at the end of the 1970 formula one season, driver and team owner jack brabham retired from the sport and sold his shares in the brabham team to ron tauranac. jack brabham's chief mechanic, ron dennis and his friend and colleague, neil trundle, decided to form their own racing team. the brabham bt36 cars initially used by the team were bought on hire purchase from tauranac. however, dennis was trying to find sponsorship. through ron's then girlfriend, who was the daughter of john phelps, director of phelps antique furniture in twickenham, one of its regular customers tony vlassopulos, a barrister son of a greek shipowner, was asked to sponsor rondel.