Over the winter of 1957-58 Aston Martin’s racing department developed a new Formula 1 car, to run alongside their successful DBR1 sports racer.

The design conformed to the traditional Grand Prix configuration of a front-engined, rear-mounted gearbox-cum-final-drive assembly.

Feltham was to look the dominant Maserati 250F in the eye.

The chassis was a lightweight, fine-gauge tubular steel spaceframe, clothed in handsome aluminium bodywork.

Powered by a 2½-litre version of the marque’s highly successful 3.0-litre six-cylinder twin-overhead-camshaft racing engine, the rear end was a DBR1-style transaxle with de Dion-type rear suspension.

Four of these DBR4/250 Formula 1 cars were built with names such Roy Salvadori and Carroll Shelby piloting them during that 1959 season.

Salvadori achieved a notable 2nd place in the BRDC International Trophy race at Silverstone, but the programme was cut short to finance, and focus on, the Sports Car World Championship.

In retrospect, we all know ...