Everyone seems to have that certain somebody that’s nigh-on impossible to buy for at Christmas. Well, we may have the perfect gift idea, especially if they are a fan of motor racing.
The sixties were the most successful years in Ferrari’s racing history and world renowned author, William Huon has just launched a magnificent hardback book that covers those spectacular bygone days.
With 368 pages packed with interesting facts about the cars, drivers and engineering, along with 390 photos, many in colour, FERRARI 1960-1965 The hallowed years would take pride of place on any high-end coffee table.
William Huon has published two previous books on Ferrari, one was a biography of the great man himself – Enzo Ferrari which was only printed in French. The other is a history of the Ferrari 250 GTO which is still available in both French and English.
The author met most of the drivers of the day as a young enthusiast at Reims, Albi and Pau, and his passion for motorsport history and all things Ferrari have remained undiminished ever since. He lives near Orléans, France.
The years that spanned 1960 to 1965 were some of the most successful in Ferrari’s history so far. In this era, which began with completion of the transition from front-engined to rear-engined configuration, Scuderia Ferrari won just about everything with a variety of iconic machinery that included the ‘shark-nose’ 156 and the fabled 250 GTO.
Driving Formula 1 Ferraris, Phil Hill and John Surtees delivered two World Championship titles in the space of just four years. And, in addition, Ferrari sports cars racked up a string of six consecutive victories in the gruelling Le Mans 24 Hours, a feat subsequently surpassed only by Porsche.
This book covers this period in detail for the first time and exclusively features the work of one of the greatest racing photographers ever. Bernard Cahier, a photo-journalist, has an enviable reputation for his ability to capture key moments.
There are incredible close-up action shots, plenty of behind-the-scene images and a wealth of photographs where drivers and their teams look so at ease almost unaware the lens is on them. That’s a great achievement by any world class photographer.
The content and detail within this book will be a dream come true for any follower of the Italian racing team. For example:
• 1960 saw the transition in F1, struggling with the powerful front-engined Dinos while rear-engined Cooper blew away its rivals. Le Mans yielded five of the top six places with Testa Rossas placed one-two.
• In 1961 the team experienced F1 supremacy with the all-conquering ‘shark-nose’ 156 - Ferrari’s design for the new 1½-litre formula - saw Phil Hill emerge as World Champion after Wolfgang von Trips’s death at Monza, and brought Ferrari’s first constructors’ title. There was another Testa Rossa sweep at Le Mans that gave Olivier Gendebien his third Ferrari victory in this classic race and Phil Hill his second.
• In 1962, after the departure of key engineering brains, F1 fortunes plummeted, with no victories all year. But Ferrari’s onward march in sports car and GT racing continued, enhanced by the arrival of the 250 GTO. Meanwhile, Gendebien and Hill won Le Mans yet again.
• Then in 1963, former motorcycle champion John Surtees began the effort to restore F1 success against Lotus pre-eminence. Ferrari’s rear-engined sports cars finally bore fruit as Lorenzo Bandini and Ludovico Scarfiotti in a 250 P won Le Mans, where Ferraris now took the top six places.
• In 1964 the F1 title chase went down to the wire with John Surtees delivering another pair of drivers’ and constructors’ crowns driving the new V8-powered 158. Nino Vaccarella and Jean Guichet in their 275 P headed yet more Ferrari steamrolling success at Le Mans.
• 1965 was the last year of the 1½-litre F1 and resulted in a lean Ferrari season while Lotus again dominated. But sports car success continued, topped by an unexpected sixth consecutive Le Mans victory, achieved by Jochen Rindt and Masten Gregory in a 250 LM.
FERRARI 1960-1965 The hallowed years has been translated into English by David Waldron, a long-time English commentator at the Le Mans 24 Hours. The fact-packed book really is a masterpiece and a must-read for any racing enthusiast , especially those that have a particular interest in the Ferrari golden years.
FERRARI 1960–1965 The hallowed years measures 290mm by 240mm and is priced at £75. It is available from all good bookshops, via Amazon or directly from the publisher www.evropublishing.com
