STORY OF THE DAY: Ferrari’s Open Prototype Crashes Out at Le Mans

Chris Amon and Nino Vaccarella retired Ferrari 330 P3/4 Spyder number 20 from the 1967 24 Hours of Le Mans. The open works prototype was part of Ferrari’s renewed challenge to Ford, but an accident ended its race before it could support the surviving second-placed P4.

The withdrawal reduced Ferrari’s tactical options against the powerful Ford Mk IVs. With one major works car gone, the contest depended increasingly upon the remaining Scarfiotti–Parkes entry, which reached the finish but could not prevent the American manufacturer from retaining its Le Mans crown.

The P3/4 Spyder developed an earlier P3 chassis with P4 mechanical and aerodynamic features. A four-litre fuel-injected V12 sat behind the cockpit, while the open body reduced weight and improved access. Its hybrid evolution reflected Ferrari’s practice of continuously updating valuable prototype chassis.

Amon was a New Zealander admired for exceptional natural speed and already a Daytona winner for Ferrari. Vaccarella, the Sicilian master of road circuits, had won Le Mans in 1964. Their contrasting strengths promised a formidable endurance combination, but the accident prevented that partnership from developing.