The T81 was the first Cooper entirely designed by Derrick White. Equipped with the Maserati V12 60 ° engine that gave about 360 horsepower, the T81 was initially built in five units and debuted in 1966 showing a certain competitiveness. John Surtees won in Mexico in 1966, the first Cooper victory since 1962. In 1967 the engine was updated and a modified version was presented, called T81B. The T81 / T81B were entered in their last races in 1968.
After leaving Ferrari during the 1966 season, John Surtees moved to Cooper, with which he raced the remainder of the F.1 world championship at the wheel of the T81 powered by a V12 Maserati. At Brands Hatch, Surtees had to retire due to transmission failure. With the Cooper, Surtees won the Mexican GP that year.
Tecnomodel, a historic brand of Italian artisan model making, is today a manufacturer of excellent quality models, in 1:18 and 1:43 scale, manufactured in China. Tecnomodel was appreciated in the past with high-level products, kits and assembled in 1:43 scale, and then adapted to the new needs of the market. Today the Tecnomodel catalog is focused on racing cars: F.1 cars, Sports Prototypes and so on. Recently, the production of 1:43 scale subjects has also been resumed.