STORY OF THE DAY: A Private GTO Completes the Long Le Mans Test

Fernand Tavano and Bob Grossman finished ninth overall in Ferrari 250 GTO number 27 at the 1964 24 Hours of Le Mans. The private entry survived a race dominated by Ferrari prototypes and placed among the leading grand-touring finishers after a full day on the Circuit de la Sarthe.

The defining achievement was durability. Against more powerful prototypes and newer GT opposition, Tavano and Grossman maintained a pace the mature GTO could sustain, avoiding the failures that eliminated many faster cars and securing another substantial endurance finish for Ferrari’s celebrated berlinetta.

The 250 GTO’s three-litre Colombo V12 sat in a reinforced tubular chassis derived from the 250 GT SWB. Its aerodynamic closed body, dry-sump lubrication, five-speed gearbox and well-developed suspension created a rare mixture of straight-line efficiency, braking stability and mechanical reliability.

Tavano was a French driver and experienced Ferrari privateer who made numerous Le Mans starts. Grossman, an American racer and Ferrari dealer, competed successfully in major international GT events. Their partnership represented the knowledgeable private entrants who carried Ferrari machinery beyond the factory team.