It is fair to say history has not been kind to the Aston Martin DB3. Relative to expectations then, and seen now in the light of what was to follow it, you might even call it a failure. Certainly among the racing David Brown Aston Martins it is perceived as a poor relation. For even if cars like the DBR2, DBR4 and DBR5 were less successful still, they were at least knee-tremblingly beautiful. With the best will in the world, the wide-mouthed DB3 could scarcely even claim that.

But 2011 marks the 60th anniversary of its race debut so perhaps the time is right to revisit the DB3, strip away the benefit of hindsight, assess it on its own merits and, of course, see what it is like for ourselves. For this we are indeed indebted to Martin Melling for allowing us access to the most successful of all the 10 DB3s that were built (five works, five private), and letting me loose in it around the Silverstone Grand Prix circuit.

Debate the success of the DB3 all you like, but you cannot really argue its importance. Not only was it the first Aston to be built from the ground up as a pure racing car, it set off a chain reaction that would lead directly and without interval to Aston Martin winning not only Le Mans, but the world sports car championship eight years later.