Races
WHY DOMINANT FERRARI SKIPPED LE MANS ’72
Some stories build legends, while others still possess the power to surprise, even decades later. From this perspective, the Ferrari archive is a remarkable treasure trove: a place where the Maranello legend continues to grow, enriched by fascinating fragments of the past brought back into the light. Occasionally, for instance, you might stumble upon a grey folder labelled by hand in red pen with the words “1972 Press Releases”. Inside, you find dozens of pages and documents, some penned by Enzo Ferrari himself in his trademark purple ink, now gently fading on time-worn, yellowed paper.
1972 was a landmark year for Ferrari in the World Sportscar Championship, with the 312 P winning all ten races. Every outing concluded with two Ferraris on the podium: in eight of them, they finished first and second, while at Monza, the team secured first and third. The highlight came at Zeltweg, where all four Ferraris claimed the top four positions. Andretti and Ickx were the pair with the most wins, at four. However, the Belgian driver triumphed twice more alongside Regazzoni and Redman. Redman won twice, the second time with Merzario, who also celebrated a victory with Munari in the Targa Florio. Yet, in that unforgettable year, there was one conspicuous absence from the calendar: the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Official documents announce Ferrari’s withdrawal from Le Mans, clarify 312 P naming
To understand why, we need to step back. In 1972, the rules of the Sportscar Championship changed, ending the 5.0-litre era, in which the 512 had competed, and ushering in new 3.0-litre Group 6 regulations. Ferrari entered the 312 P, which it had begun work on in 1970, and which shared only a distant lineage with the 1969 312 P. The new model had been extensively re-engineered by Mauro Forghieri’s team, including a 3,000 cc 460 hp flat-12 engine, which was derived from Formula 1 and replaced the V12 of its predecessor.
This technical evolution led to some confusion in the press, which began referring to the car as the “312 PB” to distinguish it from the earlier model – the “B” being a reference to the flat-12 “boxer” layout. The issue became widely known enough that Franco Gozzi, then Ferrari’s Head of Public Relations, issued a formal note to the Italian press – dated 25 January 1972 and preserved in the archive. In it, he clarified that the prototype’s name was 312/P, not 312/PB, “since the letter B is used to designate Ferrari 312 Formula 1 cars, of which the B1, B2 and current B2/72 have been built, and which we expect to be followed by the B3.”
Mario Andretti (left) and Jacky Ickx scored most wins together in the 312 P during a dominant 1972
The flat-12 engine, derived from Ferrari’s Formula 1 unit, was ideally suited to high-performance outings over shorter distances. However, it had never completed a 24-hour simulation, leaving Ferrari’s engineers uneasy at the prospect of Le Mans. Hence the decision to withdraw from the legendary French race. “Ferrari will not take part in the upcoming 24 Hours of Le Mans,” announced the press release, still preserved in the archives. “This decision is based solely on the fact that the French race cannot be integrated into the Ferrari 312 P’s technical and sporting programme, which is focused on a World Sportscar Championship consisting of 1000 km or six-hour races. Ferrari expresses its regret to motorsport fans and the organisers of Le Mans for this unavoidable withdrawal.”
This piece of news, unsurprisingly, caused a stir and gave rise to much speculation – including rumours that the factory-supported North American Racing Team (NART) might field a 312 P. Once again, it fell to Franco Gozzi to issue a clarification. Preserved in the archive and dated 5 June 1972, it reads: “Concerning reports of the entry of a Ferrari 312 P for the 24 Hours of Le Mans under the N.A.R.T. banner, Ferrari, confirming the press release issued on 31 May, clarifies that none of the seven 312 P Boxer units built has been sold or loaned.” Despite its absence from Le Mans, the 312 P’s 1972 season remains one of the most dominant in motorsport history – and the documents relating to it, preserved in the Ferrari archive, are among the most intriguing and fascinating of all.