ALISTAIR Griffin has a new single out this week and his first album since 2004 to follow.

You may have heard the single already: Just Drive accompanied the closing montage of BBC1’s coverage of the 2010 Formula 1 motor-racing season, striking a chord with viewers and twitching Twitter fingers alike.

A cunning online campaign pointed to Alistair; Chris Evans declared himself a fan and played it on his BBC Radio 2 Breakfast Show the next day, and suddenly the chart career of the one-time Fame Academy runner-up was reborn at the age of 32 with a Top 40 entry for the instant download sales.

The Strensall singer-songwriter has since lengthened the song with an extra chorus in time for its physical launch. Last weekend he put the finishing touches to the album in London in readiness for the August release of Albion Sky, with a September tour in the pipeline.

“Just Drive represents a brand new start for me,” says Alistair. “It’s about the freedom of the road, pushing yourself to the limit, and personally, it was a revelation of what I could do.”

Alistair Griffin, Fibbers, York, Thursday, 7.30pm.

Tickets for Thursday’s gig cost £6.