At Goodwood during the afternoon of 12th August 1954 a select assembly of Pressmen and enthusiasts who had taken the trouble to drive down to the Sussex circuit at the invitation of John Webb Press Services, saw Rodney Clarke drive a few sedate laps in the prototype 2½-litre four-cylinder Alta-engined, all-enveloping Connaught Type-B Grand Prix car.
No attempt was made to over-publicise this latest model from the courageous little factory at Send in Surrey where Clarke and his colleague, Mike Oliver, had charge of a keen band of some forty engineers and draughtsmen, all eager to see Britain build an effective Grand Prix car.
The new car was effectively a prototype requiring further development and the 1955 Grand Prix (officially now entitled Formula 1) season was the target, but that too depended on funds - Connaught Engineering was a non-profit-making concern which did not receive monetary support from publicity-seeking concerns or organisations.

They decided that they would refrain ...