The Greatest Comeback
Cars
The Greatest Comeback
Fifty years ago Niki Lauda drove the 312 T to Ferrari’s first Formula 1 title in 11 years – and kickstarted one of its most successful eras of all
Words: Ben Barry
The return to form began in 1974, with Enzo Ferrari back in control after a period of ill health. He named 26-year-old law graduate Luca di Montezemolo as Sporting Director and contracted 25-year-old Niki Lauda to drive alongside the more experienced Regazzoni – the latter returning to Ferrari following a season at BRM partnering Lauda.
Crucially, Mauro Forghieri reprised his previous role leading the technical department, having been seconded to FIAT special projects during Enzo’s illness.
Clay Regazzoni, Niki Lauda, Enzo Ferrari at Fiorano track
Forghieri’s heavily revised 312 B3-74 made a strong start, with Regazzoni second in 1974 and Ferrari securing the same position in the Constructors’ Championship. But it was the almost all-new 312 T that truly delivered for 1975.
With its new semi-monocoque featuring a tubular spaceframe, structural aluminium panels and lightweight GRP bodywork, the 312 T was a beautifully compact design that kept weight low and centred between the axles.
Forghieri’s 3.0-litre flat-12 – hence 312 – also helped place weight far lower in the chassis than a traditional vee, and its 495 cv performance provided an edge over the ubiquitous Cosworth DFV engine.
While the flat-12 was shared with the 312 T’s immediate predecessors, a new transverse gearbox compounded the benefits of its low centre of gravity. Rather than attaching lengthways to the back of the engine, Forghieri turned it through 90 degrees, reducing how much mass hung beyond the rear axle. So crucial was the new transmission to the 312 design that a ‘T’ – for 'trasversale' – was appended to its name.
Driving the Mauro Forghieri-designed 312 T, Lauda and Regazzoni won the 1975 Drivers’ and Constructors’ Championships
While today’s Formula 1 cars typically debut in February ahead of the upcoming season, the 312 T was presented in late September 1974 – months before the 1975 curtain-raiser in Argentina the following January, and directly between the Canadian and US GPs, with Ferrari still fighting for both titles.
Things progressed rapidly, and no sooner had the Scuderia returned from America than testing began at Fiorano, Lauda first behind the wheel.
Yet despite the early preparations, the 312 T wasn’t ready until the third race of the 1975 season at Kyalami in March, only for Lauda to crash in practice and finish the race fifth. Regazzoni trailed a distant 16th.
Lauda finally took the 312 T’s first victory in Monaco, and with three more wins from the next four races at Spa, Anderstorp and Zandvoort, he established a commanding championship lead. Third position at penultimate round Monza was enough to take the title in front of cheering Italian crowds – and on a day Regazzoni stood on the top step of the podium no less.
Regazzoni helped Ferrari clinch the 1975 Constructors’ Championship
The Austrian world champion signed off the season with a win from pole at Watkins Glen, sealing the Constructors’ crown. After an 11-year drought, Ferrari was decisively back at the top.
Evolutions of the 312 T went on to define Ferrari’s Formula 1 fortunes for years to come. It was in the 312 T2 that Lauda suffered his near fatal accident at the Nürburgring in 1976, and the 312 T3 that took him to a remarkable comeback title the following year. Jody Scheckter won his first title in 1979, initially driving a 312 T3, swapping into the ground-effect 312 T4 as the season progressed.
In all, the 312 T and its derivatives racked up 27 wins over the years, propelling Ferrari to four Constructors’ and three Drivers’ titles.
It made way for a new turbocharged era following the 1980 season, but the 312 T series’ longevity and competitiveness means it remains the most successful Ferrari Formula 1 car in history.