Getting back to the front by going back from the front

Ever since its inception in 1950, the Formula One World Championship had always been about one key thing: making sure your car is the fastest. Even though the sport had a bit of a rocky start, and had to downsize to Formula Two regulations for two years starting in 1952, the mantra stayed the same.

This meant constant innovation was the name of the game, but the basic format of a powerful engine in the front, and drive to the rear wasn't experimented with much at all. Despite plenty of examples, like the Auto Union racers of the 1930s and various chassis from lower formulas, the mid-engine concept wasn't seen as a viable option for a competitive Grand Prix racer for many years.

After an ailing Bugatti tried transverse mid-engine racer, which turned out to be slow and dangerously unstable, these suspicions were evidently confirmed. However, a little factory from Britain would soon turn the status quo on its head.

With the svelte T43, Cooper Cars showed the establishment the way forward in F1. Overcoming a lack of power from its smaller 2.0L Coventry Climax FPF four cylinder with superior balance, handling and traction, the car went on to impress during 1957.

Stirling Moss shortly after winning in Argentina, 1958. Stirling Moss shortly after winning in Argentina, 1958.

At the start of the following season, Stirling Moss drove the point home by winning the 1958 Argentine Grand Prix. In the process, the Cooper T43 became the first mid-engine car to win a World Championship race.

The single win was followed by an all-out assault in 1959, as Bruce McLaren, Stirling Moss, Maurice Trintignant and Jack Brabham sent the 2.5L T51 to the front of the field. With three wins and eight podiums during the nine-round season, Cooper easily took home the constructor's crown, and Jack Brabham became World Champion.

The 246 F1 was a great design, but it was to be one of the last of its breed. The 246 F1 was a great design, but it was to be one of the last of its breed.

Meanwhile, the rest of the grid was scrambling to keep up. Aside from Cooper and the tiny JBW team, none of the big players had a mid-engine design ready. Chief among which was the famous Scuderia Ferrari.

Having won four of the pas ten championships with front-engined designs, the illustrious Enzo Ferrari initially even refused to believe the merits of moving the engine behind the driver. Naturally, this sentiment was reflected in one of his renowned controversial quotes:

"The horses pull the cart, they don't push it". Enzo Ferrari

The 246 V6 was the first engine of its type in F1. The 246 V6 was the first engine of its type in F1.

Ferrari made this statement some time in 1959, but in truth he was already preparing for the switch behind the scenes, in complete secrecy. Even though the traditionally front-engined 246 F1 was still winning races during 1959, Enzo knew he had to evolve along with the British "garagistes" to stay competitive.

One of the Scuderia's leading designers, Carlo Chiti, had spent a lot of time proving the necessity of a mid-engined car to to Il Commendatore, as he was well aware the Italian team was falling behind. Ferrari finally agreed to try the idea, and gave Chiti permission to explore his concepts in a prototype racer.

With the 246 F1's V6 engine being a proven, reliable and powerful package, Chiti's team was instructed to use it as a starting point for the prototype. Chiti drew up a tubular steel chassis around it, incorporating double wishbone suspension with coil springs at the front, and a De Dion axle with twin radius arms and co-axial springs at the rear.

A five-speed Tipo 543 transmission was bolted to the back of the V6. Interestingly, the gearbox's clutch was mounted at the very back of it. Rack and pinion steering, inboard disc brakes and 16 inch Borrani wire wheels completed the package.

Since the engine was now behind the driver, Carlo Chiti had to find a way to get fresh air into the intake. Ferrari had only recently started fitting scoops over the intake in its front-engined cars, but the mid-engine concept didn't lend itself very well to this treatment.

Instead, the engine received an early form of the airbox, though it wasn't raised above the driver's head. A hole was cut in the engine cover, feeding air into three Weber 42 DCN carburetors from the left side only. The re-named Tipo 171 V6 was slightly reduced to 2417cc, giving 263 horsepower at 8300 rpm.

Martino Severi testing the 246P with Carlo Chiti and Enzo Ferrari looking on, Modena, 1960. Martino Severi testing the 246P with Carlo Chiti and Enzo Ferrari looking on, Modena, 1960.

The car was named 246P for "Prototipo", and quickly put into testing service around Ferrari's Modena factory. Driven by Martino Severi and Phil Hill, the car impressed enough to be considered for competition development. Enzo Ferrari personally attended the tests, and gave his blessing for the car to be used at the second round of the 1960 season, the legendary Monaco Grand Prix.

Though the old man had tentatively approved of the car, it would still have to prove its worth in actual competition. Ferrari was notoriously fickle, and could still cancel the 246P project at a moment's notice.

Carlo Chiti and Enzo Ferrari inspecting the 246P. Carlo Chiti and Enzo Ferrari inspecting the 246P.

With this in mind, the P was entered alongside regular 246s. The front-engined cars would be driven by Phil Hill, Wolfgang Graf Berghe "Taffy" von Trips and Cliff Allison, while the still experimental 246P was given to rookie Richie Ginther. Ginther was a friend and colleague of Phil Hill, having earned their stripes together in sportscar racing.

Phil Hill helped bring Richie Ginther into the Scuderia. Phil Hill helped bring Richie Ginther into the Scuderia.

As Enzo Ferrari liked to rotate his driver pool to prove it was his cars, and not his drivers that were superior, the American got his big break. Though Richie was undoubtedly talented, his assignment to the 246P suggested Enzo Ferrari wasn't too confident it would succeed.

Richie Ginther getting ready, Monaco 1960. Richie Ginther getting ready, Monaco 1960.

Nevertheless, Richie took to the streets of Monaco for his first qualifying session, and gave it all. And the end result spoke volumes. Despite his inexperience as a Grand Prix driver, and the developmental nature of the car, Ginther had split the 246 F1s of Wolfgang Von Trips and Phil Hill by qualifying a strong 9th. Cliff Allison even failed to qualify in the third car. In the process, he had out-qualified his old friend on his first outing.

During the race, Ginther kept his head and steadily climbed up the order. Though he had to concede to Hill, he was able to finish ahead of Von Trips. The 246P crossed the line in 6th place, although it was a massive 30 laps behind the winning Lotus 18 driven by Stirling Moss. Phil Hill finished 3rd, while Wolfgang von Trips was classed 8th despite a late clutch failure.

The 246P had proven its worth, and became part of the Ferrari caravan headed for the dunes of Holland. Richie Ginther was again slated to drive it for the Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort, but practice put paid to those plans.

The old V6-engine used to create the car hadn't seen a rebuild in a while, and subsequently started painting the track with its own oil. As a result it was left in the paddock, and Ginther was given a regular 246.

The 246P drawing a crowd at Zandvoort, 1960. The 246P drawing a crowd at Zandvoort, 1960.

After this, Ferrari decided to abandon the 246P as a racing testbed for Formula One. But it wasn't quite done racing yet. The FIA had announced a highly controversial new engine formula for 1961, evoking memories of 1952/1953 by limiting the cars to 1.5L of displacement, the same used in Formula Two for 1960.

The 156P as a Formula Two car. The 156P as a Formula Two car.

Seeing the clear opportunity, Ferrari had Carlo Chiti modify the 246P to conform to F2 regulations so it could fulfill a further developmental role for the 1961 1.5L F1 program. The Type 171 V6 was duly brought down to the correct displacement, reducing power to around 180 horsepower. To make up for the loss of grunt, the chassis was refined to make the car much lighter. New bodywork was also fitted, ridding the car of its bulky physique.

Von Trips three-wheeling the 156P at Solitude. Von Trips three-wheeling the 156P at Solitude.

In this guise, the car was known as the 156P. After a brief test at Modena, the 156P was entered into the F2 Grand Prix at the German Solitudering near Stuttgart. Driven by Taffy von Trips, it utterly dominated the event, beating out the factory Porsche 718/2s of Hans Hermann, Jo Bonnier, Graham Hill and Dan Gurney for the win.

The slender rear bodywork was a great improvement. The slender rear bodywork was a great improvement.

For once, Ferrari was being proactive with its development, as the lessons learned from the F2 races were swiftly implemented to make the 156P even more competent. Further testing brought more refinements, and the car was judged ready for its Grand Prix debut. The venue would be Monza, for the penultimate round of the 1960 championship, the Italian Grand Prix.

Von Trips beside the 156P, Monza 1960. Von Trips beside the 156P, Monza 1960.

The race was a controversial one, as Ferrari had seemingly used their influence to move the organizers to use the full Monza circuit. With both the road course and the big oval track being included, the track played to Ferrari's one and only strength: straight line speed.

Angry about the change and unsure of the durability of their cars on the bumpy surface of the oval, Lotus, BRM and Cooper all boycotted the Grand Prix. Coincidentally, these were the teams using superior mid-engined cars. As a result, Ferrari had gotten rid of all its competition. All that remained were a rag-tag bunch of privateers and F2 cars.

Among the F2 runners was Wolfgang von Trips in his 156P, which had been fitted with an auxiliary fuel tank to enable it to complete the full Grand Prix distance. Being a liter short in displacement, Taffy wasn't able to go beyond 6th place in qualifying. As expected, the 246 F1 locked out the top three with Phil Hill, Richie Ginther and Willy Mairesse.

Von Trips hanging in the slipstream of Willy Mairesse on Monza's oval, 1960. Von Trips hanging in the slipstream of Willy Mairesse on Monza's oval, 1960.

Without the British teams to pose a threat, Phil Hill comfortably won the race ahead of Ginther and Mairesse. It was the first win for an American in a World Championship event, and would prove to be the last for a front-engined Formula One car. Meanwhile, Taffy had brought the 156P home in 5th, two laps down, but a lap ahead of the next F2 car, the Porsche of Hans Hermann.

Bonnier, Ginther and Von Trips, Modena 1960. Bonnier, Ginther and Von Trips, Modena 1960.

The 156P made one final appearance at Ferrari's home race, the Modena Grand Prix held at the airfield track of Aeroautodromo di Modena. Wolfgang von Trips was joined by Richie Ginther for the event, who had the use of a front-engine 156 F2. Von Trips finished third in the event, behind the F2 and the Porsche 718/2 of Jo Bonnier.

Giancarlo Baghetti on the way to his third Grand Prix win, Reims 1961. Giancarlo Baghetti on the way to his third Grand Prix win, Reims 1961.

Chassis 008 escaped being scrapped or parted out after its 1960 campaign, instead evolving a second time to become the first of the 156 F1s, despite retaining its 65 degree V6. Young Italian star Giancarlo Baghetti took the car to start his Grand Prix career, and was immediately very successful.

Baghetti managed to win the non-championship Syracuse Grand Prix and Naples Grand Prix, before finally scoring a World Championship win at Reims, France, becoming the only man to win on his debut. Sadly, he spun out of a very wet British Grand Prix at Aintree the following week, damaging the car beyond repair.

After a year of development work in both F1 and F2, gathering a vital amount of data an experiences on mid-engine Grand Prix design, and scoring an F2 victory, a Grand Prix victory, two non-championship wins and an F2 podium, the 246P/156P/156 F1 # 008 finally met its end.

The chassis was scrapped, and any useful parts were stripped off and added to the spares package of its brethren. At the end of 1962, all 156 F1 chassis built in its image would follow, as Enzo ordered them all to be destroyed after an awful season. With this, Ferrari's original mid-engine generation was wiped out for good.