STORY OF THE DAY: A Competition GTB’s Le Mans Bid Ends Early

Gianpiero Biscaldi and Michel de Bourbon-Parme retired Ferrari 275 GTB Competizione number 26 from the 1966 24 Hours of Le Mans. The private grand-touring entry could not complete the race, adding another Ferrari to the unusually long list of withdrawals during Ford’s dominant weekend.

Unlike the factory P3s, number 26 pursued a class result through production-based durability. Le Mans nevertheless exposed every weakness through prolonged high speed, heavy braking and night running. The car’s retirement denied the 275 GTB/C an opportunity to demonstrate its intended endurance strength.

The competition 275 GTB used a front-mounted 3.3-litre Colombo V12, rear transaxle and independent rear suspension in a lightened tubular chassis. Thin-gauge alloy bodywork reduced weight, while the long-nosed shape improved stability and aerodynamic performance on fast circuits such as Le Mans.

Biscaldi was an Italian sports-car driver with Ferrari prototype and GT experience. Prince Michel de Bourbon-Parme, French-born and of the Bourbon-Parma family, competed as a gentleman driver in major endurance races. Their pairing typified the mixture of professional expertise and private patronage sustaining GT racing.