In 1963, Ferrari introduced its first car with a mid-rear V12 engine, the 250 P sports racing car. Four examples of the 250 P were built for the 1963 season, including the car discussed in this book, chassis 0816.
It turned out to be a good move by Ferrari, as the 250 P proved to be a formidable opponent in the races in which they competed.
Together with the 275 P and 330 P, these cars were built to compete in the prototype category (initially called “experimental”) of the FIA World Championship for Constructors. In the two years they were used by Ferrari, they competed in a total of seven races in the Challenge Mondiale/Prototypes Trophy divisions. They achieved six victories, three of which were with chassis 0816 – the only races in which the car competed. Of these three victories, two were at Le Mans, making this the only Ferrari to have won Le Mans twice!
This unique, artistic book offers a comprehensive history of this iconic and historic Ferrari. From its three victories as a factory car to the races in America in the mid- and late 1960s.
The nearly five decades that the car was owned by the renowned Ferrari collector Pierre Bardinon are also discussed. This brings us to the current owner, with whom the car has embarked on a renaissance tour of Europe, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
Why should you buy this book?
The book covers the extensive history of the only Ferrari to have won Le Mans twice. For us at Wheels-and-Things, it is one of the most beautiful books about a specific Ferrari model.
The car raced on three major circuits: Sebring, Le Mans and Road America. Detailed circuit maps and reports of all three circuits are included in the book.
The car’s drivers are also discussed at length: Ludovico Scarfiotti, Lorenzo Bandini, Mike Parkes, Umberto Maglioli, Jean Guichet, Nino Vaccarella, Willy Mairesse, Mauro Bianchi, Major William “Bill” Cooper, Charlie Kolb, Dick Drexler, Pedro Rodríguez, Charles “Chuck” Parsons
The book is quite unique. The photography is exceptionally beautiful, with many photos from the period when the car was enjoying its successes. It is supplemented with a few contemporary photo shoots. No detail is left unexplored. This makes the book invaluable for every Ferrari enthusiast.
The book is written by Keith Bluemel, who is recognised and known worldwide as a leading Ferrari historian.
It is an impressively large format book measuring 295 x 400 mm landscape. This makes it a perfect coffee table book. The book has 240 pages and contains more than 260 photographs.
The book costs £125 and is available via the Porterpress website or from better bookshops with ISBN 978-1-913089-67-2.