STORY OF THE DAY: Von Trips Takes the Championship Lead

Wolfgang Von Trips finished second in the 1961 German Grand Prix at the Nürburgring with the number 3 Ferrari 156 F1/120. Stirling Moss won after a masterful drive in changing conditions, but Von Trips passed Ferrari teammate Phil Hill late in the race and left Germany leading the World Drivers’ Championship.

Moss used wet-weather tyres and tactical judgment to resist the faster Ferraris as rain affected parts of the vast Nordschleife. Von Trips maintained his pursuit through the difficult conditions, then overcame Hill on the final lap to gain the extra championship point that separated the teammates after the race.

This version of the Ferrari 156 used a 120-degree 1.5-litre V6 mounted behind the driver. The wide-angle engine lowered the car’s centre of gravity, while the compact rear-engined chassis and distinctive “sharknose” body gave Ferrari a powerful and well-balanced package for the 1961 regulations.

Wolfgang Von Trips was born in Cologne and progressed from German sports-car competition to become a central Ferrari works driver. His Nürburgring performance placed him at the summit of Formula One, making the result especially poignant: he lost his life at Monza during the next championship round.