One to Buy: Buenos Aires & Nurburgring 1000km winning ex-works 1972 Ferrari 312 PB
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Although the updated 512 M showed much promise towards the end of 1970, noise emanating from Porsche regarding potential improvements to the 917, the frankly disappointing performance of the original 512 S thus far and the fact the five-litre Group 5 era only had one season left to run convinced Ferrari to switch focus to a new three-litre Group 6 car for 1971.
During that inaugural campaign, the first iteration of the 312 PB showed a devastating turn of speed but less than perfect reliability.
However, alongside the legendary Matra MS670, the 312 PB went on to become the dominant car in the World Sportscar Championship between 1972 and ‘73. During this time the Italian machine racked up twice as many wins as its French counterpart.
Set to go under the hammer at RM Sotheby’s Villa Erba sale on May 20th is a veteran of Scuderia Ferrari’s victorious 1972 campaign when the Italian equipe vanquished the opposition to win that year’s World Sportscar Championship.
Chassis 0886 made its debut at the opening race of 1972, the Buenos Aires 1000km, where Ronnie Peterson and Tim Schenken started from pole and took a famous victory.
The car next appeared at the Sebring 12 Hours where Peterson and Schenken started from fourth and finished second. Peterson / Schenken subsequently put 0886 on pole for the Monza 1000km, a race in which they finished third. At the car’s final race, the Nurburgring 1000km, the same driver pairing took 0886’s third pole and second victory.
Ferrari sold this multi race-winning matching numbers 312 PB in July 1975, since which time it has resided in some of the world’s most highly regarded collections.
