STORY OF THE DAY: Ferrari’s Comprex Car Qualifies Fifth

On 14 March 1981, Gilles Villeneuve qualified fifth for the United States Grand Prix West at Long Beach in Ferrari 126 CX number 27. The session marked an official World Championship appearance for Ferrari’s experimental pressure-wave-supercharged car, although the CX was not used by Villeneuve in the race.

The narrow street circuit exposed the importance of throttle response as well as outright power. Ferrari had investigated the Comprex system partly because it delivered power more progressively than a conventional turbocharger, but packaging and development concerns persuaded the team to concentrate on the turbocharged 126 CK.

The 126 CX used Ferrari’s 1.5-litre V6 with a Brown Boveri pressure-wave supercharger, which transferred energy from exhaust pulses to the intake charge. The installation offered reduced lag but was bulky and complex. Its brief competitive appearance made it one of Ferrari’s most distinctive Formula One experiments.

Villeneuve, a Canadian who had become Ferrari’s leading driver after joining the team in 1977, was exceptionally adept at managing difficult machinery. His fifth-place qualifying performance demonstrated the prototype’s speed despite its incomplete development. The session occupies a small but significant place in Ferrari’s transition from naturally aspirated flat-12s to forced induction.