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Technology in race cars (37): Ferrari 312 T - Summa cum Lauda

Created on November 1, 2023

Text:

Gerhard Schütz

Photos:

Archiv: Gerhard Schütz

Archiv: Gerhard Schütz/G.Piola

Balz Schreier

Bruno von Rotz

Archiv: Gerhard Schütz

Archiv: Gerhard Schütz/G.Piola

Balz Schreier

Bruno von Rotz

Ferrari 312 T (1975) - RaceHistoryOnTrack demonstration runs at the Bosch Hockenheim Historic 2012

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Ferrari 312 T (1975) - brought Ferrari its first world championship title in eleven years with Lauda

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Ferrari 312 B3 (1972) - The "snowplow", the red rag of the Italian press

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Ferrari 312 B3 (1972) - Probably the only specific racing car ever to be honored with a caricature: "Excuse me, are you expecting snow?"

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Ferrari 312 B3 (1972) - Italian caricature with the text: "Beauty is what pleases... the designer."

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Ferrari 312 B3 (1972) - Paparazzo picture from the 1972 test drives. The press expected a debut in Monza

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Ferrari 312 PB (1971) - Its successor became world champion in 1972 with 10 victories in 10 races

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Ferrari 312 B3 (1972) - This design, reminiscent of a two-seater, disturbed the Italian public

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Ferrari 312 B3 (1972) - "Are they taking the mickey out of us journalists?"

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Ferrari 312 T (1975) - Spazzaneve test: driver in despair? And if so, can race director Peter Schetty on the side bench console him?

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Ferrari 312 T (1975) - At last: Ferrari's high-flyer

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Ferrari 312 T (1975) - The mysterious transverse gearbox (engine on the right)

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Ferrari 312 T (1975) - The gearbox hides well

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Ferrari 312 T (1975) - Gearbox from right rear

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Ferrari 312 T (1975) - Same wheelbase of 252 cm for 312 B3 1974 bottom, 312 T 1975 top: The engine-transmission unit moves to the front of the T, the fuel tank to the sides

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Ferrari 312 T (1975) - Fuel distribution: B3 on the left, T on the right. On the wider 312 T, full or almost empty tanks have less of an effect on handling as they are closer to the center of gravity

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Ferrari 312 T (1975) - Outlet of the water cooler in the impact protection paneling

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Ferrari 312 T (1975) - Unusual perspective: the flat twelve-cylinder from below

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Ferrari 312 T (1975) - Front axle with diagonal struts

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Ferrari 312 T (1975) - Rear: Clear conditions. Below the left oil cooler

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Ferrari 312 T (1975) - Flat engine for flat rear for better wing flow

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Ferrari 312 T (1975) - Successful team: thinker Mauro Forghieri and co-thinker and driver Niki Lauda

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Ferrari 312 T2 (1976) - Lauda continues to win. The NACA air intakes for the engine are clearly visible on the side of the cockpit

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Ferrari 312 T2 (1976) - Regazzoni on the T2

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Ferrari 312 T2 (1976) - The engine has been fully load-bearing since the 312T

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Ferrari 312 T2 (1976) - De Dion axle on T2 with truss cross connection instead of De Dion tube

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Ferrari 312 T2 (1976) - Dual wheel test: The trade press is hyperventilating all'italiana

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Ferrari 312 T2 (1976) - 2 front tires instead of 1 rear tire

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Ferrari 312 T3 (1978) - Gilles Villeneuve gives the T3 its spurs

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Ferrari 312 T3 (1978) - The T3 was no match for the Lotus 79 with its downforce-generating sidepods

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Ferrari 312 B3 (1973) "Spazzaneve" - top view

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Ferrari 312 T (1975) - The 180-degree V12 engine with the transverse gearbox

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Side view sketch of the Ferrari 312 T and T2

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Floor plan sketch of the Ferrari 312 T and T2

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Ferrari 312 T2 (1976) - Front - Sketch by G.Piola

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Ferrari 312 T (1975) - Front - Sketch by G.Piola

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Ferrari 312 T (1975) - at the 1975 Monaco Grand Prix with Niki Lauda at the wheel followed by Ronnie Peterson

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Ferrari 312 T4 (1979) - with Jody Scheckter at the wheel

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images seen in high resolution

Ferrari 312 T (1975) - Demonstrationsläufe RaceHistoryOnTrack am Bosch Hockenheim Historic 2012

Ferrari 312 T (1975) – brachte Ferrari mit Lauda die ersten Weltmeistertitel nach elf Jahren

Ferrari 312 B3 (1972) – Der "Schneepflug", das rote Tuch der italienischen Presse

Summary

After long and intensive development, Ferrari's high-flyer, the 312 T, brought the Scuderia back onto the ideal line in Formula 1. With Niki Lauda at the wheel and Mauro Forghieri at the drawing board, it managed to dominate the competition until the ground effect era. This article from the "Technology in racing cars" series traces the development of the Ferrari 312 T.

This article contains the following chapters

The B3 "Spazzaneve"
The 312 T
The 312 T2
The further evolution

Estimated reading time: 10min

Preview (beginning of the article)

The years 1958-1978 were the two most creative decades in the history of racing technology. This series portrays the most advanced, pioneering and exotic designs of Formula 1, Indy cars, sports cars and Can-Am, and at the same time traces the major lines of development that still have an impact today. This time, the focus is on the Formula 1 car with which Ferrari found its way back to success in the mid-seventies. "Summa cum Lauda" was the headline in an Italian trade journal at the end of 1975 on Lauda and Ferrari's World Championship victory, alluding to the highest university award "Summa cum laude". And that was really fitting.

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