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| Category | Group 6 | ||||||||||
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| Designers | Mauro Forghieri Giacomo Caliri Gioacchino Colombo | ||||||||||
| Production | 3 | ||||||||||
| Successor | Ferrari 312 PB | ||||||||||
| Technical specifications | |||||||||||
| Chassis | Semi-Monocoque | ||||||||||
| Suspension | Double wishbone suspension | ||||||||||
| Length | 3,500 millimetres (140 in) | ||||||||||
| Width | 1,880 millimetres (74 in) | ||||||||||
| Height | 956 millimetres (37.6 in) | ||||||||||
| Axle track | 1,425 millimetres (56.1 in) (Front) 1,400 millimetres (55 in) (Rear) | ||||||||||
| Wheelbase | 2,220 millimetres (87 in) | ||||||||||
| Engine | Colombo V12 2,991.01 cubic centimetres (182.523 cu in; 2.99101 L)Mid Engine, RWDLongitudinal | ||||||||||
| Transmission | 5-speed + 1 reverseManual | ||||||||||
| Power | 331 kilowatts (444 bhp; 450 PS) @ 10,800 rpm 465 newton-metres (343 lbf⋅ft) | ||||||||||
| Weight | 585 kilograms (1,290 lb) | ||||||||||
| Competition history | |||||||||||
| Notable drivers | Pedro Rodriguez Chris Amon Luigi Chinetti Tony Adamowicz David Piper Mario Andretti Mike Parkes Sam Posey Chuck Parsons Peter Schetty George Eaton Jean-Francois Jaunet | ||||||||||
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TheFerrari 312 P was aGroup 6 Prototype used for racing in 1969 and 1970. It used a V12-engine derived from the F1 carFerrari 312, detuned for endurance.
When the F1 car was fitted with a flat-12 engine with lower center of gravity, calledboxer and markedFerrari 312B, also the new 1971 version of the sports prototype came with the boxer engine, thus theFerrari 312 PB is the successor.
After boycottingsports car racing in 1968 to protest a rule change that also banned their 4-litre330 P4, Ferrari built a 3000cc prototype in 1969, the312 P. It was hardly more than a 3-litre F1Ferrari 312 with openBarchetta, and later the closed topBerlinetta.
The first registered race was at the12 Hours of Sebring in 1969. Ferrari (short on money) started only one 312 P (chassis no. 0868).Mario Andretti got pole position, and withChris Amon, he managed to finish second. This raised hopes for a prospective Ferrari victory.[1] At the ensuing test weekend at Le Mans, a different car, chassis no. 0870, disappointed, and it was clear that better aerodynamics (with a closed coupe) were necessary. The 0870 also raced at theBOAC 500 inBrands Hatch, where Amon andPedro Rodríguez finished fourth (behind threePorsche 908-01).[2] At1000km Monza,Chris Amon took the pole with the 312 P spider, ahead ofJo Siffert's 908-01, but had to retire. The 312 P was not entered in the second Italian race, theTarga Florio, and had to retire in the German1000 km Nürburgring. At the1000 km Spa race, the 312 P of Rodriguez andDavid Piper was second behind the Siffert/Redman 908-01LH.[3] Two 312 Ps were entered in the1969 24 Hours of Le Mans, now as low-drag Berlinettas. They were fifth and sixth on the grid, but didn't finish.
During the 1969 season, the appearance of thePorsche 917 had made clear that only a similar new prototype-like 5-litre "sports car" would be able to challenge it until the loop hole expires after 1971. Since mid-1969, Ferrari spent some of the millions earned in theFiat deal for the construction of the required series of 25 new 5-litre V12Group 5 sports cars which accordingly was called 512S.
At the end of the 1969 season the two remaining 312 Ps were sold toLuigi Chinetti'sNorth American Racing Team, since the European branch of Ferrari racing would rely on theFerrari 512S in 1970 - and only in 1970, abandoning it to focus on the 1971Ferrari 312 PB that would be raced for three seasons. The 312 Ps returned to Europe for the1970 24 Hours of Le Mans, where one of them was raced (as opposed to eleven 512s). The car was among the 16 cars still running at the end.
