P578

Chassis

Tubular Steel space frame

Engine

BRM V8

Specification

1.5-litre : 2Valves/Cylinder, Naturally aspirated, Lucas fuel injection

Output

190 bhp

Weight

495 kg

Years Raced

1962-63

No: Built

5

Designer

Tony Rudd

Notes

In 1961, the first year of the 1.5 litre era, BRM had resorted to using a Climax FPF 4 cylinder engine in the P57 while they busy were developing their own V8 engine which would be ready for the 1962 season. With the new engine the car was designated P578. This engine was a brand-new fuel injected V8 which revved up to 11000 rpm. A huge improvement on the Coventry Climax's 7500 rpm engine. For the first few races the V8 was equipped with 8 seperate vertical exhausts which became known as the Stack Pipe, but they were later replaced with a more standard horizontal layout as they tended to break off.

April 1962

Graham Hill driving P578/1 debues the P578 at the non-championship Brussels Grand Prix.

May 1962

In the P578s Grand Prix debut Graham Hill takes his first Grand Prix win and for a P578 at Zandvoort in the Dutch Grand Prix in P578/1.

December 1962

Having already won three Grand Prix in the season and finished every race Graham Hill wins his fourth Grand prix of the season driving P578/5 and wins the Drivers World Championship with BRM taking the constructors title.

December 1963

P578/5 & P578/3 driven by Graham Hill and Ritchie Ginther made the final works appearance of a P578 at the South African Grand Prix in East London.

1964 & 1965

P578s were run by the Italian privateer team Scuderia Centro Sud in world championship events.