Video: The glorious V12 noise of the Ferrari 333 SP
Ferrari is not often remembered for spectacular efforts in modern top-level sportscar racing. To all appearances, the legacy of the incredible ‘60s 250s, P3/4s, 512s and of course the 312s of the early ‘70s has largely been left at just that, a legacy, by Maranello’s motorsporting powers that be, with headline machinery in Group C, GTP, FIA GT1 and LMP classes hailing mostly from Britain, Germany and Japan.
And to that, we say there is a fundamental issue with our collective memories as enthusiasts. For some reason, we never remember the sublime 333 SP. Though not a baby born behind the gates, the 333 not only sounded absolutely glorious, but landed its fair share of blows throughout its 7-year career. It was no great shakes at the more hardcore 24-hour enduros at Daytona and Le Mans, but monopolised in shorter runnings such as the 12 Hours of Sebring and IMSA GT Championship race at Road Atlanta. This was Ferrari’s genuinely competitive, and today largely forgotten, adopted son.
So this was a top-level Ferrari sportscar that came 20 years after the 312 etched its name into the history books, and deserves credit for shouldering that legacy. And for the love of god, would you just listen to it! The 4.0-litre 600bhp F1-derived V12 is what dreams are made of. We need some of that quintessential Ferrari internal combustion orchestra back at the enduros!
Ferrari
333 SP
