24h Le Mans
24 HOURS CENTENARY – MAKES, MARQUES and IMPRINTS ⎮ Ferrari squared off against Matra and Porsche in 1970 then again in 1973 while the Italian manufacturer's GTs were undergoing a major overhaul by switching to rear engines.
Faced with the outstanding performance level of the Porsche 917, Ferrari decided in turn to design a car for the Sport class (5 litres), the 512 S, which proved to be a major turning point in the marque's history. In 1969, Fiat began providing funding, leading namely to the construction of a private testing and development circuit in Fiorano.
But Porsche's advantage was difficult to overcome, with two first wins at the 24 Hours in 1970 and 1971. Out of the 20 cars fielded in the two runnings, only four Ferraris reached the classification: fourth (Ronnie Bucknum/Sam Posey - North American Racing Team) and fifth (Hugues de Fierlant/Alistair Walker - Ecurie Francorchamps) in 1970 with the 512 S, and third (Tony Adamowicz/Sam Posey - North American Racing Team) and fourth (Chris Craft/David Weir - David Piper Autorace) in 1971 with the 512 M (for Modificata). The 512 was exclusively entered by partner or private teams in 1971 after retirements for all four of its 512 Ss in 1970 caused the factory team not to return to the race until 1973.
Created in 1969 after the introduction of 3-litre prototype regulations, the 312 P made three fleeting appearances in the 24 Hours. Both factory cars were forced to retire that year and the car fielded by North American Racing Team in 1970 failed to make it into the classification for insufficient distance covered. In 1974, the 312 P returned as an open cockpit version (spider) and finished ninth thanks to Jean-Claude Andruet and Teodoro Zeccoli.
After the elimination of the Sport class, Ferrari presented a new 3-litre prototype, the 312 PB, in 1972. However, despite clocking the fastest time in the preliminary tests (now known as Test Day), Ferrari withdrew one week before Scrutineering at the 40th 24 Hours, arguing a potentially weak transmission.
In 1973, the 24 Hours celebrated its 50th anniversary with a major duel between the previous year's winner, Matra, and Ferrari looking for a 10th overall win. To challenge the French constructor's three cars, the Italian marque entered three 312 PBs for Jacky Ickx/Brian Redman, Arturo Merzario/Carlos Pace and Carlos Reutemann/Tim Schenken.
On Sunday, the face-off between Ickx/Redman and the Matra of Gérard Larrousse/Henri Pescarolo favoured the latter duo after Ickx was forced to retire with engine failure shortly before 14:30. Ferrari had nonetheless held the lead in the race for a solid 14 hours. Finishing second after starting from the pole, Merzario/Pace secured the last result for one of the Italian manufacturer's factory prototypes at the race.
Ferrari did find a source of pride in 1973 thanks to sixth place overall for Claude Ballot-Léna/Vic Elford which amounted to a class win for the 365 GTB/4.
Presented at the 1968 Paris Motor Show, this car was also known as the Daytona in reference to the marque's hat trick at the Rolex 24 at Daytona the previous year (though the name has never been officially recognised by Ferrari). The front engine GT (4.3-litre V12, 350 hp) would become one of Ferrari's most famous of the era, particularly due to its remarkable track record at Le Mans.
The Ferrari 365 GTB/4 took the start in its first 24 Hours in 1971 under the banner of North American Racing Team, resulting in the fifth spot for Luigi Chinetti, Jr./Bob Grossman.
The next year, the car clinched its first class win thanks to Claude-Ballot-Léna/Jean-Claude Andruet recruited by French importer Charles Pozzi. The French duo led an impressive Daytona group finish, from fifth to ninth places. In 1974, it made it into the overall top 10 (5th and 6th) once again with a third consecutive class victory earned by another French pair, Dominique Bardini/Cyril Grandet.
1978 marked the 365 GTB/4's final appearance at Le Mans, with 16th place for French duo Lucien Guitteny/François Migault, and the first for the 512 BB.
Developed two years earlier, the 512 BB (5-litre, 12-cylinder flat) was a direct descendant of the 1971 365 GT4/BB, the first mid-engine road Ferrari (placed in front of the rear wheel axle). None of the four cars fielded in 1978 made it to the chequered flag. In 1979, a quartet of Belgian-British drivers gave the 512 BB its first finish, with 12th place for Jean Blaton/Bernard de Dryver/Steve O’Rourke/Nick Faure. The car competed at the 24 Hours until 1982, with as best result fifth place for Jean-Claude Andruet/Claude Ballot-Léna/Hervé Regout.
The legacy of rear-engined Ferrari GTs continued with the F40, 360 Modena, F430, 458 Italia and 488 GTE, and the manufacturer's 333 SP prototype was one of the main attractions at the 24 Hours in the 1990s. More to come on that later...
PHOTOS (Copyright - ACO/Archives): LE MANS (SARTHE, FRANCE), CIRCUIT DES 24 HEURES, 1970-1973 24 HOURS OF LE MANS. From top to bottom: in 1970, the Ferrari 512 S of Derek Bell/Ronnie Peterson (#5), Jo Bonnier/Reine Wisell (#14) and Jacky Ickx/Peter Schetty (#5) beat the Porsche 917 of future winners Richard Attwood/Hans Herrmann (#3); one of the two 512 Ss at the finish (#12) in 1970 was entered by Ecurie Francorchamps founded by Belgian importer Jacques Swaters who also managed the Ferrari camp in Steve McQueen's movie Le Mans filmed during and after the race; Ferrari on the front row in 1973 with the 312 PBs of Arturo Merzario/Carlos Pace (#16, pole-sitter) and Jacky Ickx/Brian Redman (#15); at the wheel of this 365 GTB/4 (#58), Luigi Chinetti's son finished his rookie 24 Hours in fifth place in 1971; among the drivers in the first BB 512 to make it into the classification (#61) figured Steve O'Rourke, the manager of Pink Floyd who, like Nick Mason that year, took the start in his first 24 Hours.
