Fabulous shot of Derek Bell ‘on line’ on the approach to La Source hairpin, he finished 8th sharing this ‘Ecurie Francorhamp’ 512S with Hughes De Fierlant…
Jo Siffert and Brian Redman won the race in the dominant car of 1970/71, the Porsche 917K. These 5 litre 12 cylinder , 450-500 BHP cars are still spoken of in awe 45 years later by those fortunate enough to see, or drive them.
Ferrari were very busy in 1970 with F1 and their beloved sportscar programs. Porsche kept it simple, subcontracting the preparation and racing of the cars to John Wyer Engineering and Porsche Salzburg, they were not distracted by F1.
On paper, the V12, spaceframe chassis 512S should have given the Flat 12, space-frame chassis 917 a better run for its money than it did…
The early season Sebring 12 Hour win flattered to deceive. The suitably ‘tweaked 512S ,’71 updated 512M showed early potential to ‘serve it up’ to the 917 horde, but the Ferrari factory didn’t race it in ’71, the 15 cars built or converted from 512S spec were raced by privateers only, there is an interesting article to be written there!
The 512S is one of my ‘Top 10 Racing Cars’ a fabulous device if not Maranello’s most successful…
(unattributed)
25 512S all in a row?…Maranello late 1969…
Twenty five cars were required by the governing body, the CSI for homologation into Group 5
The cars are all lined up ready for inspection, the yellow ‘Francorchamp’ car stands out.
The investment was huge compared with the small production runs of previous models, only three P4’s were built (and one P3 converted to a P4).
Fiat ‘took over’ Ferrari’s road car division in 1969 and put racing support arrangements in place going forward, without that their would have been no 512 program, the company probably would not have had the working capitial to build so many cars with sales not exactly certain.
(CA Caillier)
More 512S all in a row, mechanics fettle Bells’ car, #21 is the Schetty/Merzario Scuderia Ferrari 512S which finished seventh, the best placed 512S was the Ickx/Surtees machine in second.
Etcetera…
Busy pit stop for the Ickx/Surtees 2nd placed 512S. Surtees jumping in, Ickx clear in the helmet behind, Spa 1970 (Rainer Schlegelmilch)
Andretti at Daytona in 1970
Engine, transmission and rear suspension detail of one of the works cars, Daytona 1970
The Ferrari compound above at Le Mans in 1970.
The Dick Attwood/Hans Hermann Porsche 917K won the race with the best place of the eleven 512S which started the race was the NART entry driven by Sam Posey and Ronnie Bucknum.
#8 is the Art Merzario/Clay Regazzoni entry DNF after 38 laps with a collision, the #5 Jacky Ickx/Peter Schetty was also involved in a collision in which a marshal was killed after completing 142 laps. The car to the left without a number showing is the Derek Bell/Ronnie Petersen car which had a valve fail after only 39 laps- worse was bearing failure of the #6 Nino Vaccarella/Ignazio Giunti 512S after only seven laps were completed. Not a memorable Le Mans for Ferrari at all.
512S Long-tail during the filming of ‘Le Mans’ in 1971 (Getty)
Photo Credits…
A Caillier, Rainer Schlegelmilch, Getty Images
Tailpiece…
Peter Schetty, 7th Ferrari 512S chasing the winning Siffert/Redman Porsche 917K, Spa 1970 (Rainer Schlegelmilch)
Finito…
primotipo... 