For the 1960 Formula One season, Cooper produced the first of the ‘Lowline' series. The T53 was narrower and lower than the previous types. This approach gave them a second World Championship.

This car is one of the 1961 T53P or customer cars. It was raced by Lorenzo Bandini in the Intercontinental and Tasman Series for Italian team Scuderia Centro Sud. Centro Sud departed from the conventional factory installed Coventry Climax FPF engine and C5S gearbox for their two T53P cars, and instead ran a 2500 cc Maserati engine with a Colotti gearbox. A 2500 cc Coventry Climax FPF engine has now been installed, but the Colotti still remains.