Peter Connew's path into motorsport began in 1969, when at the age of 23 he quit his job to attend the Italian Grand Prix at Monza after his employer refused to grant him time off. On returning, he found new employment at Surtees, the Formula One team run by former World Champion John Surtees, working as a draughtsman. The experience gave Connew an inside understanding of Grand Prix car design but also led to a falling out with Surtees that pushed him to build his own car.
In December 1970, Connew rented a garage in Chadwell Heath and began constructing a chassis jig with help from Roger Doran, a shopfitter, and his cousin Barry Boor. Connew's design philosophy placed emphasis on ease of maintenance alongside efficiency. The car's aerodynamic properties were refined using the wind tunnel of a local technical college — a resourceful approach that reflected the team's extreme budget constraints. Drivers Tony Trimmer, Howden Ganley, and Gerry Birrell all visited the workshop during construction, with Trimmer noting it was one of the most comfortable cars he had sat in.
The team struck a deal to purchase a second-hand Cosworth DFV engine from McLaren, and French privateer François Migault signed as driver, also contributing a Ford truck to transport the car. A planned debut at the Monaco Grand Prix was derailed when a sudden regulation change required the construction of an entirely new monocoque in a different aluminium alloy, setting the program back significantly.
The car first appeared at a World Championship event for practice at the 1972 British Grand Prix at Brands Hatch, but it was withdrawn before the race. An unusual rear suspension geometry proved inadequate, and when the car was repaired overnight a cracked rear upright was discovered the following morning, ending that attempt. The team also appeared at the 1972 German Grand Prix at the Nürburgring, but without having lodged a proper prior entry, officials refused their participation.
The one and only World Championship start came at the 1972 Austrian Grand Prix at the Österreichring. Migault qualified at the back of the field despite engine troubles. He made steady progress through the field in the race, passing four competitors over 22 laps, before a rear wishbone mounting point failed and the car swerved toward the barriers on the start-finish straight. Migault managed to bring the car to a stop without damage, but the mechanical failure ended his race. The single classified start remained Connew's entire Formula One World Championship record.
Later in 1972, the car appeared at the season-ending World Championship Victory Race at Brands Hatch with David Purley driving, but did not start due to electrical problems — a kill switch fitted to the steering wheel at Purley's request malfunctioned on the warm-up lap, stopping the engine.
With World Championship appearances proving impossible to sustain, the Connew chassis was converted to meet Formula 5000 regulations and entered the 1973 European Formula 5000 Championship fitted with a Chevrolet V8 engine. Swiss driver Pierre Soukry drove at Mallory Park in round ten but was unable to start due to a split oil pipe. The car failed to qualify at Brands Hatch in a subsequent round, again with Soukry. At the season finale at Brands Hatch, Tony Trimmer drove but a collision with a barrier caused damage beyond repair. With the sole chassis destroyed, the team closed.
Connew represents one of the most ambitious grassroots efforts in Grand Prix history. Built almost entirely by a handful of volunteers with minimal resources, the car was functional enough to qualify for and compete in a World Championship race — an achievement that defeated many better-funded projects of the era. The team's story has attracted attention from motorsport historians as a testament to the determination that characterized small independent constructors in early-1970s Formula One.