A development version of the 1983 car, the BT53 of 1984 featured larger sidepods for improved cooling, and the turbochargers and intercoolers were repositioned for better fuel efficiency as refuelling stops were banned for 1984, leading to the car having to carry an enlarged fuel tank. The BMW engine now produced around 900 bhp (671 kW; 912 PS) in qualifying trim, de-tuned to 800 bhp (597 kW; 811 PS) for the races, making it the most powerful car ever seen in F1 at the time. The car was driven by reigning world champion Nelson Piquet who was joined at Brabham by the Fabi brothers Teo and Corrado in a shared drive. Piquet won twice (Canada and Detroit) and scored several podium places, but the BMW engine was unreliable. This meant that Piquet could not retain his championship, eventually finishing fifth in the title hunt despite the car being regularly the fastest car of the 1984 season.
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