STORY OF THE DAY: Ferrari’s 275 P2 Challenge Ends Early

Lorenzo Bandini and Gianpiero Biscaldi retired works Ferrari 275 P2 number 22 from the 1965 24 Hours of Le Mans. The new prototype belonged to Ferrari’s principal challenge, but it failed to finish during a race ultimately won by the privately entered NART 250 LM.

The retirement formed part of a broader collapse among the faster factory prototypes. Sustained speed could not compensate for lost durability, and the result helped turn the race toward less highly stressed private machinery. Number 22’s promise therefore remained unconverted at the finish.

The 275 P2 was a mid-engined open prototype with a 3.3-litre V12, twin-cam cylinder heads and a tubular chassis reinforced with stressed panels. It represented a technical advance over the 275 P, offering greater performance but also introducing newer systems still being proven under endurance conditions.

Bandini was an Italian Ferrari Formula One winner and an established works endurance driver, including a Le Mans victory in 1963. Biscaldi, also Italian, built his reputation in sports cars and prototypes. Their partnership paired factory leadership with a capable specialist accustomed to long-distance racing.