Ferrari's only double Le Mans winner
One of just four Scuderia Ferrari cars built to contest the World Sports Car Championship in 1963, this 275 P, saw incredible success for the factory team in period. What makes this Ferrari all the more special is the recently revealed fact that its first official outing as a Scuderia Ferrari entry took place at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1963. It went on to be the overall winner of Le Mans that year, where it was driven by Lodovico Scarfiotti and Lorenzo Bandini.
Having not been originally scheduled to compete at Le Mans in 1963, the Ferrari Classiche department’s detailed documentation on the Works cars has confirmed that the original entrant was severely damaged in a practice accident at the Nürburgring one month prior to Le Mans. Factory documents confirm that car was still being repaired during Le Mans, and rather than submitting new paperwork for a replacement entry, Scuderia Ferrari simply sent this example to Le Mans under the damaged car’s identity. This recently discovered information makes this 275 P the one and only Ferrari to have won the legendary 24 Hours of Le Mans twice, placing it amongst a mere handful of race cars to have done the same.
The car was entered in just two Works outings for 1964, taking overall victory at the 12 Hours of Sebring, driven by Michael Parkes and Umberto Maglioli, and again at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, driven by Jean Guichet and Nino Vaccarella. As Scuderia Ferrari’s only double Le Mans winner, it is without equal and certainly the most significant sports racing Ferrari in existence.
This very special 1963 Ferrari 275 P is available through RM Sotheby's Private Sales. For more information on this and other cars available, click on the link below. Photos: Remi Dargegen ©2017 Courtesy of RM Sotheby's and the Klemantaski Collection.