Ferrari's failure at the 1970 24 Hours was an enormous blow to everyone at its headquarters in Maranello. As such, Ferrari anticipated the next modification to the regulations and a new contender for overall victory was already in the works as the 512 S was still competing. Fielding the 512 M was left to private teams while an official return was planned for later, and so Scuderia Ferrari skipped the 1971 running of the race.

Meanwhile, engineers were endeavouring to design a new weapon capable of rivaling Porsche. The state-of-the-art Ferrari 312 PB prototype (“3” for the 3.0-litre, “12” in reference to the V12 and “PB” for Prototipo Boxer) made its debut in 1971 with an engine was directly derived from the 12-cylinder flat used by the Ferrari 312 B in Formula 1. Though it had a rough start, the year 1972 brought major success in the FIA-sanctioned World Sportscar Championship. It was total domination: the 312 PB won every race it entered. Due to a lack of engine reliability, however, Ferrari decided not to field the car at Le Mans. 

Defeat but with panache

The Italian manufacturer set its sights on the 1973 24 Hours. The car's bodywork was modified with an extended bonnet to increase top speed in the Mulsanne Straight and two centrally housed headlights were added. The first half of the race went smoothly for Ferrari, but despite technical troubles the Matras simply would not give up. Two hours from the chequered flag, engine failure for the 312 PB driven by Jacky Ickx/Brian Redman definitively sealed its fate. The Matra of Pescarolo/Larrousse triumphed and Ferrari, second with another team, ended its endurance racing programme. The 312 PB remains the last official prototype entered by Ferrari at the 24 Hours, but that will change this year!

Since 26 November, the 24 Hours Museum has hosted a temporary exhibition called La Storia Di Le Mans that retraces the history of Ferrari prototypes at the race and boasts several iconic cars.

To learn more, go to the 24 Hours Museum website.