Motorsport
Back to Library >
Beauty and a beast
3 years ago
Chassis 0854 will be offered for sale by Bonhams next month
The record books show its best result in period was third in its very first race, at the Spa 1000km, a customer car beaten only a works Mirage and Porsche; what they do not show are the circumstances. A fuelling problem meant it stalled at the start and by the time driver Richard Attwood had got going again, he’d lost almost an entire lap. But together with co-driver Lucien Bianchi he blasted back through the field to reach the podium, an astonishing result against a world-class field.
Today the ever-modest Attwood puts it down to the skill of Bianchi (‘a lovely man and quite the best co-driver I ever had’) who would tragically be killed in practice at Le Mans in 1969, and the fact the 412P ‘was one of those lovely cars that just didn’t have any vices, no nasty surprises up its sleeve… It gave you the edge of confidence you needed to really press on without the fear of being slung off the track.’
I drove it on a private test track in England, with Richard in attendance to provide driving tips which amounted to, ‘just drive it. It’ll be fine. Car’s easy. And don’t come back until you’ve had a bloody good go.’
"You can tell from the outset it doesn’t like being driven slowly. The engine is hesitant on part throttle, suspicious as to your motives. To understand this car, you need it to be thoroughly warmed through and then let it off the leash"
You wiggle your way over the wide sill, brace yourself on the large chassis tube running across the floor, then drop down into the seat on the right-hand side of the car because, as Attwood reminded me, ‘most tracks turn right.’ Turn the key and you’ll hear the fuel pumps whirr into life, priming that monstrous regiment of Webers. Press the key and the engine turns and fires, but the V12 won’t hold a steady idle until there’s enough fuel in its veins. When it does, it is one of the sweetest sounds on earth.
There are five forward gears, laid out in a traditional Ferrari open gate with a clever interlock system ensuring it’s not possible for the lever to move more than one position to the left or right at the time, saving who knows how many blown engines. The clutch is sharp but not savage and soon you’re moving.
The steering is light but the ride is hard and the car feels restless. You can tell from the outset it doesn’t like being driven slowly. The engine is hesitant on part throttle, suspicious as to your motives. To understand this car, you need it to be thoroughly warmed through and then let it off the leash. And the moment you give it an instruction it recognises, it responds. At once.
"You wiggle your way over the wide sill, brace yourself on the large chassis tube running across the floor, then drop down into the seat. Turn the key and you’ll hear the fuel pumps whirr into life, priming that monstrous regiment of Webers. Press the key and the engine turns and fires, but the V12 won’t hold a steady idle until there’s enough fuel in its veins. When it does, it is one of the sweetest sounds on earth"
The engine howls that multi-layered music made seemingly only by Maranello racing motors. It’s safe to 8000rpm but even at the 7000rpm I use, its voice fills my head while my hands suddenly have plenty to do. The gearshift has no syncro, so rewards fast, positive changes and outright rejects all others. The nose reacts like a bloodhound that’s just found the scent: it stops hunting around this way and that and locks directly onto your chosen course. Traction on fat, hand-cut slick racing tyres is exceptional but it’s the feel of the car through the light steering and chassis that I’ll remember most. Treat it like the thoroughbred racing car it is by driving it quickly but smoothly, and it’ll give you no trouble at all.
How fast? To me it’s not really the point any more, but its 420bhp output and 850kg mass suggests a power-to-weight ratio not far shy of a brand new 815bhp Ferrari 296 GTB, so it’s a potent weapon for sure, despite being well over half a century old.
But to look at it in such bald terms today is to completely miss its point. What matters is that this Ferrari 412P is one of the rarest, most beautiful sports racing cars ever to be offered for sale, born in the greatest racing stable of all, driven by some of the finest drivers of the era – not just Richard but Piers Courage and Jo Siffert too – at some of the most revered race tracks of all time, Spa and Le Mans among them. It was a privilege to have been able to make its acquaintance.
This Ferrari 412P will be offered for sale by Bonhams at The Quail Auction next month. Click here for further details
