Through racing history there have been many different Ferraris, here we take a look at a few of the lesser known models that have graced the race tracks of the world.
333SP
The Ferrari 333 SP marked its return to the world sports car stage in 1993 after a twenty-year absence, although it was never raced by Ferrari themselves. Two key things make this a car we should remember. Firstly, it looks absolutely stunning in both its original and updated guise. Secondly, the sound; the 333 used a version of the V12 from the 1992 F1 season and, having been lucky enough to hear it in action at Le Mans, I can testify that it sounds phenomenal.
While it was never in a position to challenge for top honours at Le Mans, it did enjoy a successful career in the IMSA and FIA Sportscar championships, and remained competitive right up until the end of the 90’s when the ALMS Championship arrived with the big guns from Audi and BMW. If Stiff ever won the lottery, a 333 SP would go straight on the shopping list.
512 BB LM
A bit of a ‘Marmite’ Ferrari this. Following on in the Daytona’s racing footsteps, the transition from road car to race car was not so silky smooth for the 512. After trying the easy route in 1978 at Le Mans and failing, the 512 BB LM appeared at Le Mans in 1979 with bodies shaped in the wind tunnel, an extra 120bhp from the flat-12 and an extra 18 inches front to back. Unfortunately, the cars still struggled to finish and simply couldn’t match the pace of the monstrous 700+ BHP Porsche 935s. Eventually, in 1981, Charles Pozzi took a class win at Le Mans, finally beating the 935s. But regulation changes forced the 512 BB LM into retirement. To this day, the Pininfarina body still looks gorgeous yet functional, and that’s why we love it.
Ferrari 312 B3 ‘Spazzaneve’
This is a real treat, since the ’snow-plow’ is rarely seen in public, and never actually raced a Grand Prix. Designed by Mauro Forghieri for the 1973 season the bold bodywork housed radiators either side of the cockpit. During testing, the massive full width nose quickly caught the attention of the Italian press, who duly named it ‘Spazzaneve.’ Unfortunately, Mauro was moved to a new project before the season started and this mad creation never got to turn a competitive wheel in anger.
Ferrari ‘Breadvan’
Another racing Ferrari titled by the press, although this time the story gets much more juicy! In 1961 engineers Giotto Bizzarrini and Carlo Chiti left Ferrari after a bit of a falling out and joined Scuderia Serenissima, with plans to race a 250 GTO. Unfortunately Enzo found out, and the order was cancelled. It fell to these two to build their own car from a SWB 250. With coachwork provided by Piero Drogo, the radical looking car was smaller and lighter than the GTOs, but never achieved any notable success. I was lucky enough to see the car race at last years Goodwood Revival but while leading, it had a failure and had to retire. Unfulfilled potential perhaps, but importantly the car is now accepted into the Ferrari clan, and wears its badges with pride.
Photo Credits:
Main 512 BB LM // Yan-Alexandre
333SP // Laurent Duchene
512 BB LM // Jurrie Vanhalle
Ferrari 312 B3 ‘Spazzaneve’ // Andy Wright
Breadvan // Ferrari.com
