Throughout the 1950s and well into the 1960s Ferrari was
extremely successful with evolutionary sports racing cars. The V12 for example
in the 330 P4 Le Mans racer of 1967 was still closely related to very first
Ferrari engine designed some two decades earlier. The gradual development had
resulted in bullet-proof machines that dominated sports car racing for many
seasons. In 1966 the small manufacturer finally lost their Le Mans stronghold
to the might of the Ford Motor Company. Despite valiant efforts, the 1967
edition again was a prey for the American manufacturer. Shortly after the race
the sport's governing body, the Commissione Sportiva Internazionale (CSI),
announced drastic rule changes that rendered Ferrari's cars obsolete for the
following season. Enzo Ferrari was furious at the sudden changes and announced
that his cars would not compete in the 1968 World Championship. Building a
brand new car would take up considerable resources and Ferrari felt it was
better spent on the ailing Formula 1 effort. So the team sat out the
championship in 1968 for the first time in many, many years.
Following the new CSI regulations, the championship was open for Group 4 and Group 6 racers. Group 4 was open to sports cars with a maximum displacement of five litres and a production minimum of 50 examples. The Group 6 prototype racers that Ferrari and Ford had fielded the previous seasons now had their engines restricted to three litre. Using a much enlarged version of the P4 engine, Ferrari did build a new sports racer in 1968 to campaign in the popular and lucrative Canadian-American Challenge (Can-Am), which was run under the very lenient Group 7 regulations. Dubbed the 612 P, the new Ferrari was not ready until the very last race of the season and the little tested machine failed to make an impression. To attract more teams and manufacturers back into sports car races, the rules were changed once more for 1969, although in detail only. The homologation limit for Group 4 cars was lowered to 25 cars, while the limitations on Group 6 cars like windscreen width and a mandatory spare tire and luggage compartment were all lifted. This opened new opportunities for Ferrari as they could use the 612 P type chassis in combination with the V12 engine and gearbox from the Formula 1 car to create a brand new Group 6 prototype racer.
In good Ferrari tradition, the three litre V12 engine was based on the highly successful sports car engine. Although with its cutting edge twin-cam, four-valves-per-cylinder heads, it was easy to mistake it for a brand new engine. Its sports car roots made the sturdy V12 a bit too heavy for Formula 1, but an ideal unit for endurance racing. Ferrari quoted a figure of 420 bhp for the fuel-injected engine in endurance trim. Mated to a five speed gearbox the engine was bolted to a downsized version of the 612 P semi-monocoque chassis. Used for both the company's sports racers and Formula 1 cars, the so called semi-monocoque used a space frame reinforced with aluminium sheets, while a full monocoque was constructed from sheets alone. Completed late in 1968 the first '312 P' was fitted with a cut down, high down force Spyder bodywork. Although the off-set driving position gave the truth away, Ferrari's new sports racer could easily be mistaken for a Formula 1 car fitted with an all enveloping body. The first 312 P (chassis 0868) was shown to the public in December of 1968 at a press launch at Hotel Fini in Modena.
From the outset Ferrari planned only limited racing activities in 1969 with chief engineer Mauro Forghieri and considerable resources dedicated to the design and development of a new flat-12 Formula 1 engine. The first and at that point single 312 P was damaged during testing so Ferrari could not compete in the opening round of the championship at Daytona. Fully repaired, the 312 P was entered in the Sebring 12 Hours for Chris Amon and Mario Andretti. Facing a contingent of lighter, but less powerful Porsche 908s, the new Ferrari impressed with a pole position just ahead of a Group 4 Lola T70. Mechanical problems hindered the 312 P during the opening stages of the race, but once sorted the blisteringly quick Ferrari sped to the head of the race. A collision with another car damaged the nose and despite repairs the car suffered from overheating for the remainder of the race. Nevertheless the 312 P managed to reach the finish in second overall and first in class. A second chassis (0870) was built and sent to the next championship round at Brands Hatch. Fitted with highly effective wings and spoilers, the Ferrari again claimed pole and eventually missed out on the victory because of a puncture in the opening stages and a lengthened throttle cable towards the end.
While the new 312 P was competing at Brands Hatch, the first example was at Le Mans for the official test weekend. Designed for high downforce tracks, the Spyder body proved to be a big handicap on the long Mulsanne straight. That, however, was the least of Ferrari's concerns as Porsche rolled out the all new 917, which was built to the Group 4 regulations. In a creative interpretation of the regulations the German manufacturer opted to build 25 examples of their new prototype racing car. Powered by a 550 bhp flat 12 engine, it looked set to eclipse all that had come before. Despite the poor performance at Le Mans, both 312 Ps excelled at the high speed Monza track during the next round of the World Championship. The two cars qualified on the front row due to their superior speed through the high speed corners. Unfortunately the track's banking was particularly rough on the Ferraris' Firestone tires and both cars had to make unscheduled stops from the lead for fresh tires. Both Ferraris failed to reach the finish with the new car dropping an engine and the original 312 P crashing dramatic fashion after its tail came off at high speed due to accident damage incurred earlier.
With just one 312 P left, Ferrari opted to skip the Targa Florio and reappeared at the Spa 1000 km round of the World Championship. Here the 312 P Spyder first encountered the Porsche 917 in racing conditions. Now fully homologated as a Group 4, the slippery Porsche easily clinched the pole. The 917 was no force during the race and despite another unscheduled pit stop to repair damage from an accident early in the race, the 312 P finished a credible second. Next on the agenda was the Nürburgring 1000 km, which saw an even slippier version of the Porsche 908 Spyder. Compared to the Ferrari, the eight cylinder engined Porsche had about 60 bhp less, but made most of that up with its lighter weight and better fuel efficiency. With six Porsches on the grid, the sole Ferrari was also outnumbered. The 312 P again qualified on the front row and during the race formed the only opposition for the fleet of Porsches. Unfortunately the V12 engined machine ground to a halt just halfway through the race, just after Amon had broken the lap record. The mount of the ignition box had failed. Porsche won the race and the Championship.
To cure the drag problems at Le Mans, Ferrari's engineers had developed a very clean Coupe body around a shortened 206 SP Dino windshield. The second car was re-bodied and a third chassis (0872) constructed to replace the car that was wrecked at Monza. As Ferrari had officially entered chassis 0868 and 0870 in the race, the new chassis was stamped 0868 to prevent administrative problems. The Porsche 917 again showed its superior speed during qualifying, but few believed they had a real chance in the race. The first retired in dramatic fashion in the opening lap in a hefty crash, taking the live of driver John Woolfe. Aboard one of the 312 Ps, Amon hit debris from the Porsche and also saw his race end during the first lap. The surviving Ferrari proved to be fast and for a change more frugal than the Porsches. Sadly a silly problem again prevented the Ferrari from reaching the finish. This time it was a retaining nut of the gearbox that had vibrated loose, causing an oil leak. The problem was solved twice, but eventually the gearbox failed altogether. At 5:30 a.m. that Sunday morning the 312 P program, as far as Ferrari was concerned, ended.
The arrival of the Porsche 917 had shifted the balance and Ferrari knew that the 312 P could not be a real competitor once the Germans had cured the big beast's problems. Immediately after Le Mans, Ferrari began the development of a Group 4 racing car. Dubbed the 512 S, it was used by the Works team during the 1970 season. Both 312 Ps that had raced at Le Mans were sold to Ferrari's American agent Luigi Chinetti's North American Racing Team (N.A.R.T.). The first chassis was repaired, fitted with an empty 612 P engine and handed to Pininfarina, who turned it into the 512 S Concept shown in Turin late in 1969. In the hands of N.A.R.T. the two 312 Ps were not able to fight for overall victories, but they scored several class victories in major races like the Daytona 24 Hours and the Sebring 12 Hours. They were eventually eclipsed by Ferrari's new flat-12 engined 312 P, more commonly referred to as the 312 PB, which was raced in the Group 4 class with great success from 1971 onwards. In the few months the 312 P was raced by Ferrari, it showed great promise. With a more substantial program, it is not inconceivable that the beautiful Ferrari could have been a race winner.
Featured is the third and final 312 P produced. It was raced by N.A.R.T. until 1971 by which time it was fitted with a new Spyder body. Subsequently, it was disassembled and the drivetrain used in a new car that was commonly referred to as the 'Flying Shingle.' In the early 1980s all original parts were reunited and reassembled. The Sebring and Daytona class winning machine was owned for a long time by well known Ferrari collector and racer Peter Sachs. He completely restored '0872' in the late 1990s and only showed it at very rare occasions since. More recently a Swiss enthusiast bought the car and completely rebuilt it to racing standards. Equipped with a Spyder body, it was first raced late in 2007. To be eligible for the Ferrari Classiche certificate, the car was subsequently converted back to its original Coupe configuration. It was first shown in this state during the 2008 Monterey Historic Races and Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance. It was a rare opportunity to see a 312 P in action as the other example, owned by Pierre Bardinon since 1970, has not been seen in public for many years.
Following the new CSI regulations, the championship was open for Group 4 and Group 6 racers. Group 4 was open to sports cars with a maximum displacement of five litres and a production minimum of 50 examples. The Group 6 prototype racers that Ferrari and Ford had fielded the previous seasons now had their engines restricted to three litre. Using a much enlarged version of the P4 engine, Ferrari did build a new sports racer in 1968 to campaign in the popular and lucrative Canadian-American Challenge (Can-Am), which was run under the very lenient Group 7 regulations. Dubbed the 612 P, the new Ferrari was not ready until the very last race of the season and the little tested machine failed to make an impression. To attract more teams and manufacturers back into sports car races, the rules were changed once more for 1969, although in detail only. The homologation limit for Group 4 cars was lowered to 25 cars, while the limitations on Group 6 cars like windscreen width and a mandatory spare tire and luggage compartment were all lifted. This opened new opportunities for Ferrari as they could use the 612 P type chassis in combination with the V12 engine and gearbox from the Formula 1 car to create a brand new Group 6 prototype racer.
In good Ferrari tradition, the three litre V12 engine was based on the highly successful sports car engine. Although with its cutting edge twin-cam, four-valves-per-cylinder heads, it was easy to mistake it for a brand new engine. Its sports car roots made the sturdy V12 a bit too heavy for Formula 1, but an ideal unit for endurance racing. Ferrari quoted a figure of 420 bhp for the fuel-injected engine in endurance trim. Mated to a five speed gearbox the engine was bolted to a downsized version of the 612 P semi-monocoque chassis. Used for both the company's sports racers and Formula 1 cars, the so called semi-monocoque used a space frame reinforced with aluminium sheets, while a full monocoque was constructed from sheets alone. Completed late in 1968 the first '312 P' was fitted with a cut down, high down force Spyder bodywork. Although the off-set driving position gave the truth away, Ferrari's new sports racer could easily be mistaken for a Formula 1 car fitted with an all enveloping body. The first 312 P (chassis 0868) was shown to the public in December of 1968 at a press launch at Hotel Fini in Modena.
From the outset Ferrari planned only limited racing activities in 1969 with chief engineer Mauro Forghieri and considerable resources dedicated to the design and development of a new flat-12 Formula 1 engine. The first and at that point single 312 P was damaged during testing so Ferrari could not compete in the opening round of the championship at Daytona. Fully repaired, the 312 P was entered in the Sebring 12 Hours for Chris Amon and Mario Andretti. Facing a contingent of lighter, but less powerful Porsche 908s, the new Ferrari impressed with a pole position just ahead of a Group 4 Lola T70. Mechanical problems hindered the 312 P during the opening stages of the race, but once sorted the blisteringly quick Ferrari sped to the head of the race. A collision with another car damaged the nose and despite repairs the car suffered from overheating for the remainder of the race. Nevertheless the 312 P managed to reach the finish in second overall and first in class. A second chassis (0870) was built and sent to the next championship round at Brands Hatch. Fitted with highly effective wings and spoilers, the Ferrari again claimed pole and eventually missed out on the victory because of a puncture in the opening stages and a lengthened throttle cable towards the end.
While the new 312 P was competing at Brands Hatch, the first example was at Le Mans for the official test weekend. Designed for high downforce tracks, the Spyder body proved to be a big handicap on the long Mulsanne straight. That, however, was the least of Ferrari's concerns as Porsche rolled out the all new 917, which was built to the Group 4 regulations. In a creative interpretation of the regulations the German manufacturer opted to build 25 examples of their new prototype racing car. Powered by a 550 bhp flat 12 engine, it looked set to eclipse all that had come before. Despite the poor performance at Le Mans, both 312 Ps excelled at the high speed Monza track during the next round of the World Championship. The two cars qualified on the front row due to their superior speed through the high speed corners. Unfortunately the track's banking was particularly rough on the Ferraris' Firestone tires and both cars had to make unscheduled stops from the lead for fresh tires. Both Ferraris failed to reach the finish with the new car dropping an engine and the original 312 P crashing dramatic fashion after its tail came off at high speed due to accident damage incurred earlier.
With just one 312 P left, Ferrari opted to skip the Targa Florio and reappeared at the Spa 1000 km round of the World Championship. Here the 312 P Spyder first encountered the Porsche 917 in racing conditions. Now fully homologated as a Group 4, the slippery Porsche easily clinched the pole. The 917 was no force during the race and despite another unscheduled pit stop to repair damage from an accident early in the race, the 312 P finished a credible second. Next on the agenda was the Nürburgring 1000 km, which saw an even slippier version of the Porsche 908 Spyder. Compared to the Ferrari, the eight cylinder engined Porsche had about 60 bhp less, but made most of that up with its lighter weight and better fuel efficiency. With six Porsches on the grid, the sole Ferrari was also outnumbered. The 312 P again qualified on the front row and during the race formed the only opposition for the fleet of Porsches. Unfortunately the V12 engined machine ground to a halt just halfway through the race, just after Amon had broken the lap record. The mount of the ignition box had failed. Porsche won the race and the Championship.
To cure the drag problems at Le Mans, Ferrari's engineers had developed a very clean Coupe body around a shortened 206 SP Dino windshield. The second car was re-bodied and a third chassis (0872) constructed to replace the car that was wrecked at Monza. As Ferrari had officially entered chassis 0868 and 0870 in the race, the new chassis was stamped 0868 to prevent administrative problems. The Porsche 917 again showed its superior speed during qualifying, but few believed they had a real chance in the race. The first retired in dramatic fashion in the opening lap in a hefty crash, taking the live of driver John Woolfe. Aboard one of the 312 Ps, Amon hit debris from the Porsche and also saw his race end during the first lap. The surviving Ferrari proved to be fast and for a change more frugal than the Porsches. Sadly a silly problem again prevented the Ferrari from reaching the finish. This time it was a retaining nut of the gearbox that had vibrated loose, causing an oil leak. The problem was solved twice, but eventually the gearbox failed altogether. At 5:30 a.m. that Sunday morning the 312 P program, as far as Ferrari was concerned, ended.
The arrival of the Porsche 917 had shifted the balance and Ferrari knew that the 312 P could not be a real competitor once the Germans had cured the big beast's problems. Immediately after Le Mans, Ferrari began the development of a Group 4 racing car. Dubbed the 512 S, it was used by the Works team during the 1970 season. Both 312 Ps that had raced at Le Mans were sold to Ferrari's American agent Luigi Chinetti's North American Racing Team (N.A.R.T.). The first chassis was repaired, fitted with an empty 612 P engine and handed to Pininfarina, who turned it into the 512 S Concept shown in Turin late in 1969. In the hands of N.A.R.T. the two 312 Ps were not able to fight for overall victories, but they scored several class victories in major races like the Daytona 24 Hours and the Sebring 12 Hours. They were eventually eclipsed by Ferrari's new flat-12 engined 312 P, more commonly referred to as the 312 PB, which was raced in the Group 4 class with great success from 1971 onwards. In the few months the 312 P was raced by Ferrari, it showed great promise. With a more substantial program, it is not inconceivable that the beautiful Ferrari could have been a race winner.
Featured is the third and final 312 P produced. It was raced by N.A.R.T. until 1971 by which time it was fitted with a new Spyder body. Subsequently, it was disassembled and the drivetrain used in a new car that was commonly referred to as the 'Flying Shingle.' In the early 1980s all original parts were reunited and reassembled. The Sebring and Daytona class winning machine was owned for a long time by well known Ferrari collector and racer Peter Sachs. He completely restored '0872' in the late 1990s and only showed it at very rare occasions since. More recently a Swiss enthusiast bought the car and completely rebuilt it to racing standards. Equipped with a Spyder body, it was first raced late in 2007. To be eligible for the Ferrari Classiche certificate, the car was subsequently converted back to its original Coupe configuration. It was first shown in this state during the 2008 Monterey Historic Races and Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance. It was a rare opportunity to see a 312 P in action as the other example, owned by Pierre Bardinon since 1970, has not been seen in public for many years.
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