Ferrari 156 F1

The 120-degree engine

Ferrari began 1961 with the 65-degree Dino engine, later replacing it with a new V6 from Carlo Chiti featuring a 120-degree bank angle. With this angle, a power stroke occurs every 120 degrees of crankshaft rotation, delivering power much more smoothly. The change resulted in 10 hp more. Displacement was 1476.60 cm³, with an output rated at 140 kW at 9500 rpm. The lightweight engine sat extremely low in the chassis, lowering the center of gravity.

Chassis and 1962 development

Chiti based the lines on the 246 P, but the 156 was shorter, and its tubular chassis was based on four large main tubes. A four-valve-per-cylinder version producing 147 kW at 10000 rpm was planned for 1962, but never appeared. At the British Grand Prix, Phil Hill drove a new version with a six-speed gearbox in front of the engine. In August, Lorenzo Bandini tested a variant without the Sharknose in Germany, featuring modified suspension and a smaller radiator.

The 156 Aero

The revised version for the 1963 and 1964 seasons lacked the distinctive sharknose, featuring a more conventional air intake instead. In 1963, the 120-degree V6 received Bosch direct fuel injection in place of carburetors, boosting output to 147 kW (197 hp). Designations vary from 156B to 156/63 and 156 Aero. The final victory for the 156 was achieved by Lorenzo Bandini at the 1964 Austrian Grand Prix.

Monza 1961 and the replicas

On September 10, 1961, on the second lap of the Italian Grand Prix, Wolfgang von Trips's 156 collided with Jim Clark's Lotus, went airborne, and crashed into a trackside barrier. Von Trips was thrown from the car and killed; fifteen spectators lost their lives. The original cars were later scrapped. There are at least two replicas, one built for the film "La Passione," and a 156 is on display in the "Galleria Ferrari."

Summarized from the cited sources; every figure was automatically verified against the sources.