STORY OF THE DAY: Ferrari’s Mid-Engined Future Wins Le Mans

Ludovico Scarfiotti and Lorenzo Bandini won the 1963 24 Hours of Le Mans in works Ferrari 250 P number 21. They completed 339 laps and headed a Ferrari sweep of the first six positions, securing maximum impact in a World Sportscar Championship round.

The victory confirmed Ferrari’s transition from front-engined endurance cars to mid-engined prototypes. Bandini and Scarfiotti kept the new machine at the front while attrition reshaped the field, finishing sixteen laps ahead of a privately entered 250 GTO in second place.

The 250 P placed its three-litre Colombo V12 behind the cockpit in a tubular prototype chassis. Fantuzzi’s open body minimized frontal area, while the central engine location improved weight distribution and agility. The combination brought proven Ferrari V12 power into a configuration better suited to modern prototype racing.

Scarfiotti and Bandini were Italians rising rapidly within Ferrari. Scarfiotti combined circuit racing with exceptional hill-climb ability; Bandini competed for the factory in both Formula One and sports cars. Their success made them the first all-Italian crew to win Le Mans for an Italian manufacturer.