Ferrari 375 F1

Last updated
Ferrari 375
Galleria Ferrari (12) (3955971732).jpg
Ferrari 375 F1
Category Formula One
Constructor Ferrari
Designer(s) Aurelio Lampredi
Predecessor 125
Successor 212
Technical specifications [1] [2] [3]
Chassis Single-seater, tubular frame
Wheelbase 2,320 mm (91 in)
2,420 mm (95 in)
Engine 3.3 L Lampredi V12, naturally aspirated, front engine, longitudinally mounted
4.1 L Lampredi V12, naturally aspirated, front engine, longitudinally mounted
4.5 L Lampredi V12, naturally aspirated, front engine, longitudinally mounted
Transmission Ferrari 4-speed manual
Weight560 kg (1,230 lb)
Fuel Shell
Tyres Pirelli
Firestone
Competition history
Notable entrants Scuderia Ferrari
Debut 1950 Belgian Grand Prix
RacesWins Podiums Poles F/Laps
1031330
Constructors' Championships0
Drivers' Championships0
n.b. Unless otherwise stated, all data refer to
Formula One World Championship Grands Prix only.
See also the 340 and 375 road cars sharing the same engine

After finding only modest success with the supercharged 125 F1 car in Formula One, Ferrari decided to switch for 1950 to the naturally aspirated 4.5-litre formula for the series. Calling in Aurelio Lampredi to replace Gioacchino Colombo as technical director, Enzo Ferrari directed that the company work in stages to grow and develop an entirely new large-displacement V12 engine for racing.

Contents

The first outcome of Lampredi's work was the experimental 275 S . Just two of these racing barchettas were built, based on the 166 MM but using the experimental 3.3-litre V12. These were raced at the Mille Miglia of 1950 on April 23. Although one car held the overall lead for a time, both were forced to retire with mechanical failure before the end.

The 275 F1 made its debut at the Grand Prix of Belgium on June 18, sporting the same 3.3-litre (3322 cc/202 in³) version of Lampredi's new engine. With three Weber 42DCF carburetors, a single overhead camshaft for each bank of cylinders, and two valves per cylinder, the engine produced a capable 300 hp (224 kW) at 7200 rpm. Alberto Ascari drove the car to fifth place, marking the end of the 3.3-litre engine.

The 275 was replaced at the Grand Prix of Nations at Geneva on July 30, 1950 by the 340 F1. As the name suggests, the car sported a larger 4.1-litre (4101.66 cc/250 in³) version of Lampredi's V12. Other changes included a new de Dion tube rear suspension based on that in the 166 F2 car and four-speed gearbox. It had a longer 2,420 mm (95 in) wheelbase, but other dimensions remained the same. With 335 hp (250 kW), Ascari was able to keep up with the Alfa Romeo 158 of Juan Manuel Fangio but retired with engine trouble. Although the 340 proved itself capable, it was only the middle step in Ferrari's 1950 car development.

Ferrari achieved the 4.5-litre goal of the formula with the 375 F1, two of which debuted at Monza on September 3, 1950. This 4.5-litre (4493.73 cc/274 in³) engine produced roughly the same power as its 4.1-litre predecessor, but its tractability earned Ascari second place in that debut race. A series of modifications through the 1951 season allowed Ferrari to finally put Alfa Romeo behind it in a Formula One race, with José Froilán González' victory at Silverstone on July 14 becoming the constructor's first World Championship win. Ascari's wins at the Nürburgring and Monza and strong finishes throughout the season cemented the company's position as a Formula One contender.

Johnnie Parsons intended to drive this Ferrari 375 Indianapolis in the 1952 Indianapolis 500 - he later elected to race the Kurtis Kraft in which he had driven the 1949 and 1950 events Ferrari 375 Indy front-left Enzo Ferrari Museum.jpg
Johnnie Parsons intended to drive this Ferrari 375 Indianapolis in the 1952 Indianapolis 500 - he later elected to race the Kurtis Kraft in which he had driven the 1949 and 1950 events

Changes in the Formula One regulations led the company to shift the big engine to an Indy car, the 1952 375 Indianapolis. Three new Weber 40IF4C carburettors brought power output to 380 hp (279 kW), [4] the wheelbase was lengthened, and the chassis and suspension were strengthened. Although the car performed well in European testing, it was not able to meet the American challenge, with just one of four 375s even qualifying for the 1952 Indianapolis 500. Ascari was the driver who did qualify the car for the race, starting 25th (out of 33 starters) with a qualifying speed of 134.3 mp/h (the pole was won by American Chet Miller who pushed his supercharged Kurtis Kraft-Novi to 139.03 mp/h). Ascari would be classified in 31st place, completing only 40 of the 200 laps before being forced to retire with wheel failure, though he would go on to win the remaining six Grands Prix of the season to easily win his first World Championship from Ferrari teammate Giuseppe Farina.

The big V12 was scrapped for 1954, as Formula One required a 2.5-litre engine. The new 553 F1 adopted Lampredi's four cylinder engine, leaving the V12 for sports car use.

The 375 was driven during the 2011 British Grand Prix weekend by then-current Ferrari driver Fernando Alonso as a tribute to the sixtieth anniversary of the Ferrari's first World Championship Grand Prix win at the 1951 British Grand Prix at Silverstone, with Argentinean driver José Froilán González driving at the time. [5]

Technical data

Technical data 275 F1 340 F1 375 F1 375 Indy
Engine:  Front mounted 60° 12 cylinder V engine
displacement: 3322 cm³4102 cm³4493 cm³4382 cm³
Bore x stroke: 72 x 68 mm80 x 68 mm80 x 74.5 mm79 x 74.5 mm
Compression: 10.0:112.0:111,0:113.0:1
Max power at rpm: 300 hp at 7 300 rpm335 hp at 7 000 rpm350 hp at 7 000 rpm380 hp at 7 500 rpm
Valve control:  One overhead camshaft per cylinder bank, 2 valves per cylinder
Carburetor: 3 Weber 42 DCF3 Weber 40 IF4C
Gearbox: 4-speed manual, transaxle
suspension front: Double cross links, transverse leaf spring
suspension rear:  De Dion axle, double longitudinal links, transverse leaf spring
Brakes: Hydraulic drum brakes
Chassis & body: Oval tube frame with aluminum body
wheelbase: 232 cm254 cm
Dry weight: 850 kg785 kg
Top speed: 280 km/h300 km/h320 km/h330 km/h

Complete Formula One World Championship results

(key) (results in bold indicate pole position, results in italics indicate fastest lap)

YearEntrantChassisEngineTyresDrivers12345678
1950 Scuderia Ferrari Ferrari 275Ferrari 3.3 V12 P GBR MON 500 SUI BEL FRA ITA
Alberto Ascari 5
Ferrari 375Ferrari 4.5 V12Ret/2†
Dorino Serafini 2†
1951 Scuderia Ferrari Ferrari 375Ferrari 4.5 V12 P SUI 500 BEL FRA GBR GER ITA ESP
Luigi Villoresi Ret33344Ret
Alberto Ascari 62Ret/2†Ret114
Piero Taruffi 2Ret55Ret
José Froilán González 2†1322
Chico Landi Ret
1952 Scuderia Ferrari Ferrari 375 IndyFerrari 4.5 V12 F SUI 500 BEL FRA GBR GER NED ITA
Alberto Ascari Ret
Source: [6]

Related Research Articles

The 1951 Formula One season was the fifth season of FIA Formula One motor racing. It featured the 1951 World Championship of Drivers, which commenced on 27 May 1951 and ended on 28 October after eight races. The season also included 14 races open to Formula One cars but did not count towards the championship standings.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ferrari Colombo engine</span> Reciprocating internal combustion engine

The Ferrari Colombo Engine was a petrol fueled, water cooled, carburetted 60° V12 engine designed by Gioacchino Colombo and produced in numerous iterations by Italian automaker Ferrari between 1947 and 1988. The maker's first homegrown engine, its linear successor is the Lampredi V12, which it far outlived, the last Lampredi being made in 1959.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ferrari Lampredi engine</span> Reciprocating internal combustion engine

The Ferrari Lampredi engine was a naturally aspirated all aluminum 60° V12 engine produced between 1950 and 1959. Inline-4 and Inline-6 variants for racing were derived from it.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ferrari America</span> Motor vehicle

Ferrari America is a series of top-end Ferrari models built in the 1950s and 1960s. They were large grand touring cars with the largest V12 engines and often had custom bodywork. All America models used a live axle in the rear, were front-engined, and had worm and sector steering.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aurelio Lampredi</span> Italian engineer

Aurelio Lampredi was an Italian automobile and aircraft engine designer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ferrari Tipo 500</span> 1952–1953 Formula 2 racing car

The Ferrari 500 was a Formula 2 racing car designed by Aurelio Lampredi and used by Ferrari in 1952 and 1953, when the World Championship was run to F2 regulations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ferrari 125 F1</span> Ferraris first Formula One car

The 125 F1 was Ferrari's first Formula One car. It shared its engine with the 125 S sports racer which preceded it by a year, but was developed at the same time by Enzo Ferrari, Valerio Colotti and designer, Gioacchino Colombo. Initially the racer was called 125 GPC for Gran Premio Città or Grand Prix Compressore before the Formula One era.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ferrari Monza</span> Motor vehicle

The Ferrari Monza is one of a series of cars built by Ferrari. In the early 1950s, Ferrari shifted from using the compact Gioacchino Colombo-designed V12 engine in its smallest class of sports racers to a line of four-cylinder engines designed by Aurelio Lampredi. Inspired by the success of the light and reliable 2.5 L 553 F1 car, the four-cylinder sports racers competed successfully through the late 1950s, culminating with the famed 500 Mondial and 750 Monza.

This article gives an outline of Formula One engines, also called Formula One power units since the hybrid era starting in 2014. Since its inception in 1947, Formula One has used a variety of engine regulations. Formulae limiting engine capacity had been used in Grand Prix racing on a regular basis since after World War I. The engine formulae are divided according to era.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ferrari 375 Plus</span> Motor vehicle

The Ferrari 375 Plus is a sports racing car produced by Ferrari in 1954. The model competed internationally, winning many major races, including 24 Hours of Le Mans, Carrera Panamericana, 1000km of Buenos Aires, Agadir GP and Silverstone.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ferrari 375 MM</span> Motor vehicle

The Ferrari 375 MM, was a sports racing car produced by Ferrari in 1953 up to 1955 for the road cars. It was named "375" for the unitary displacement of one cylinder in the 4.5 L V12 engine, and the "MM" stood for the Mille Miglia race. In total 26 units were made, including four converted from the 340 MM.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ferrari 212 F1</span>

The Ferrari 212 F1 was a Formula 1 and Formula 2 racing car designed by Aurelio Lampredi for Scuderia Ferrari in 1951.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ferrari Jano engine</span> Reciprocating internal combustion engine

Vittorio Jano designed a new 60° V12 engine for sports car racing for Ferrari. This new engine, introduced in 1956, combined elements of both Colombo and Lampredi engines with new features. Engine architecture was more of Lampredi school but retained smaller Colombo internal measurements. Jano moved to Ferrari along with his designs for the Lancia D50 in 1955 and went on to design not only a new V12 but also a family of the Dino V6 engines soon after. Some of the technical ideas came from the Jano's Lancia V8 DOHC engine, intended for Formula One. This family of engines replaced Lampredi inline-4s known from Ferrari Monza line and went on to win many international races and titles for Ferrari. The design team comprised Jano as well as Vittorio Bellentani, Alberto Massimino, and Andrea Fraschetti.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ferrari 410 S</span> Motor vehicle

The Ferrari 410 S was a sports racing car produced by Ferrari in 1955–1956. After the racing successes of 375 Plus, mainly in 1954 Carrera Panamericana, Ferrari decided to prepare another model for this marathon. The 410 S was intended as a long-distance race car originally designed for the 1955 Carrera Panamericana and was the final model of the Lampredi V12 sports car lineage. The next generation of sports racing cars that replaced the 410 S were powered by the new Jano V12 engines.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ferrari 275 S</span> Motor vehicle

The Ferrari 275 S was a sports racing car produced by Ferrari in 1950. It was the first Ferrari powered by a new Aurelio Lampredi-designed V12 engine, created as a large displacement alternative to the initial 1,5 L Colombo V12, used in supercharged form in Ferrari 125 F1. Formula One regulations allowed for up to 4.5 L in naturally aspirated form.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ferrari V12 F1 engine</span> Reciprocating internal combustion engine

Ferrari has made a number of V12 racing engines designed for Formula One; made between 1950 and 1995. Some derived engines were also used in various Ferrari sports prototype race cars and production road cars.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ferrari 166 FL</span> Open-wheel race car

The Ferrari 166 FL was a single-seat open-wheel race car, designed, developed and built by Italian manufacturer and team, Scuderia Ferrari, 1949 to 1952. Only three cars were produced. The designation 166 refers to the (rounded) displacement of a single cylinder, which corresponded to the nomenclature of the company at the time. The abbreviation FL stands for Formula Libre, which is the type of category and racing series that the car competed in. Since the car was mainly developed for racing in South America, it was also known as the 166 C America.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ferrari 166 F2</span> Racing car

The Ferrari 166 F2 is an open-wheel formula racing single-seater car, designed, developed and built by Italian manufacturer and team Scuderia Ferrari, for Formula 2 racing, in 1948. This is the car in which Argentinian driver, and eventual five-time Formula One world champion, Juan Manuel Fangio, became known in Europe.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ferrari 212 F2</span>

The Ferrari 212 F2 was an open-wheel Formula 2 race car, designed, developed, built, and entered by Italian racing team Scuderia Ferrari, in 1951.

References

  1. "Ferrari 275". Stats F1. Retrieved 28 March 2016.
  2. "Ferrari 375". Stats F1. Retrieved 28 March 2016.
  3. "Ferrari 375 Indy". Stats F1. Retrieved 28 March 2016.[ permanent dead link ]
  4. "Ferrari 375 Indianapolis". formula1.ferrari.com. Retrieved 12 June 2019.
  5. Arron, Simon. "F1 diary: British Grand Prix". telegraph.co.uk. Retrieved 2016-07-31.
  6. Small, Steve (1994). The Guinness Complete Grand Prix Who's Who. Guinness. pp. 37, 161, 218, 349, 378 and 388. ISBN   0851127029.