Ferrari 333 SP

Lore & Background

The 333 SP was developed with assistance from Dallara, which provided the transmission, suspension, aerodynamic development, and bodywork construction. The gearbox used Hewland mechanical parts housed within a custom Dallara casing, while Ferrari developed the chassis tub and engine in-house. British race car engineering consultant Tony Southgate joined the project in early 1994 and helped design and run the cars until the end of 1995. The Tipo F130E engine was a modified version of the 65-degree V12 from the 1990 Ferrari 641 Formula One car, enlarged from 3.5 L to 4.0 L and producing 641 hp at 11,000 rpm, though still down on power from the original engine by about 40-70 hp. Southgate later described it as 'one of the most reliable race engines I have ever worked with.'

A total of 40 chassis were built: the first 4 by Ferrari, then 11 by Dallara, and the remaining 26 by Michelotto. It is believed that 27 chassis were raced between 1994 and 2003. The car debuted in the third round of the 1994 IMSA GT Championship at Road Atlanta on 17th April, securing the first two places. Four cars were allocated to three teams: Euromotorsport, Momo Corse, and Team Scandia. In 1995, the 333 SP took top honors at the 12 Hours of Sebring and secured four wins, winning the makes championship and the drivers title for Fermín Velez. The car made its debut at the 24 Hours of Le Mans that year, with its best result being 6th place; however, the following year the red #12 of Risi Competizione won the LMP1 class at their first Le Mans race. In 1997, the Ferrari won again at Sebring and took another four wins, but was losing competitiveness against more modern Riley & Scott designs. In 1998, the car was slightly updated and found new life in the International Sports Racing Series, winning every race and scoring the championship's top two spots. Starting from 1999, the car found its niche in European races, as the newly introduced American Le Mans Series saw factory-backed Audi and BMW entries dominating against privateer Ferraris. The 333 SP gradually disappeared from international sports car racing as it became outdated in chassis, engine, and aerodynamics, with its final appearance at the 2003 500km of Monza.

Reader's Guide

The Ferrari 333 SP holds significance as the car that marked Ferrari's official return to sports car racing after a 20-year absence, a return initiated by amateur racer Giampiero Moretti. Its development involved a collaboration between Ferrari, Dallara, and later Michelotto, producing a total of 40 chassis over its production run. The car's Tipo F130E engine, derived from a Formula One V12, was noted for its reliability despite being down on power compared to its F1 predecessor. The 333 SP achieved notable success in the IMSA GT Championship, winning the makes championship in 1995 and 1998, and taking the drivers title in 1995. It also won the LMP1 class at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1996 with Risi Competizione. In the International Sports Racing Series (later FIA Sportscar Championship), the car dominated by winning every race in 1998 and securing three consecutive championships from 1998 to 2000. However, its competitiveness waned against newer designs, particularly in the American Le Mans Series where factory-backed entries from Audi and BMW outclassed privateer Ferraris. The car's legacy includes its adaptability, with some chassis later fitted with Judd engines in an attempt to stay competitive, and its final appearance at the 2003 500km of Monza.

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