STORY OF THE DAY: Ferrari’s Rear-Engined Prototype Conquers the Nürburgring

On 5 March 1962, Phill Hill and Olivier Gendebien won the Nürburgring 1000 Kilometres in the number 92 Ferrari 246 SP. Victory delivered important championship points and demonstrated that Ferrari’s new rear-engined sports prototype could succeed on one of motor racing’s most complex circuits.

The Nordschleife combined blind crests, compressions, elevation changes and an extraordinary variety of corners. Hill and Gendebien balanced rapid progress with mechanical restraint, negotiated slower traffic and protected the car over the roughest sections. Their established partnership was a major advantage in such demanding conditions.

The 246 SP placed its 2.4-litre Dino V6 behind the cockpit in a tubular chassis, departing fundamentally from Ferrari’s front-engined sports racers. Fantuzzi’s low open body reduced frontal area, while centralized mass and independent suspension gave the car the agility required for the Nordschleife.

Hill was an American and Ferrari’s reigning Formula One world champion, admired for his technical precision. Gendebien was a Belgian endurance specialist with an exceptional record in long-distance racing. Already successful together at Le Mans, they brought mature teamwork to a car representing Ferrari’s mid-engined future.