Photo: Lothar Spurzem · CC BY-SA 2.0 de
Raced1968–1969
EngineV12
Units built3
The Ferrari 312 P was a Group 6 prototype with a 3-liter V12 derived from the 312 Formula 1 car and tuned for endurance racing. Ferrari had opted out of sports car racing in 1968 in protest against a regulation change that also excluded the 4-liter 330 P4. In 1969, this prototype was created, initially little more than a 312 F1 with open Barchetta bodywork; later, a closed Berlinetta was added. At the 12 Hours of Sebring, Mario Andretti put it on pole and finished second with Chris Amon. The 312 PB became its successor.
Summarized from the sources cited below; every figure in the text was automatically verified against the sources.
Good to know
- At the 1969 Sebring debut, Ferrari entered only a single 312 P due to lack of funds; Mario Andretti put it on pole.
- At Le Mans in 1969, Chris Amon's car was damaged in John Woolfe's fatal first-lap crash; the second ran in the top 10 for about 15 hours despite an oil leak.
- Ferrari used the designation 312 for racing cars from 1966 to 1979: 3 for 3 liters, 12 for the number of cylinders.
- At the end of 1969, the two remaining 312 P cars went to Luigi Chinetti's NART; one raced at Le Mans in 1970 and was among only 16 cars still running at the finish.
Learn moreOrigins · The 1969 season · What followed
Origins
A short-notice regulation change, triggered by the seven-liter Ford GT40, also banned the 4-liter Ferrari 330 from the tracks in 1968. The Scuderia sat out the entire season in the World Sportscar Championship. For 1969, the 312 P was developed with a 60° V12 modeled after the 312 Formula 1 car. At first it was an open Spyder; later, a more aerodynamic closed Berlinetta was added, which ran only on fast circuits. Ferrari's commitment remained halfhearted because financial resources were lacking and the company had stopped offering racing cars to customer teams.
The 1969 season
After Sebring (chassis 0868), car 0870 disappointed at the Le Mans test weekend: Better aerodynamics were needed. At the BOAC 500 at Brands Hatch, Amon and Pedro Rodríguez finished fourth behind three open Porsche 908/02s. At Monza, Amon put the Spyder on pole, but retired. At Spa, Rodríguez and David Piper finished second behind the Porsche 908 LH of Siffert and Redman. At Le Mans, the two Berlinettas qualified in fifth and sixth positions, but failed to finish.
What followed
When Porsche revealed the 917 in Geneva in March 1969, it was clear that only a similar 5-liter sports car could keep up. Beginning in mid-1969, Ferrari invested part of the millions from the Fiat deal into the required production run of 25 units of the five-liter, twelve-cylinder 512 S. The 312 P was therefore entered only by NART; in 1971, the Scuderia then introduced the 312 PB with a boxer engine, which competed for three seasons.
Summarized from the cited sources; every figure was automatically verified against the sources.
Frequently asked questions about the Ferrari 312 P
When was the Ferrari 312 P raced?
The Ferrari 312 P was raced from 1968 to 1969.
How much power does the Ferrari 312 P have?
Power of the Ferrari 312 P: 331 kW at 10,800 rpm 465 Nm.
What engine does the Ferrari 312 P have?
Engine of the Ferrari 312 P: 2991 cm³ Mid , RWD Colombo V12.
How many Ferrari 312 P were built?
3 units of the Ferrari 312 P were built.
Who engineered the Ferrari 312 P?
Engineering of the Ferrari 312 P: Mauro Forghieri; Giacomo Caliri; Gioacchino Colombo.
Who drove the Ferrari 312 P?
Drivers of the Ferrari 312 P: Pedro Rodriguez, Chris Amon, Luigi Chinetti, Tony Adamowicz, David Piper, Mario Andretti, Mike Parkes, Sam Posey, Chuck Parsons, Peter Schetty ….
How many races did the Ferrari 312 P win?
The Ferrari 312 P took 3 wins in 15 races.
What are the predecessor and successor of the Ferrari 312 P?
Successor: Ferrari 312 PB.
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