GP Replicas 1:12 Brabham BT52B and Williams FW11B: Nelson Piquet’s Turbo-Era Champions

GP Replicas is bringing two of the defining cars of Formula 1’s first turbo era to 1:12 scale: the Brabham BT52B that carried Nelson Piquet to the 1983 World Championship, and the Williams FW11B in which he won his third title in 1987. There are seven hand-built resin models in all, each one a race winner, and all are available to pre-order now at Model Universe.

The Brabham comes in four versions covering the three victories that decided the 1983 title, while the Williams is offered as Nigel Mansell’s Mexican Grand Prix winner and Piquet’s Monza winner. Several versions include a hand-painted driver figure. Together they make a compelling pair for anyone who collects Nelson Piquet models or large-scale 1980s Formula 1.

Nelson Piquet and the Turbo Era

The early and mid 1980s were the most extreme period in Formula 1 engine history. Small 1.5-litre turbocharged engines produced enormous power, and the teams that mastered them dominated. Nelson Piquet was at the centre of it. He won the championship with Brabham and BMW in 1983, the first title for a turbocharged car, and again with Williams and Honda in 1987, shortly before turbo engines were banned at the end of 1988.

The Brabham BT52B: Formula 1’s First Turbo Champion

When flat-bottomed cars became compulsory for 1983, Gordon Murray had to design a new Brabham at very short notice. The result, the BT52, was strikingly different from its rivals: a slim, arrow-shaped car with most of its weight pushed towards the rear, built around BMW’s 1.5-litre M12/13 four-cylinder turbo. Brabham also made the most of planned mid-race refuelling stops, running the car light on fuel and soft tyres.

The revised BT52B arrived at the British Grand Prix in July. Over the second half of the season Piquet closed on Alain Prost’s Renault, and three late wins for the Brabham team turned the title his way. Those three races are exactly the ones GP Replicas has chosen.

BT52B Nelson Piquet, Winner Italian GP 1983, with Driver (GP1244AWD)

Piquet won at Monza ahead of René Arnoux’s Ferrari and Eddie Cheever’s Renault, keeping his title challenge alive with two rounds to go. This version includes a hand-painted figure of Piquet in the cockpit. View the Brabham BT52B Italian GP 1983 with driver (GP1244AWD).

BT52B Nelson Piquet, Winner European GP 1983 (GP1244BWD and GP1244B)

Two weeks later at Brands Hatch, Piquet won the European Grand Prix ahead of Prost and Nigel Mansell’s Lotus. It cut Prost’s lead to just two points with one race left. GP Replicas offers this car both with a driver figure (GP1244BWD) and without (GP1244B).

BT52B Riccardo Patrese, Winner South African GP 1983 (GP1244C)

At the Kyalami finale, Riccardo Patrese won in the No.6 car while Piquet’s third place sealed the World Championship, a perfect end to Brabham’s season. This is the only Patrese version in the range, which makes it the natural partner to any of the Piquet cars. View the Brabham BT52B South African GP 1983 (GP1244C).

The Williams FW11B: Piquet’s Third Title

Four years later, Piquet was at Williams with Honda power. The FW11B used Honda’s 1.5-litre RA167E V6 turbo and was the outstanding car of 1987: Williams won nine Grands Prix and the Constructors’ Championship. The fight for the drivers’ title was between its two drivers. Mansell won six races, Piquet won three but scored more consistently, and when Mansell was injured in practice for the Japanese Grand Prix, Piquet was confirmed as champion.

FW11B Nigel Mansell, Pole Position and Winner Mexican GP 1987 (GP1235BWD and GP1235B)

Mansell took pole position in Mexico and won a race that was stopped after Derek Warwick’s crash and decided on aggregate time. His advantage from the first part gave him victory over Piquet, with Riccardo Patrese third. The model is available with a Mansell driver figure (GP1235BWD) or without (GP1235B), finished in the Canon, Honda and Mobil livery with the famous red No.5.

FW11B Nelson Piquet, Pole Position and Winner Italian GP 1987, Monza Packaging (GPMZ1204)

At Monza, Piquet took pole and won ahead of Ayrton Senna and Mansell. It was a landmark win: the first for Williams’ active suspension, which Piquet raced while Mansell kept the conventional car. GP Replicas presents this one in its special Monza packaging. View the Williams FW11B Italian GP 1987 Monza edition (GPMZ1204).

GP Replicas 1:12: Key Features

• 1:12 scale: approximately 35cm (BT52B) and 36cm (FW11B) long
• Hand-built resin with sealed bodywork
• Limited edition production
• Finely detailed cockpit, engine detail and period livery
• Hand-painted driver figures on the WD versions
• Supplied with a display case
• Special Monza packaging on the Piquet FW11B (GPMZ1204)

At 1:12, these cars are large enough to show the details that define the era: the BMW and Honda turbo installations, the tall rear wings and the hand-applied sponsor liveries of Parmalat, Canon and Mobil. If you’re new to the scale, you can see more of the range in our GP Replicas 1:12 Ferrari 412 T2 feature.

Shop the GP Replicas 1:12 Brabham and Williams Collection

Why Collect These Models?

• Two championship-winning cars from Formula 1’s turbo era
• Race-specific winners, each linked to a key moment in the 1983 and 1987 title fights
• Rarely modelled subjects in 1:12 scale
• Small production runs, so allocations are limited
• A strong Piquet collection on their own, or alongside Mansell and Patrese models

For a smaller-scale companion, see the MCG 1:18 Brabham BT52 Nelson Piquet, the MCG 1:18 BT52 Riccardo Patrese and the GP Replicas 1:18 Williams FW11 Nelson Piquet.

Availability at Model Universe

All seven models are listed at Model Universe. While they are on pre-order, you can reserve yours from the product page and payment is only taken on release. Once stock arrives, the same pages take orders for dispatch from our warehouse. Our allocation of each version is small, so we recommend reserving early. Each product page always shows the current availability.

Explore more from GP Replicas, browse our Brabham and Williams model cars, see our Nelson Piquet and Nigel Mansell collections, or discover more 1:12 scale models.

GP Replicas Brabham BT52B and Williams FW11B: Frequently Asked Questions

Two Champions, One Driver

The Brabham BT52B and Williams FW11B bookend Nelson Piquet’s turbo-era success, from the first turbo title in 1983 to his third crown in 1987. GP Replicas’ 1:12 models capture both cars at the races that mattered most. Whether you choose a single winner or build the set, they are centrepiece models for any collection of 1980s Formula 1.