This is an ‘interim’ Formula 1 Cooper-Climax of the kind which launched the years of the ‘rear-engined’ revolution in Formula 1 Grand Prix racing car design.

The first water-cooled rear-engined Coopers were the center-seated ‘Bobtail’ sports-racing design of 1955.

But by the end of that year it was already known that the world governing body of international motor racing, the FIA, intended to launch a new ‘stepping-stone’ class of single-seater road racing in 1957.

At that time the World Championship-qualifying Grand Prix class – or Formula 1 – catered for engines up to 2½-liters unsupercharged.

This would continue until the end of 1960, but meanwhile the new Formula 2 class for 1957 was to use a ceiling engine capacity limit of only 1½-liters.

This new category appealed to many racing car manufacturers, with the Cooper Car Company of Surbiton, England, at their head.

And such was the interest amongst race promoters that through 1956 a number of ‘dress rehearsal’ road races were ...