Ferrari 512M – Revolutionary – Video

The Ferrari 512M was a car which changed the racing world forever, despite this one never actually winning a race. This is its story.

The Sunoco Ferrari 512M was a revolution when it rolled onto the grid at Daytona in 1971. It had an all-star cast behind it with owner Roger Penske, drivers Mark Donohue and David Hobbs, and head mechanic John Woodward.

It was beautifully presented and the betting man’s favorite to win every race it started. It even won pole position that day at the 24 Hours of Daytona. However with an incredible run of bad luck to follow, it never actually won a race.

Victory looked likely for Penske in the race, until Vic Elford’s Porsche 917 had a tyre failure, which caused a traffic bunch up and an accident which would see Charles Perry slam his 911s into Donohue and the Ferrari 512M.

The next race for the 512M was the 12 Hours of Sebring, which was robbed from Donohue by a Porsche 917 again when driver Pedro Rodriguez rammed into the Ferrari enough times that it needed to pit for repairs.

Then came an engine failure in France, and a broken steering knuckle at Watkins Glen. It seems nothing ever quite went right for this Ferrari 512M.

MORE: Close, but no cigar – The Ferrari 512s at Daytona 1971 (video)

Still, it was a beautiful car, and the car from one of the first teams to ever operate in an entirely professional and clean-cut manner. Soon, all other teams would follow Penske’s lead.

Enjoy this video from Petrolicious:

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