Ferrari 312B

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Ferrari 312B
Retromobile 2017 - Ferrari 312 B2 - 1972 - 002.jpg
Ferrari 312 B2 of 1972
Category Formula One
Constructor Scuderia Ferrari
Designer(s) Mauro Forghieri
Predecessor 312
Successor 312T
Technical specifications
Chassis Aluminium monocoque
Suspension (front) Double wishbone, inboard spring/damper
Suspension (rear)Double wishbone suspension
Engine Ferrari Tipo 001 2,992 cc (182.6 cu in), Flat-12, naturally aspirated, mid-engine, longitudinally mounted
Transmission Ferrari Type 621 5-speed manual
Fuel Shell
Agip
Tyres Firestone
Goodyear
Competition history
Notable entrants Scuderia Ferrari
Notable drivers Flag of the United States.svg Mario Andretti
Flag of Austria.svg Niki Lauda
Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg Clay Regazzoni
Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Jacky Ickx
Debut 1970 South African Grand Prix (312B)
1971 Monaco Grand Prix (312B2)
1973 Spanish Grand Prix (312B3)
RacesWins Poles F/Laps
70(all models)
19 (312B)
24 (312B2/B2-72)
27 (312B3)
10
5
2
3
22
6
6
10
21
11
4
6
Constructors' Championships1 (1975)
Drivers' Championships1 (1975, Niki Lauda)
n.b. Unless otherwise stated, all data refer to
Formula One World Championship Grands Prix only.

The Ferrari 312B is a Formula One racing car designed and built by Scuderia Ferrari. It was the successor to the Ferrari 312 and was used from 1970 until early 1975. The original 312B was developed into the 312B2 and 312B3.

Contents

History

The early 1970s saw the return of success to the Scuderia; the unlucky Chris Amon left, while Jacky Ickx returned and was joined by Clay Regazzoni. Under the direction of Mauro Forghieri, Ferrari developed a new Tipo 001 flat-12 engine, colloquially referred to as a "boxer" (although not a real boxer engine), giving a lower center of gravity and a clear airflow beneath the rear wing.

A 1970 Ferrari 312B. Ferrari 312B Donington.jpg
A 1970 Ferrari 312B.
The 'snow plow' Ferrari 312 B3 at the Ferrari Museum Ferrari 312 B3 Spazzaneve - Museo Ferrari (18108395676) (cropped).jpg
The 'snow plow' Ferrari 312 B3 at the Ferrari Museum

During the car's first season, in 1970, Ickx battled with Lotus's Jochen Rindt and won three Grands Prix, while the Italian Grand Prix was won by Clay Regazzoni, following the death of Rindt in a practice session preceding the race. In the remaining races, Ickx could not close the points gap to Rindt for the drivers title, and Lotus won the Constructors Championship ahead of Ferrari.

The 1971 season started with a win by new signing Mario Andretti. Although being presented in January, the 312 B2 debuted at the third round in Monaco, followed by the Dutch Grand Prix success for Ickx. However the B2 suffered with handling problems: the combination of the innovative rear suspension and the new Firestone tyres gave severe vibrations when driven close to the limit. Forghieri designed and fitted winglets to the front wings of the car for the British Grand Prix that year; however these were not seen again afterwards. Ferrari ultimately came third in the Constructors Championship, as Jackie Stewart and Tyrrell dominated the season.

In 1972 Ferrari fielded a revised B2 with a more conventional rear suspension, but could not keep up with the progress of the competition, dropping to fourth at the end of the year. Ickx won the 1972 German Grand Prix at the Nürburgring, but this was to be his last GP win.

During the season, Forghieri experimented with a new front bodywork that was very similar to the front bodywork of the Tyrrell 003; it was tested and fitted to the cars for the second race in South Africa that year, however it was not used again afterwards due to it making the cars uncompetitive. Forghieri also designed a radical new car featuring a square bodywork and full width nose on a very short wheelbase. This new 312 B3 was tested by Merzario and Ickx but never raced in a Grand Prix. The Italian press nicknamed it the spazzaneve (snowplow).

For 1973, FIAT executives imposed a new technical staff and Forghieri was transferred to the experimental department; his role was taken by Sandro Colombo, a former Gilera and Innocenti engineer. The spazzaneve project was discarded and replaced by a new design, still named 312 B3. A new full monocoque chassis was built by specialist English company TC Prototypes, under John Thompson's guidance, and the engine became a fully stressed member.

In the first races, Ferrari still used the old 312 B2: the car was no longer competitive, and Ickx only managed one fourth place at the opening GP of the season. The new 312 B3 debuted at the Spanish Grand Prix, but proved to be slow and unreliable achieving even worse results. Throughout the 1973 season, Ferrari was outclassed, and they even skipped some Grands Prix, notably the Nürburgring. Ickx left the team halfway through the season in order to contest the 1973 German Grand Prix at the Nürburgring in a McLaren, where he took 3rd place behind the Tyrrells of Stewart and François Cevert, despite being given an older-spec Ford Cosworth V8 and the hardest compound of tyres available.

During the summer Forghieri was recalled as technical director and set about revising the B3 incorporating some of the ideas used on his radical spazzaneve.

For 1974 Ferrari fielded a heavily revised car, named 312 B3-74, and signed BRM drivers Niki Lauda and Clay Regazzoni.

The car was succeeded by the 312T which was introduced for the 1975 Formula One season.

Technical data

Technical data 312B 312B2 312B3
Engine:  Mid-mounted 180° 12-cylinder V-engine
displacement: 2991 cm³2992 cm³
Bore x stroke: 78.5 x 51.5 mm80.0 x 49.6 mm
Compression: 11.5:1
Max power at rpm: 450 hp at 12 000 rpm470 hp at 12 600 rpm490 hp at 12 500 rpm
Valve control:  Double Overhead Camshafts per cylinder bank, 4 valves per cylinder
Fuel system: Lucas fuel injection
Gearbox: 5-speed manual
suspension front: Upper cross link, lower
triangle link, coil springs
Double triangle links, coil springs
suspension rear: Upper transverse link, lower triangular link, double longitudinal links,
coil springs, anti-roll bars
Brakes: Hydraulic disc brakes
Chassis & body: Self-supporting monocoque
Wheelbase: 238 cm251 cm
Dry weight: 535 kg560 kg580 kg

Complete Formula One World Championship results

YearChassisTyresDriver123456789101112131415 Points WCC
1970 312B F RSA ESP MON BEL NED FRA GBR GER AUT ITA CAN USA MEX 52
(55)
2nd
Jacky Ickx RetRetRet83RetRet21Ret141
Clay Regazzoni 44Ret212132
Ignazio Giunti 4147Ret
1971 312B F RSA ESP MON NED FRA GBR GER AUT ITA CAN USA 333rd
Jacky Ickx 82RetRet
Clay Regazzoni 3Ret
Mario Andretti 1RetDNQRet
312B2 Jacky Ickx 31RetRetRetRet8
Clay Regazzoni Ret3RetRet3RetRetRet6
Mario Andretti 413DNS
1972 312B2 F ARG RSA ESP MON BEL FRA GBR GER AUT ITA CAN USA 334th
Jacky Ickx 3822Ret11Ret1RetRet125
Clay Regazzoni 4123RetRet2RetRet58
Mario Andretti Ret4Ret76
Nanni Galli 13
Arturo Merzario 612
1973 312B2 G ARG BRA RSA ESP BEL MON SWE FRA GBR NED GER AUT ITA CAN USA 126th
Jacky Ickx 45Ret
Arturo Merzario 944
312B3 Jacky Ickx 12RetRet6588
Arturo Merzario Ret77Ret1516
1974 312B3-74 G ARG BRA RSA ESP BEL MON SWE NED FRA GBR GER AUT ITA CAN USA 652nd
Clay Regazzoni 32Ret244Ret23415Ret211
Niki Lauda 2Ret1612RetRet125RetRetRetRetRet
1975 312B3-74 G ARG BRA RSA ESP MON BEL SWE NED FRA GBR GER AUT ITA USA 72.511st
Clay Regazzoni 44
Niki Lauda 65

1 In 1975, 63.5 points were scored driving the Ferrari 312T.

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References