GOING THE DISTANCE

BRM P578 'Old Faithful' is one of the most successful single Formula 1 racing cars of all time- and rescued the BRM team from dissolution. Doug Nye charts its remarkable career

-  Doug Nye

Flash Alf' Martin was a welder, but not just any welder. He was a brilliant welder. He worked for the Rubery Owen Group, which owned British Racing Motors, the BRM Formula 1 team. In its factory at Bourne in Lincolnshire, 'Flash Alf' was the man who welded together the multi-tubular chassis frame of the most significant Grand Prix car BRM ever produced - the gorgeous 1962 Type 578, chassis no.1, which became perhaps better-known as 'Old Faithful'.

It earned that nickname during the 1962 season, when it was driven by team leader Graham Hill in all but one of the year's premier-Formula races. 5781 was not only BRM's first prototype of its new breed of V8-engined 1½-litre Formula 1 cars, it also ended that season as winner of no fewer than three of its nine World Championship-qualifying Grand Prix races, plus outright winner of two non-Championship races and heat winner of a third. To be added to that honour roll were seven second places, two at Grand Prix level.

The success was timely. All this came in a season that had begun with BRM team owner Sir Alfred Owen issuing an ultimatum, in despair of ever seeing a prestigious return on his motor racing investment.

As it ensued, BRM not only won those races, no.1 team driver Graham Hill also clinched the Formula 1 Drivers' World Championship title, and the team became Formula 1 Constructors' World Champion. For the following three years BRM finished consistently runners-up in the Constructors' competition. Under its alter ego as the Owen Organisation's 'Engine Development Division' it gained lucrative international R&D contracts for wider industry, and would continue in major-league motor racing with Grand Prix, four-wheel-drive, sports-racing and even gas turbine designs into the 1970s.