Review: Ferrari 125 Sport - 1947 Season
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BACKGROUND
Despite the devastation caused by six years of war, motor racing returned to the street circuits of Europe 14 months after German and Italian forces had surrendered to the Allies.
The 1946 season was mostly contested by pre-war machinery and privately built specials. However, for 1947 (when the calendar expanded significantly) an array of brand new cars were readied by the likes of Maserati, Stanguellini, Cisitialia, Gordini and of course Ferrari.
With limited opportunities for top flight drivers, factory teams could have their pick of the best talent; in 1947, Scuderia Ferrari variously employed Franco Cortese, Tazio Nuvolari, Raymond Sommer, Ferdinando Righetti and Giusppe Farina.
Having begun testing with the 125 Sport in March, Scuderia Ferrari entered its first race eight weeks later on May 11th in Piacenza.
1947 Circuito di Piacenza
The inaugural Circuito di Piacenza hosted races for cars of up to 750cc, up to 1100cc and over 1100cc.
The over 1100cc race comprised 30 laps of the 3.3km Piacenza street circuit.
Scuderia Ferrari entered Franco Cortese in the Peiretti Spyder (01 C) and Giuseppe Farina in the cycle-winged Ansaloni Spyder (02 C).
Competition came from several well-equipped privateers who ran a mix of new and updated pre-War cars. Many of the pre-War machines had been modified with streamlined bodies by Italy’s myriad coachbuilders.
Practice saw Cortese set the fastest time to secure pole but Farina was only sixth and demanded to switch cars. When Enzo Ferrari refused, Farina failed to turn up for the start. As a consequence, Scuderia Ferrari did not recall him to drive for nearly twelve months.
Starting alongside Cortese on the front row was Guido Barbieri’s Maserati A6-1500 (a special Fantuzzi-bodied Spyder) and the streamlined BMW 328 Speciale of Nino Rovelli.
Despite a slow start, Cortese fought back to lead and looked set to secure Scuderia Ferrari’s maiden victory. However, a seized fuel pump three laps from the end cut short an otherwise very positive display.
In addition to posting fastest lap, Barbieri took the win. The Maserati 6CS/46 of Mario Angiolini was second and Renato Balestrero’s Stanguellini 2800 SN was third.
1947 Rome GP, Caracalla
Two weeks later, the Peiretti Spyder (01 C) was Scuderia Ferrari’s sole entry for the 9th Gran Premio di Roma on May 25th.
Held over 40 laps of the 3.4km Circuito delle Terme di Caracalla, Franco Cortese was selected for a second outing in chassis 01 C.
Fresh from his victory in Piacenza, Guido Barbieri was also in Rome for the 137km street contest. Since the last event, his Maserati A6-1500 Spyder had been rebodied with further lightened coachwork.
In the race, Barbieri proved the only driver capable of staying with Cortese’s Ferrari. The two men lapped the rest of the field at least once.
Cortese held on for a famous win at an average speed of 88.5kmh. Barbieri was second and the Stanguellini SN1100 of Guido Scagliarini placed third. The Stanguellini S1500 of Ferdinando Righetti recorded fastest lap but failed to finish.
1947 Circuito delle Terme di Vercelli
A week after Ferrari’s historic maiden victory as a manufacturer, the Peiretti Spyder (01 C) was wheeled out for Franco Cortese to drive at the Circuito delle Terme di Vercelli on June 1st.
Located between Turin and Milan, the Vercelli circuit was a 1.8km street track. It played host to a 36.5km 20 lap race for over 1100cc cars.
Cortese was once again fastest in practice. The BMW 328 streamliner of Nino Rovelli started second and Renato Balestrero’s Stanguellini 2800 SN was third.
On this occasion, Cortese recorded a full house of pole, fastest lap and race win at an average speed of 78.4kmh. Despite the short race distance, he lapped the entire field en route to a dominant victory.
Balestrero was second with his 2.8-litre Stanguellini and the Lancia Aprilia of Giuseppe Azzi finished third.
1947 Circuito di Caracalla
Cortese’s victory in the Rome GP on May 25th had taken place on the first of three consecutive weekends racing at the Caracalla street circuit. Collectively dubbed the Primavera Romana del Motor (Rome Motoring Spring), the finale on June 8th was a 45 lap contest for single-seat machinery.
To conform with the regulations, Ferrari fitted the as yet unraced cycle-winged Ansaloni Spyder (02 C) with its body-coloured panel over the passenger seat and removed the fenders, lights and spare wheel.
With two wins from his last two races, Franco Cortese was the obvious choice to drive.
Aside from Cortese’s Ferrari, the grid exclusively comprised a dozen new Cisitalia D46s. These 1100cc single seaters had been designed to quickly and inexpensively fill the void of new monoposto racing cars after the war.
A high attrition rate in the 153km race saw over half the field fail to finish including Cortese. Victory fell to Piero Taruffi with George Abecassis second and Inigo Bernabei third.
1947 Circuit de Vigevano
From Rome, chassis 02 C returned to Maranello where it was re-fitted with lights, fenders and a spare wheel.
A week later, it was ready for Cortese to contest a 90km race at Vigevano.
A reverse grid favoured the smallest engined cars. Cortese started at the back of the twelve car field along with the Maseratis of Guido Barbieri and Giovanni Bracco.
However, after 50 laps of the 1.8km Lombardy street circuit, Cortese had moved to the front and secured Scuderia Ferrari’s third victory of 1947.
Once the Barbieri and Bracco Maseratis retired, Cortese was able to ease up. At an average speed of 78.9kmh, he eventually finished a lap clear of Vincenzo Auricchio’s Stanguellini S1100 (second) and Giudo Scagliarini’s Stanguellini SN1100 (third). Fastest lap went to Bracco’s Maserati.
1947 Mille Miglia
Undoubtedly the biggest race of the year for any Italian manufacturer was the Mille Miglia. Ferrari had designed the 125 Sport specifically for this kind of event and the Peiretti Spyder (01 C) was entered for Franco Cortese and his navigator, Adelmo Marchetti.
The car was equipped with an additional aero screen and a spot light mounted on the driver’s side of the main grille.
To allow the Fiat factory more time to produce a new 1100cc model in sufficient quantities to meet pent up demand, the race (scheduled to run in April) was delayed until June 22nd.
Because many of the bridges over the Po river had been destroyed during the war, a number of detours were necessary.
The shortage of petrol and tyres in Italy initially caused a problem for the organisers. When they announced that, thanks to their sponsors, every competitor would be given a full tank of fuel and five new tyres, the entry list soared. Unfortunately, with their new tyres and full tank of gas, nearly one hundred of the entrants drove straight home.
The 1947 Mille Miglia nevertheless attracted a fabulous line up of machinery. Aside from the new Ferrari, perhaps the most notable were five brand new Cisitalia 202s and a debutant A6 GCS from Maserati. Other cars in contention for outright victory were several privateer Alfa Romeos; half a dozen 6C 2500 SS would start the event along with an 8C 2900B which was the biggest engined car in the race.
Of the 245 entrants for the 1947 Mille Miglia, 90 deserted with their tank of fuel and free tyres. Just 54 of the remaining 155 made it to the end.
Among the non-finishers was the Ferrari 125 which broke down mid-way.
Initially it was the Cisitalia 202 SMM of Tazio Nuvolari and Francesco Carena that looked set to win. However, their eight-minute lead was overturned by the Alfa Romeo 8C 2900B of Clemente Biondetti and Emilio Romano on the autostrada back to Brescia.
Biondetti eventually finished 16 minutes ahead of Nuvolari with other Cisitalias third (Inico Bernabei / Tullio Pacni) and fourth (Eugenio Minetti / Piero Facetti).
1947 Varese Circuit Colle Campigli
Although the Mille Miglia proved a disappointment, Enzo Ferrari’s team took a trio of victories in races held over the following three weekends.
First up was a 40 lap race for over 750cc cars around the Circuit Colle Campigli in Varese on June 29th.
Franco Cortese took pole around the 3.6km street circuit with Giovanni Bracco’s Maserati second and the Stanguellini S1100 of Vincenzo Auricchio third.
Driving the cycle-winged Ansaloni Spyder (02 C), Cortese set fastest lap on his way to victory at an average speed of 97.1kmh.
Once the Maseratis of Giovanni Bracco and Luigi Villoresi retired, only Auricchio was able to stay on the lead lap. Third place went to Francesco Nissotti in another Stanguellini S1100.
1947 Coppa Luigi Archangeli, Forli
On July 6th, the 1.6km Forli street circuit hosted three Coppa Luigi Archangeli races for 750cc, 1100cc and over 1100cc cars. The main event was 35 laps.
After his impressive performance for Cisitalia at the Mille Miglia, Enzo Ferrari signed Tazio Nuvolari to do three races for the Maranello team.
Driving the cycle-winged Ansaloni Spyder (02 C), Nuvolari won the 59km race at an average speed of 84kmh and also took fastest lap. Second went to the Enrico Adanti Lancia Aprilia that finished two laps behind.
1947 Circuito di Parma
One week later, Scuderia Ferrari entered both 125 Sports for the Circuito di Parma on July 13th.
In the event for under 1.5-litre Sports cars, Tazio Nuvolari drove the cycle-winged Ansaloni Spyder (02 C) and Franco Cortese was in the Peiretti Spyder (01 C).
The 90km race comprised 30 laps of the 3km city centre track. Once again, the biggest threat to Ferrari came from Guido Barbieri’s Maserati A6 streamliner.
At the chequered flag, only Barbieri had managed to stay on the same lap as the Ferraris but he finished a distant third over two minutes behind.
Nuvolari won at an average speed of 98.1kmh and Cortese crossed the finish line just 1.7 seconds behind.
1947 Circuito delle Cascine, Florence
The big race a week later was the inaugural Coppa d’Oro delle Dolomiti, a single lap 303km dash around the Dolomite mountains. It attracted a fine entry but instead, Enzo Ferrari decided to send his 125 Sports down to Florence for the third Circuito delle Cascine (held on July 20th).
Taking place on a 4.25km street circuit, separate contests were held for 750cc, 1100cc and over 1100cc machinery.
Scuderia Ferrari entered Franco Cortese in the cycle-winged Ansaloni Spyder (02 C) and gave a debut to Ferdinando Righetti in the Peiretti Spyder (01 C).
Grid slots for the 20 lap over 1100cc event were decided by engine size.
The race proved a disappointment for Ferrari.
Felice Bonetto took victory in a Delage 3L and Vincenzo Auricchio was second in his Stanguellini S1100. The only other car to finish on the same lap as the lead pair was Righetti’s Ferrari in third.
Cortese failed to finish in chassis 02 C.
New Body & 159 Engine for 02 C
When 02 C next appeared three weeks later at the Coppa Acerbo in Pescara, it had been given a new body and an enlarged engine.
02 C’s original cycle-winged Ansaloni body was switched to a Peiretti Spyder shell broadly similar to that of 01 C. Most obviously different were the bigger brake cooling ducts either side of the main grille and extra intakes alongside the horseshoe-shaped carburettor feed.
It also received the first of Ferrari’s enlarged 1.9-litre engines and was by definition now a 159 Sport.
Cortese finished the race second overall.
1947 Livorno GP, Montenero
For the timebeing, 01 C retained its original 1.5-litre engine and was entered for Tazio Nuvolari to drive in the Livorno GP on August 2nd. It arrived at the 5km Circuito del Montenero street track with two additional ducts cut from alongside the horseshoe-shaped upper nose intake to match those used on the rebodied 02 C.
The rest of the grid for the 25 lap race was made up entirely of Cisitalia D46s.
When Nuvolari’s Ferrari retired, Franco Venturi inherited the lead. Venturi eventually took the victory from Franco Mosters (second) and Roger Loyer (third).
New 159 Engine for 01 C
The Livorno GP proved to be the final race for a 125 Sport as 01 C was uprated with the 1.9-litre engine immediately afterwards.
Together with a brand new scratch built 159 Sport (chassis 002 C), both 01 C and 02 C were present for the Circuito di Modena on September 28th. Whilst being driven by Ferdinando Righetti, 01 C was crashed in practice.
Close Season
Over the winter of 1947-1948, the crashed 01 C was rebuilt to the latest 166 Spyder Corsa specification complete with two-litre engine and new cycle-winged bodywork. It was also re-numbered as 010I.
Chassis 02 C (which had already been fitted with a 159 Sport engine and new Peiretti Spyder body ahead of the Coppa Acerbo at Pescara) was also given a two-litre 166 motor over the winter of 1947-1948. This car was renumbered 020I.
Text copyright: Supercar Nostalgia
Photo copyright: Ferrari - https://www.ferrari.com
