The new 3-litre engines under development by competing team Ferrari had 12 cylinders.[4] Jack Brabham, owner and lead driver of BRO, took a different approach to the problem of obtaining a suitable engine. He persuaded Australian company Repco to develop a new 3-litre eight-cylinder engine for him, largely based on available components;[5] the engine would produce less power than Ferrari's, but would be lighter, easier to fix and more fuel efficient.[4]