the track at extreme speeds? Just one year after entering Formula 1 in 1975, Brembo entered the 500cc class by supplying the first braking system to the Suzuki Gallina Team. Just two years later in 1978, the team won its first race, in Germany. From the earliest days in racing, Brembo had the ambition to not be satisfied but to always seek new challenges.

How many different race categories has Brembo participated in during the past 50 years:

It’s extremely difficult to put a number on how many race series Brembo has been a part of over the past 50 years. Today, Brembo Group, which also includes the brands Marchesini (wheels) Öhlins (suspensions) and AP Racing (braking systems and clutches) supplies to over 100 Motorsport championships, all the main international Motorsport categories, on 2 and 4 wheels. To name some of Brembo’s key series: Formula 1, Formula E, Nascar, IMSA, WEC, Formula 2, Formula 3, GT World Challenge, WRC, Super Formula TCR, Dakar, MotoGP, Moto 2, Moto3, MotoE, Motocross, WSBK, Supersport, Rookies Cup, EWC, Moto America, BSB, Trial, ELMS, Indycar, Rally Raid, Isle of Man TT, CIV, Touring Car and the list goes on!

Read the full article in the Q2 2025 issue of The BRAKE Report Magazine.