I just love pit or startline just-before-the-off shots. You can feel the tension, excitement and driver’s surge of adrenalin just before they pop their butts into the cockpits of their chariots. Here it’s the Belgian Grand Prix, Spa 1965.
Our black-snapper in some ways ruins the shot but he gives it intimacy and immediacy as well. The front row from left to right are Jackie Stewart, Jim Clark and a very obscured Graham Hill; BRM P261 by two and Lotus 33 Climax.
(wfooshee)
The only fellas I recognise are Messrs Stewart, Clark, Chapman and Hill. Can you do any better? The weather looks a bit grim, but such conditions are common in the Ardennes.
(wfooshee)
It’s a smidge out of focus but let’s not be too hard on our photographer Mr Fwooshee, I’d love to be able to credit him/her/it fully if anyone knows the correct name.
Every time I see a Honda RA271/272 I’m stunned by the audacity of a transversely mounted 1.5-litre V12, six-speed, monocoque chassis design in your first crack at a GP car; RA270 space frame prototype duly noted. Karma was Mr Honda’s originality being rewarded with that Mexican GP win several months hence, here Richie Ginther (RA272) was sixth. Graham Hill is in front, #15 is Dan Gurney’s Brabham BT11 Climax – everybody’s favourite Lanky-Yank is about to insert himself into that little Brabham – and behind him, Jo Siffert’s Rob Walker BT11 BRM. Jo Bonnier, Brabham BT7 Climax is behind the Honda, and further back the redoubtable Bob Anderson in his self-run #24 Brabham BT11 Climax. Brabhams galore, bless-em.
Who is the driver playing with his silver or white peakless helmet? Down the back, top-right there is a glimpse of Jean Stanley getting that tosspot ‘Lord Louis’ Stanley’s cravat nice and straight…
Oh yes, Jim Clark won from Jackie Stewart with Bruce McLaren’s Cooper T77 Climax in third place.
Credits…
fwooshee
(fwooshee)
Tailpiece…
Frank Gardner had an early afternoon, his John Willment Brabham BT11 BRM had ignition problems after completing only four laps. He started from grid slot 18 of 21, the best placed BT11 was the Guvnor’s works-car, Jack Brabham was fourth.
The Scarab Offy debut at Monaco in 1960, when Reventlow and Chuck Daigh were so far off the pace, Stirling Moss did some laps in the car. Note the roll bar – high by the standards of the day albeit not high enough – seatbelts are fitted too, but those were for wally-woofdas in the views of Europeans at the time, so Moss is sitting on them.
Those lovely Halibrand wheels are Goodyear shod, Moss pointed them in the direction of the Dunlop tent, they raced so equipped. Goodyear nailed F1 pretty quickly mind you, they partnered with Brabham from the 1965 Tasman Series, with lots of input from Jack Brabham, Dan Gurney, Frank Gardner and Denny Hulme they improved exponentially to win the 1966 F1 World Championship and French F2 Championship, also the unofficial ‘European’ one.
That’s Lance in the orange driving suit off to the left, by the pit counter #48 is his car, Moss is lapping in Daigh’s machine.
(unattributed)
This undated workshop shot highlights just how low (shots both above and below) in the spaceframe the engine was mounted – the 2.5-litre, twin cam, twin plug, desmodromic, two-valve, Hilborn injected, Offenhauser designed and built, circa 220bhp four cylinder engine was laid right over on its side. Note too the drum brakes at this stage of development, the car raced with Girling calipers and rotors.
These photographs highlight the two-years-too-late aspect of the Aston Martin DBR4 and Scarab designs in relation to the mid-engined brigade. The practice shot above shows the big, front-engined non-qualifiers #48 Reventlow and Daigh being passed by Roy Salvadori’s Cooper T51 Climax, and below, the fastest design of 1960, Innes Ireland’s works Lotus 18 Climax closing in on Reventlow.
(D Orosco Collection)(P Darley)
Quite why the Scarab transporter is parked out front of Lotus’ Cheshunt factory enroute to the French Grand Prix that July is a bit of a mystery perhaps you can help solve!?
The 1959 Fiat truck based Bertoletti transporter was commissioned by Reventlow for Scarab’s use in 1960-61 before being briefly used by Lotus before its sale to Alan Mann Racing.
The shot below shows Lance alongside Lucien Bianchi, Cooper T51 Climax, at the start of the Belgian GP at Spa. Reventlow retired after one lap with engine problems, while Bianchi was sixth, and last, eight laps adrift of race winner, Jack Brabham’s Cooper T53 Climax. Difference is size between the 1960 model Scarab and ’59 Cooper, marked.
(RPcollectie-Roozendaal)(unattributed)
Wonderful pit shot taken during the French GP weekend at Reims. Chuck Daigh Q23 and Richie Ginther Q20 practiced but neither car started the race
Upper and lower wishbone and coil spring/damper front suspension, cast magnesium upright. Note the Aeroquip or braided steel oil lines to the front mounted oil-cooler in front of the coolant radiator, the first appearance of such fittings in GP racing years before they became ubiquitous.
Credits…
Don Orosco Collection, MotorSport, Peter Darley, RP collectie Roozendaal, edwardquinn.com, autopics.com.au
Tailpiece…
Chuck Daigh and Lance Reventlow full of optimism early in the Monaco GP weekend. Nifty fly-boy driving suits, Nomex I wonder?
There was much to admire in the Scarab’s design and execution but Reventlow Automobile Inc needed to be taking the start at the principality in 1958, not 1960.
The mid-engined 3.9-litre Scarab RE Buick V8 Intercontinental Formula machine on its way to fourth place in Chuck Daigh’s hands in the 1962 Sandown Park International. It was a step in the right direction, but sadly the machine never raced again.
Brand spanking new Ferrari 156, the aluminium body still unpainted awaits its Modena test in early 1961…
(Klemantaski)
Its all happening in this shot.
Its the first track test in April 1961 of the new 120 degree 1.5 litre DOHC, 2 valve V6 which offered a lower centre of gravity to the dominant cars of that year. Phil Hill was crowned World Champion of course, in a year of tragedy for the team, ‘Taffy’ von Trips lost his life at Monza late in the season.
Bending over the car’s nose is Luigi Bazzi, Ferrari’s ‘Senior Technician’ of the time, the large fella to Bazzi’s left is famed ‘panel basher’ Medardo Fantuzzi who made the sexy bodies of these cars and many other Ferrari’s. Carlo Chiti, the cars designer, has his hand in the cockpit. Richie Ginther, ace racer/tester gets comfy before the off. In the hat behind Richie is Romulo Tavoni, Team Manager and leaning against Enzo’s Ferrari 250GT is the chief himself and Phil Hill.
Superb G Cavara cutaway of the jewel like Ferrari 120 degree V6, the key elements of which are beautifully clear
Etcetera…
Rear suspension and bodywork detail at Zandvoort during the Dutch GP weekend in May 1961.
Upper and lower wishbones- the bottom one quite widely based, with coil spring/Koni shocks and an adjustable roll bar.
Cockpits of the day were minimalist- we are a year or so away from leather bound wheels in Ferrari cockpits.
Veglia tach and gauges probably displaying water temperature and oil temperature and pressure. Classic Ferrari ‘open gate’ change to the right which lasted all the way to the semi-automatic paddle-shift boxes pioneered by Ferrari in the 3.5 litre 640 V12 in 1989.
Ferrari 156 at the Nürburgring during the August 1962 German GP weekend, by this stage of things the dominant car of 1961 has been well and truly surpassed by the Lotus 25 Climax and BRM P57- Graham Hill won aboard the latter that weekend,.
65 degree V6 in this chassis, note the spaceframe chassis which looks a bit ‘wonky’ in the length above the cam covers of the engine- Doug Nye christened the Ferrari welders of the day ‘Mr Blobby’ given the finesse and finish displayed. They worked ok in 1961 mind you!
(B Cahier)
Four 156’s were entered at the Nürburgring in 1962, here is the World Champion, Phil Hill. He DNF with suspension failure after 15 laps, Ricardo Rodriguez was the best placed Ferrari driver in sixth, Giancarlo Baghetti was tenth and Lorenzo Bandini DNF after an accident on lap 5.
Credits…
GP Library, Louis Klemantaski Collection, G Cavara
Tailpiece…
(Klemantaski)
An earlier test than the one above, this chassis fitted with the 65 degree V6. Chiti is at left then the boss, another gent and copiously making notes is famous Ferrari engineer, Mauro Forghieri, then in his early days with the Scuderia. I’m intrigued to know who the mechanic is.
Its a stunning shot of the cars unbelievable lines, their purity complete with the Borrani’s off the car…
One of the BRM mechanics shows his mates some naughty pictures on his iPhone 6S, Zandvoort, Dutch Grand Prix July 1965…
The shot says everything about the regard the BRM team had for their old driver. By that stage Richie was driving for Honda, famously the American won the very last race of the 1.5 litre F1 for Honda in Mexico City that year.
Stewart #12 and Hill #10 BRM P261’s in the 1965 Zandvoort paddock (Schlegelmilch)
At Zandvoort the growing competitiveness of the RA272 was again on display, Richie qualified the car 3rd and finished 6th, the race won by Jim Clark’s Lotus 33 Climax.
The BRM’s finished 2nd and 4th, Stewart in front of Hill, both in P261’s. Dan Gurney was 3rd in a Brabham BT3 Climax.
Richie Ginther surveys the damage he has inflicted upon his factory Ferrari during the 1960 Targa weekend…
The local kiddo’s are either surveying the scene with sympathy or thinking about what they can liberate from Enzo’s nice, new red car!
In fact the shot is a bit of a mystery upon doing a bit more research.
The Ferrari drivers were reshuffled after several accidents in practiceof which this seems to be one as it isn’t the car in which Richie started the race with Cliff Allison. That was the #202 de-Dion rear axled TR59/60 pictured below; and in which Richie went off line passing a car and smote a tree a fatal blow for the car on lap 5.
Cliff Allison before the Targa start in the 250 Testa Rossa shared with Richie Ginther (unattributed)
Allison himself had a huge ‘character building’ accident in practice when a tyre failed in the Ferrari TRI/60 (independent rear suspension Testa Rossa) he was scheduled to share with Phil Hill.
So, the question is what model Ferrari is the one pictured at the articles outset? It looks as if it may have side-draft Webers, is it an old Monza ‘praps? One for you Ferrari experts.
The race was won by the Jo Bonnier/Hans Herrmann Porsche 718 RS60 a much more nimble conveyance around this circuit than the 3 litre V12 front-engined Fazz…
Graham Hill sitting in Jo Bonnier’s winning Porsche 718 RS60, Graham was cross-entered in the car. Don’t bend it Graham please! Hill was 5th is a similar car shared with Edgar Barth (unattributed)
A famous win for Moss, Rob Walker and the Lotus 18 Climax…
1961 was the first year of the 1.5 litre F1; Ferrari were dominant with their powerful 156’s, the little V6 was the most potent engine, the chassis not a patch on the best of the Brits but overall the Scuderia had a great year.
However, the mastery of Moss prevailed several times during 1961. The first of these performances in his lithe, nimble 1.5 Coventry Climax Mk2 engined Lotus 18 is portrayed in the season opening event by John Ketchell’s art.
The great cockpit view shows Moss chasing Jack Brabham’s Cooper T55 Climax and Richie Ginther’s Ferrari 156.
Grid shot: #20Moss Lotus 18 Climax, #36 Ginther’s Ferrari 156 and #28 Clark Lotus 20 Climax front row. Gurney’s Porsche 718 and Phil Hill’s Ferrari 156 on row 2 (unattributed)
Hill’s Ferrari, Clark outside #28 , Moss inside with the missing bodywork, #16 Tony Brooks BRM P48/57 Climax#36 Ginther and the silver nose of Gurney’s Porsche 718 (GP Library)
Credit…
John Ketchell, GP Library
Tailpiece: Maestro Moss…
Moss Mastery; totally relaxed as he gets every bit of performance out of the chassis of his year old Rob Walker owned Lotus 18; works drivers Clark and Ireland are in the new Lotus 20. Side bodywork removed to provide cooling air on the hot May day. Moss won Lotus’ first championship GP win with this victory (Geoff Goddard)
I was trawling the internet, as I do, looking for photos which inspire the articles I write, one of the reasons why this blog is so nuttily diverse is to do with that approach.
I found this shot, unattributed as most of them are, but identified as ‘Monaco 1966’ which it most definitely is not!
Its one of those the more you look, the more you see shots; the steam train, four nurses sitting together, the working port, none of your fancy-schmancy big yachts of today and of course the car itself!
That’s the tricky bit. It’s not sharp in focus but I thought it might, just might be, Luigi Musso’s #34 Ferrari Dino 246 in the 1958 race.
GP debutant Richie Ginther on his way to fifth place in the Ferrari Dino 246P 0008′, Monaco 1960 (unattributed)
After I posted this shot, reader Grant Perkins did some research and confirmed the photo as Richie Ginther at Monaco in 1960 in the Ferrari Dino 246P…
Stirling Moss won the race in Rob Walker’s Lotus 18 Climax – Colin Chapman’s first championship win as a manufacturer – from Bruce McLaren’s Cooper T53 Climax and Phil Hill’s Ferrari Dino 246.
The shot is historically significant. Ginther made his GP debut that weekend and his mount, the Ferrari 246P, the Scuderia’s first mid-engined racing car, competed for the first time.
Monaco that year is also significant for the long awaited, but far too late appearance of Lance Reventlow’s Scarabs. These superbly engineered, but heavy, unwieldy front-engined cars entered GP racing just as Ferrari, the last team by then racing a front-engined car experimented with its mid-engined replacement. A tangent too far for this article, but see here; Better Late than Never… | primotipo….
Monaco 1960. #46 Chuck Daigh and #48 Lance Reventlow Scarabs. #34 Ginther’s Ferrari 246P (Dave Friedman Collection)
Ferrari built the 246P in secret. It was tested at Modena by Hill, Ginther and factory tester Martino Severi on 22 May. The design was perceived by its drivers to have too much weight at the rear causing excessive nose lift under acceleration.
Despite Stirling Moss’ Cooper win in the 1958 Argentine GP Grand Prix, and Jack Brabham’s Cooper win in the 1959 World Championship – firsts mid-engined cars – Carlo Chiti had to fight hard to build a mid-engined Ferrari prototype.
The Scuderia’s conservatism was proven time and again over the years. They were not often innovators or early adopters. Examples include the change from drum to disc brakes, wire wheels to alloys, carburettors to fuel injection, ladder frame to spaceframe chassis, spaceframe chassis to monocoques and so on.
Fortunately 246-0008 showed enough promise to race at Monaco on 29 May. By the end of the year the chassis had morphed from a prototype 2.5-litre F1 car into a 1960 1.5-litre F2 156. It then morphed into an an F1 156 with the GP rule change from 2.5 to 1.5-litre engines with effect 1 January 1961.
0008 became Giancarlo Baghetti’s race chassis for 1961, part of the amazing start to his F1 career. The Italian famously won his first three GPs; Syracuse, Naples and finally the French GP. In so doing Giancarlo became the only man to ever win his first championship GP.
So, 0008 won the first of many GPs the 156 design took in 1961 on the way to dual world titles; the drivers for Phil Hill, and manufacturers for Ferrari in 1961.
There wasn’t a happy ending for the chassis though. Giancarlo spun out of the wet British GP at Aintree a week after his Reims win doing enough damage to 0008 that it was scrapped. Mind you, Ferrari famously destroyed all of the 156s at the end of 1962 when the cars were as uncompetitive as they had been fast the year before.
From mid-engined 2.5-litre F1 prototype at Monaco on May 6 1960 to 1.5-litre F1 winner at Syracusa on 25 April 1961, 0008’s story is a short but historically significant, interesting one.
Enzo Ferrari and the Ferrari 246P designer, Carlo Chiti, watch Martino Severi testing their first mid-engined car 246-0008 at Modena May 1960 (unattributed)
Phil Hill testing the Ferrari 246P at Modena 1960, the suburb oh-so-close to the circuit! Compare the body of 0008 here with its Italian GP spec the same year (unattributed)
1960 Monaco Grand Prix…
Ginther qualified the new car ninth, between the front engined Dinos of Von Trips eighth, and Phil Hill 10th. In the race Hill was third, Richie sixth with Von Trips eighth but not running at the finish.
29 year old Richie Ginther makes his GP debut at Monaco 1960. Ferrari 246P (Dave Friedman Collection)
Ginther’s new prototype mid-engined Ferrari Dino 246P-0008 #34 beside the conventional front-engined, third placed Dino 246 of Phil Hill at Monaco in 1960. The difference in size is not that great at this stage. Some sources say Ferrari acquired a Cooper to understand that car’s packaging and suspension geometry tricks (unattributed)
Ferrari 246P in the Zandvoort pitlane 1960 (unattributed)
The team then took the 246P to Zandvoort for the following Dutch GP, however, the engine, which had not been rebuilt was burning and blowing so much oil that it was unraced.
Ginther therefore ran a conventional front-engined Dino as did his teammates. They were comprehensively blown off by large numbers of Lotuses and Coopers. Ginther’s 12th was the quickest Ferrari qualifier, with Von Trips fifth, Ginther sixth, while Phil Hill retired with engine failure on lap 13.
The race was won by Jack Brabham’s Cooper T53 Climax on the way to his second title on the trot.
Cars being marshalled before the start of the Dutch GP on June 6, 1960. #3 Ginthers Ferrari Dino 246, #5 Alan Stacey, Lotus 18 Climax DNF, #12 Bruce McLaren Cooper T53 Climax DNF, #9 Tony Brooks’ Cooper T51 Climax DNF, #6 Jim Clark Lotus 18 Climax DNF (unattributed)
Ferrari Dino 246P technical specifications…
While 0008 car didn’t race at Zandvoort, photographer George Phillips took some rare shots of a Ferrari too little has been written about, the car practiced with the number 3T.
(George Phillips)
246P’s front suspension by upper and lower wishbones, coil spring/Koni dampers and roll bar. Dunlop disc brakes.
(George Phillips)
Chassis Tipo 543, of welded tubular steel was described as Cooper in style if not in the quality of the welding! Borrani wire wheels were 15-inches diameter, Dunlop tyres 5.25/6.5 inches wide front/rear. The wheelbase was 2300mm and track 1200mm front and rear. Fuel capacity 150-litres, while the car’s weight, wet was 452kg.
(George Phillips)
Engine Tipo 171 was derived from the Tipo 134 65-degree, all alloy, DOHC, two valve V6. Bore/stroke 85 X 71mm, capacity 2,417cc. three Weber 42 DCN carburettors with twin plugs fired by Marelli magneto. Dry sumped, the unit developed a claimed 265bhp @ 8,300rpm.
(George Phillips)
246-0008’s rear suspension comprised upper and lower wishbones, coil spring/Koni dampers and roll bar. The Tipo 543 transaxle had five speed and reverse and an LSD. Note also the clutch location at the back of the ‘box, you can just see the top of the inboard brake rotor beside the chassis member.
Development of the 246P and its evolution into the 156…
Ferrari decided to abandon further development of the 246P as a 2.5-litre GP car. They focused their attention on the front-engined Dinos for the balance of the season, and the future 1.5 Litre GP car for the new Formula 1.
The basis of the new 1.5-litre F1 engine was the Vittorio Jano designed 1.5-litre Dino V6 already used in Ferrari’s front engined F2 cars which first raced in 1957. Von Trips won the 1960 F2 season opening Syracuse GP in March aboard one of these cars ahead of two Coopers.
Taffy von Trips Dino 156 winning the Syracuse GP, 19 March 1960. He won from the Cooper Climaxes of Trintignant and Gendebien (George Phillips)
Chiti progressively modified the engine, initially retaining the 65-degree angle but then changed it to 120 degrees.
The wide Vee angle has/had the benefit of a very low centre of gravity and rear bodywork which was as much a styling signature of the 1961 156 as its Sharknose. Definitive-spec 1961 156s raced with the 120 degree engine, but the 65 degree was also used; 0008 was always fitted with the 65-degree spec unit.
Taffy von Trips at Solitude in 0008 in 1960. The 246P/156 left front wheel is off the deck in a victorious run over the Porsches (unattributed)
The test bed for the new engine was the 246P 0008
After the car was fitted with a revised bodywork and 1.5-litre V6, it was tested at Modena and then entered at the Tenth Solitude F2 GP, Germany on 24 July. There, Taffy von Trips belted the Porsche 718/2s, a great F2 car, on their home ground, the aristocrat lead home Hans Hermann, Jo Bonnier, Graham Hill and Dan Gurney, all aboard factory Porsches.
Further testing and development of 0008 followed. With many of the British teams punting on the Intercontinental Formula for 1961, Ferrari were developing a formidable weapon for the new 1.5 F1, the implementation of which was confirmed, much to the Brits chagrin, as they wouldn’t have competititive engines until 1962.
At the Italian Grand Prix at Monza in September, Ferrari raced 0008 in what was getting close to the 156’s definitive 1961 specification.
0008 in 1.5 litre F2 form was raced by Taffy Von Trips to fifth place fitted with an auxiliary fuel tank among the 2.5-litre GP cars.
At the Italian GP in September 1960 Ferrari ran Taffy von Trips in 246P/156 0008. Both this and the shot below show how much more svelte the car became compared its May Monaco spec. It was not as small as the best of the British cars mind you, but in 1961 the Brits were hamstrung by lack of suitable, competitive engines (Archie Smith)
Von Trips had the 1.5-litre F2 class to himself outrunning Hermann’s Porsche 718/2 by a full lap. Phil Hill won the race, it was the final GP victory for a front-engined car but it was somewhat of a hollow one.
The sneaky Italians decided race on the combined Monza road course and banking to maximise the chances of the old-tech Ferraris winning. Power was Ferrari’s only advantage over the four cylinder Coventry Climax FPF and BRM engined cars. The Brits then told the organisers to jam-it on safety grounds with most boycotting the event.
Von Trips 246P/156 0008 in the 1960 Monza paddock. Note how much different the rear bodywork is compared with its 246P Monaco spec (Archie Smith)
Phil Hill’s winning Ferrari Dino 246/60 0007 #20 is pushed onto the 1960 Monza grid ahead of Von Trips’ Ferrari Dino 246P – or by then – 156 0008 (Archie Smith)
Von Trips ready for the off, Monza 1960, Ferrari Dino 156 (Archie Smith)
VI Gran Premio di Modena F2 1960…
0008’s final 1960 race was Ferrari’s home event at Modena on 2 October.
In the same way that Ferrari beat the Porsche’s at Solitude in July, so it was that Jo Bonnier’s Porsche beat Richie Ginther in the front-engined 156 from Taffy von Trips in the new 156 suffering from fading brakes.
Hans Hermann was fourth and Edgar Barth fifth, both also driving 718/2 Porsches.
1960 Modena F2 GP. Jo Bonnier’s Porsche 718/2 leads #26 Ginther’s front engined Ferrari Dino 156 from Von Trips’ mid engined 246P/156 (unattributed)
Von Trips Ferrari 246P/156 F2, #10 Edgar Barth Porsche 718/2, #28 Hans Hermann Porsche 718/2. Modena GP 1960 grid (unattributed)
Taffy von Trips, Ferrari Dino 246P/156 0008 F2, Modena GP 1960 (unattributed)
The brilliant, portly Tuscan engineer and 246P/156 designer, Carlo Chiti explains to Von Trips how to get the best from his car. Italian GP, Monza 1960 (Archie Smith)
1961 Beckons…
All of this development work on the new-fangled mid-engined concept was very successful, the 156 was the dominant GP car of 1961.
It took the Constructors Championship for Ferrari and Drivers title for Phil Hill. Let’s not forget the role 246P/156 0008 and Chiti’s development skills and prodigious work output made in that remarkable transition from the back to the front of the grid in less than 12 months.
Cutaway drawing of the Ferrari 156 F2 car 0008 in 1960 trim. Spaceframe chassis, double wishbone and coil spring/damper suspension front and rear. Tipo 188 1.5-litre 65 degree, DOHC, two valve, dual triple -choked Weber carbed V6 giving circa 180bhp in 1960 spec. Five speed gearbox, Dunlop disc brakes (James Allington)
Etcetera…
(Archie Smith)
More detail, Von Trips Dino 246P/156 Monza 1960.
(Archie Smith)
Ferrari Dino 246P/156 butt shot at Monza, Italian GP 1960. The fairing of the chassis by Fantuzzi’s gorgeous bodywork provided both visual splendour and aero advantage.
(Archie Smith)
Willy Mairesse’ 2.5-litre GP Ferrari Dino 246 tows Von Trips’ 1.5-litre F2 156 to a good time in the little car, Monza banking, Italian GP 1960.
(Archie Smith)
The boss at Monza sussing his new car and the opposition. Enzo Ferrari 1960. The car is Barth’s factory Porsche 718/2 F2.
Etcetera, first 246 test…
Here are a series of photos from Getty Archives of the first test day at Modena in May 1960.
Mr Ferrari is present as is Carlo Chiti, the driver in all of these shots is factory test driver Martino Severi. The car is unpainted, perhaps Ginther was not present on day one.
Ferrari, Severi, Chiti (Getty)
(Getty)
The 246SP lines are clear in this shot, in short front-engined styling on a mid-engined car! Ferrari with his back to the camera looks on with a tad more paternal interest than usual.
(Getty)
(Getty)
Fantuzzi’s hand formed aluminium panels of the prototype clear as are Borrani knock-ons and Dunlop disc brakes.
The boss looks on and contemplates this big change in the design of his cars, the Scuderia got the hang of it quickly enough! (Getty)
The boss looks on and contemplates the new design of his cars, certainly as big a change in direction as the famous marque ever made. They got the hang of it quickly enough too!
The beautifully finished and trimmed cockpit of Clarks’ Lotus 25 at Monaco 1963. Leather bound Mota-Lita steering wheel, a dash full of Smiths instruments including its famed chronometric tach and right hand change for the 5 speed ZF ‘box. Naked aluminium of the monocoque chassis below the shift lever. (Yves Debraine)
The tell-tale on Jim Clarks Lotus 25 after his retirement from the 1965 Monaco Grand Prix is at 9500rpm…
He was comfortably in the lead of the race by 14 seconds when the car engaged 2 gears at once on the entry to the Gasometer hairpin. Graham Hill inherited a lead he maintained to the race’ conclusion.
Clark in classical pose. Lotus 25 Climax. (Eric Della Faille)
The Lotus 25, the first ‘modern monocoque’ appeared at the Dutch Grand Prix in 1962 and was much copied for the 1963 season. For ’63 the car remained much unchanged other than small details and power increases from the Coventry Climax FWMV 1.5 litre quad cam, 2 valve V8.
Lucas fuel injection was adopted and a changed bore/stroke ratio allowed higher rpm and power.
Lotus retained the ZF gearbox but also tried a 6 speed Colotti-Francis ‘box and later in the season a Hewland 5 speed transmission which would soon become ubiquitous.
Surtees gesticulating at the fast approaching Ginther. (Marti)
John Surtees and Richie Ginther in Ferrari T56 and BRM P57 respectively scrapped for much of the race, this shot is on the entry to the Gasometer hairpin. Ginther tries to pass with Surtees gesticulating in protest.
Ginther finished second to teammate Hill, with Surtees, sitting in a pool of oil and with falling oil pressure finished fourth and set fastest lap on the last lap and the lap record. McLaren was third in his Cooper T66 Climax.
John Surtees eyes focused on a Monaco apex, Ferrari T56/156. (Yves Debraine)
Ferrari competed with interim cars for much of the season using the V6 engines which won the World Championships in 1961. The 1964 car appeared at Monza powered by a V8, the development of the car in ’63 setting up Surtees’ tight title victory in 1964.
Surtees again, here chasing winner Graham Hill’s BRM P57. (unattributed)
Clark enroute to what seemed a certain victory, before the intervention of gearbox dramas in his lithe, lissom utterly luvverly Lotus 25. (Unattributed)
To the victor, the spoils. Graham Hill ‘The King of Monaco’ after the first of his 5 wins in the Principality. (Getty Images)
Lotus 25 Climax cutaway drawing by James Allington…
This short article makes no attempt to put into perspective one of the most successful and influential racing cars of all time, the first ‘modern monocoque’ includes amongst its relatives all monocoque racing cars built since its debut at Zandvoort in May 1962.
‘Monocoque’ construction by riveted ‘D section’ light alloy longerons attached to fabricated steel bulkheads front and rear.
Front suspension by upper top rocker operating inboard mounted coil spring /damper unit, lower wishbone and adjustable sway bar. Rear suspension by upper top link, inverted lower wishbone and coil spring/damper unit and adjustable sway bars. Cast alloy uprights front and rear.
Girling disc brakes, rack and pinion steering.
Wheelbase 91 inches, track front 51.5 inches, rear 51.75 inches, overall length 146 inches, dry weight 990 pounds. Wheel sizes 5X15 front and 6 or 6.5X15 inches at rear.
ZF gearbox mainly used in 1963 but Colotti and Hewland also tried.
Clark and Chapman with a ’63 spec 25, its essential elements as described above. (Unattributed)
Clarks 1963 Championships…
Jim Clark, Dutch Grand Prix June 1963. Jim zooms his Lotus 25 between the North Sea sand dunes at Zandvoort on his way to victory. (Yves Debraine)
That Jim Clark and the Lotus 25 were the fastest combination in 1962 was not in doubt but Coventry Climax reliability was not as great as BRM’s that year. In 1963 the promise of ’62 was realised with Clark winning five Grands’ Prix and both the Drivers Championship for himself and the first Manufacturers Championship for Lotus.
Clark finished second in a Lotus 29 Ford in his first foray to Indianapolis and further demonstrated his versatility with wins in cars as diverse as the Lotus 23 sports car and Ford Galaxie touring car/saloon that year.
Clark became the standard by which other drivers were judged in 1963, if not earlier.
The cover shot of Clark is at the Dutch Grand Prix, Clark won on the 25’s debut there in 1962 and in 1963 and 1964, all in 25’s and in 1965 in the updated Lotus 33 also Climax FWMV V8 powered.
Oulton Park Gold Cup 1963…
Not only did Jim Clark win the Oulton Park Gold Cup during 1963 but he also recorded some stunning in car footage at the Cheshire circuit in his Lotus 25, such footage very rare at the time.
There were four Non-Championship F1 races in the UK alone in 1963, lucky Brits! The footage is amazing on so many levels not the least of which is a drivers eye period view of the circuit; typical track edges, the lack of run off areas and the topography of trees, ditches and the like for the unwary…and this is a circuit devoid of the ‘special obstacles’ of the ultra dangerous road circuits of the day on which Clark raced. The Nurburgring, Spa, Reims, Pescara and Longford here in Australia spring to mind.
Ok, he is not racing but the precision and accuracy for which he was renowned is also on display…
An ace in every sense of the word.
Etcetera…
Clark tootling thru the Oulton paddock in his ‘camera car’, its a bit hard to pick out the beefy mount against the dark background. And to think in the day of the ‘GoPro’ this was how it was done only a short time ago. Even when the specialists at Channel 7 in Australia popularised in car footage in the ‘Bathurst 1000’ in the late 70’s the heavy rig occupied a good percentage of the rear seat area…progress! (Unattributed)
Photo Credits…
Yves Debraine, Eric Della Faille, Marti, James Allington cutaway drawing, Automobile Year 13, Peter Windsor
Richie Ginther in search of the La Source Hairpin apex, with photographers’ assistance, Honda RA272, Belgian GP, Spa 1965…
Soichiro Honda was a talented engineer who created the largest motorcycle manufacturing company in the world, it could be said that he helped mobilise the masses in many ‘Third World countries’.
He was a passionate racer himself and in the early 1960’s started to challenge the dominance of the European motorcycle marques, notably MV Agusta on the circuits of the world.
Aussie Tom Phillis broke thru for Hondas’ maiden GP win in the 1961 Spanish 125cc GP. Honda entered all the 125/250cc events from 1960, Honda won both titles that year. Honda entered 500cc racing in 1966, and took 138 wins in its ‘first sortie’ to the World Championships, before taking a break in 1967 (unattributed)
By that time Honda R&D already had a Cooper T53 Climax, a 2.5 litre F1 car to tinker with and study, they announced their entry into Grand Prix Racing in 1964, a sensational 1.5 litre transversely mounted V12 stressed-skin chassis car their weapon of choice.
Honda had started building road cars, the S600 and S800 sports cars and by 1972 built their first Civic, a car which didn’t revolutionise the class but bought amazing standards of refinement and performance into the market for the time. It was the first of many outstanding mass market cars which would define the marque as the ‘Japanese BMW’ in the eyes of many.
Honda were on a climb and motor racing was a part of the plan to develop innovative technology, resilient engineers and promote and build the Honda brand.
Soichiro Honda watching the performance of one of his ‘bikes, at close quarters! during the 1960 Isle of Man TT (unattributed)
Honda RA271…
The chief engineer of the project was Yoshio Nakamura, later to become the CEO of Honda.
The initial prototype, the RA270F was a space frame car, derivative of the Cooper, and was tested extensively at Arakawa on 6 February 1964 and then Suzuka, by many including Jack Brabham. Brabham and his partner Ron Tauranac were to race Honda 1 litre, 4 cylinder engines in their F2 Brabhams, winning the European F2 Championship in 1966.
In fact Honda had decided to be an F1 engine manufacturer, not the builder of their own chassis and had entered into a partnership with Lotus, but problems with Lotus’ existing Ford agreements precluded contract execution by Lotus…so Honda built the chassis after all.
Soichiro Honda with the RA270F prototype spaceframe F1 car in 1964, he was one of many who tested the car. (Honda International)
The definitive RA271 used a stressed skin monocoque chassis which ended at the rear of the cockpit to which was mounted the transverse 60 degree 1495cc V12.
A tubular subframe picked up the rear suspension assembly which could be unbolted and wheeled away.
The engine used DOHC, 4 valves per cylinder and was fed initially by 6 Keihin carburettors mounted across the frame behind the cockpit. Fuel injection was being developed and was soon adapted to the engine. Power takeoff was by spur gears from the centre of the crankshaft driving directly into a transverse shaft 6 speed transaxle.
Honda RA271, Monza 1964, the fuel injected version of the engine appeared for the first time. The engine developed circa 220bhp@11000rpm in 1964, more than was claimed for the BRM and Coventry Climax V8’s and about what Ferrari claimed for their championship winning V8 that season. (unattributed)
Front suspension was by top rocker operating inboard mounted coil spring damper units and lower wishbone. Rear was by reversed lower wishbone, single top link with outboard mounted coil spring damper units and two radius rods providing lateral location. Sway bars were adjustable front and rear.
Dunlop disc brakes were used and Goodyear tyres, Honda and Brabham the first users of Goodyear in F1.
‘Things Go Better With Coke’… cheap oil catch tank! RA271 rear end showing upper and lower wishbones, coil spring damper units. Rear mounted battery and alloy casing of the 6 speed Honda transaxle mounted aft of the engine where it was parallel with and driven from the centre of the crankshaft. Rear Dunlop discs inboard. (unattributed)
Ronnie Bucknum…
A Honda mechanic, Yoshio Nakamura and Ronnie Bucknum working things out upon the RA271 race debut…Nurburgring pit apron 1964. None of the ‘flash surroundings’ for mechanics of the modern era. (Bernard Cahier)
Somewhat bizarrely the Japanese, as if to emphasise the experimental nature of the car chose Bucknum, a little known American sports car driver to pilot the car, his family owned a Honda dealership in the US and he raced an S600 at home. These days a ‘Superlicence’ would not have been issued!
He tested the car extensively in Japan before the cars first race in the German GP, at the Nurburgring, what a baptism of fire for car and driver in August 1964!
Bucknum qualified the RA271 slowest, no disgrace and then drove a steady race in the wet, the power curve of the engine somewhat peaky, and was in 11th place when a steering problem caused him to crash out of the race.
Ronnie Bucknum during the 1964 German GP upon Hondas debut. He drove the RA271 sensibly in difficult, wet conditions, crashing out after steering problems (Honda International)
The team missed the Austrian GP but returned with the definitive fuel injected version of the engine at Monza, qualifying mid grid and racing in fifth before overheating problems intervened.
In the US he retired with a blown head gasket to finish the teams truncated first season.
1965, Final Year of the 1.5 Litre Formula…
Ginther in the RA272, wet Spa 1965, not for the faint hearted!
Honda were more serious about its 1965 campaign building a new car, the RA272 and signing Richie Ginther ex-BRM and Ferrari, and a noted test and development driver to lead the team, retaining Bucknum for a second year.
The team were based in Amsterdam, the centre of their distribution operation in Europe.
The power of the engine was increased from circa 220bhp@11000rpm to 230bhp@12000rpm with chassis weight reduced by 30kg.
Minimising heat build up became key as the engines lost power significantly as the races wore on, Ginthers ‘bonzai’ starts came to nought as the engines lost grunt.
The cars appeared at Monaco, qualifying up the back and both dropped out, Richie with a UJ failure and Ronnie with gear change maladies.
Ginthers’ RA272 Monaco 1965. Ginther DNF with a driveshaft failure in the race won by Hills’ BRM P261. Note the evolution of the cars rear suspension compared with the RA271 above. Much neater and ‘conventional’ single top link and inverted lower wishbone. (unattributed)
The Belgian GP was typically wet, Ginther qualified fourth and finished sixth, Bucknums’ transaxle failed. Both cars failed to finish at the French GP with ignition problems although Richie qualified 7th.
The sheer majesty of Spa…treacherous wet ’65 GP won by Clarks’ Lotus 33 Climax. From the start its Hill and Stewart in BRM P261’s, Ginther, Honda RA272, Siffert, Brabham BT11 BRM, Surtees, Ferrari 158, Dan Gurney, Brabham BT11 Climax, Bruce McLaren, Cooper T77 Climax, Jo Bonnier, Brabham BT7 Climax and the rest…(unattributed sensational shot)
The Honda was well suited to the wide open spaces of ex-RAF airfield Silverstone, one car was entered for Ginther, he duly qualified 3rd and lead from the start, the Honda yowling its way out front, he ran third for much of the race but again ignition problems ended his race.
British GP, Silverstone start 1965. Ginther is 3rd on the grid. Clark is on pole in his Lotus 33 Climax, Hill alongside in BRM P261, then Ginther RA272 and on the outside Jackie Stewart in the other #4 BRM P261. Ferrari 1512 #1 is John Surtees. (unattributed)
He again qualified 3rd at Zandvoort and lead the race but then spun twice and finished 6th.
Honda missed the Nurburgring but reappeared at Monza with engines mounted lower and using sleeker bodywork, Bucknum qualified 6th and Richie 17th after various dramas but both ‘popped engines’ again failing to finish.
Both cars finished for the first time at Watkins Glen in the US Grand Prix, Bucknum an uninspired 13th and Richie 7th having again qualified 3rd.
And so onto the last race of the season and of the 1.5 litre formula. The Magdalena Mixhuca circuit at Mexico City was the venue for the Mexican Grand Prix, famous for the difficulties caused for engines at a height 7500 feet above sea level.
Ginther again! qualified 3rd and Bucknum tenth. At the drop of the flag Richie simply took the lead and ran off into the distance, the little jewel of an engine never missing a beat scoring Hondas’, Goodyears’ and Ginthers’ first Grand Prix victories.
Bucknum was a strong 5th. Hondas fuel injection system, problematic at times was one of the reasons for the Mexican success, thriving at the higher altitude.
And so Honda won a famous and well deserved win and would be back late in 1966 with a heavy but powerful 3 litre V12 engined car, the RA273…
Richie Ginther lead the Mexican GP in 1965 from start to finish, heat and altitude notwithstanding. He is swinging his RA272 into Horquila Corner, the hairpin. (Bernard Cahier)
As an enthusiast i love those marques which have racing as part of their DNA, for that Honda have their founder to thank.
Soichiro Honda gave the following press conference speech after the Mexico win, i love the insights it provides into his thinking about how ‘racing improves the breed’.
He said, ‘Ever since we first decided to build cars we have worked hard and been willing to take the most difficult path. Now we must study the reasons why we lose, and do the same when we win, so that we can use that knowledge to improve the quality of our cars and make them safer for our customers. Thats our duty. Once we had established our goal, we decided to choose the most difficult path to get there. This is why we entered the Grand Prix series. We will therefore not be content with this victory alone. We will study why we won and aggressively apply those technologies to new cars’.
Honda RA272 cutaway drawing by Yoshiro Inomoto
Etcetera…
Honda unload their RA271 at the Nurburgring upon their GP debut, German GP 1964. (unattributed)
Graham Hill and Richie Ginther dicing at Zandvoort, Dutch GP 1965. Hill 4th in his BRM P261 and Richie 6th in his Honda RA272 in the race won by Clarks’ Lotus 33 Climax, Clark the ’65 Champ. (unattributed)
Honda RA272 engine; 1495cc 60degree, transversely mounted DOHC, 4 valve, fuel injected V12. Circa 230bhp@13000rpm in 1965. (Bernard Cahier)
Honda RA272 cockpit. (unattributed)
Ginther and engineer Nakamura celebrate their 1965 Mexican GP victory. (unattributed)
Sources…
Doug Nye ‘The History of The Grand Prix Car 1945-65’, Honda International
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