STORY OF THE DAY: Mairesse Leads Ferrari’s Home Resistance

Willy Mairesse finished fourth in the 1962 Italian Grand Prix at Monza with the number 8 Ferrari 156 F1. Graham Hill won for BRM ahead of Richie Ginther and Bruce McLaren, while Mairesse secured Ferrari’s best result in a World Championship race dominated by the increasingly competitive British teams.

After the early retirement of pole-sitter Jim Clark, the BRMs controlled the front. Mairesse joined the contest for third and remained in contention as several rivals succumbed to mechanical trouble, ultimately bringing the Ferrari home just outside the podium before an expectant Italian crowd.

Ferrari’s 1962 version of the 156 abandoned the celebrated twin-nostril nose of the previous season for revised bodywork. It retained a rear-mounted 1.5-litre Dino V6 and tubular chassis, but insufficient development left it at a disadvantage against lighter and more advanced rivals.

Belgian Willy Mairesse was a forceful, versatile competitor who raced both Grand Prix and sports cars for Ferrari. Known for considerable speed and an uncompromising style, he was particularly effective in demanding road events; fourth at Monza was his strongest World Championship finish for the Scuderia.