One to Buy: ex-Scandia Motorsport two-time Sebring 12 Hour-winning 1994 Ferrari 333 SP

21 years after the company had last created a purpose-built competition Prototype, Ferrari produced the sensational 333 SP for its customers to mount an attack on the 1994 IMSA World Sports Car Championship.

The ‘94 season would see a new era of open-cockpit WSC-class machinery replace the closed-cockpit GTP models of old and, following requests from several wealthy customers, Ferrari boss Luca di Montezemolo sanctioned a return to the kind of top flight sports car racing that had done so much to cultivate the legend of the Prancing Horse.

With its state-of-art specification that included an F1-derived four-litre V12 engine, the 333 SP went on to become the single most dominant sports racing car of the mid 1990s / early 2000s; following much IMSA success across the Atlantic, the 333 SP continued its good form when a new-for-1998 International Sports Racing Series was established (which later became the FIA Sportscar Championship).

Currently on offer at the Girardo & Co. showroom in Oxfordshire is one of the most decorated examples of the 333 SP ever: chassis 003.

Originally supplied to Scandia Motorsport patron, Andy Evans, chassis 003’s first public appearance was made at the Geneva Motor Show in March 1994 where it went on display alongside the rest of the company’s range.

003 subsequently departed for the US and, between 1994 and 1997, collected four outright IMSA victories to include wins at the Sebring 12 Hours in 1995 and 1997. The car subsequently recorded a brace of European victories with the GLV Brums team of Giuseppe Prevosti and was finally retired from racing at the end of 2003.

Today, this most significant Classiche-certified 333 SP is presented in superb restored condition having been reverted to its 1995 Sebring trim.

For more information visit the Girardo & Co. website at: https://girardo.com/

VIN: the Giampiero Moretti Ferrari 333 SP chassis 004

HISTORY OF CHASSIS 004

Chassis 004 was the first 333 SP supplied to Giampiero Moretti, founder of the MOMO steering wheel company.

Moretti began his racing career in 1961 and, over the next few years, sporadically took in a variety of circuit races and hillclimbs in his native Italy. Moretti started to get more serious in 1969 when he acquired his own Porsche 910 and sometimes co-drove Corrado Manfredini’s 907.

During the next couple of seasons, Moretti was most frequently seen behind the wheel of Manfredini’s Ferrari 512 S and a Lola T212 which, in 1972, appeared under the MOMO Racing banner.

The success of the MOMO company (widely considered to manufacture the best sporting steering wheels in the business) enabled Moretti to race a variety of GT and Prototype cars for the next couple of decades. Throughout this time his rides included the De Tomaso Pantera Gr.4, Porsche 934, 935 and 962 plus machinery from March, Alba, Spice and Gebhardt.

With his Italian heritage and direct link to Ferrari, with whom he supplied steering wheels, it was little surprise that Moretti (who had been a key player in persuading Ferrari to build the 333 SP) ran one of the exciting new V12-engined cars for the ‘94 IMSA campaign.

The works-supported machine (leased from Ferrari North America) replaced a Nissan NPT-10 Moretti had raced during 1993. As usual, this latest mount would appear in MOMO’s trademark red and yellow livery.

To partner him, Moretti recruited Chilean ex-F1 and TWR driver, Eliseo Salazar, who came out of retirement to tackle the 1994 IMSA campaign.

The quartet of 333 SP Ferraris used during the ‘94 IMSA season first appeared in round three, the Road Atlanta 2 Hours, where Moretti and Salazar finished second behind Jay Cochran’s Euromotorsport entry.

Chassis 004 then secured a hat-trick of pole positions and race wins: Lime Rock, Watkins Glen and Indianapolis. The last three races of the year brought a trio of second place finishes at Laguna Seca, Portland and Phoenix in what had proved an excellent campaign.

For the 1995 season, Moretti ran a new Evoluzione spec. 333 SP (chassis 011).

Meanwhile, chassis 004 was sold to Remo Ferri who owned Ferrari of Toronto.

During the autumn of 1995, Ferri sold 004 to American investment fund manager, Andy Evans.

Evans acquired 004 for his own team, Scandia Engineering, which already had possession of chassis 003 and 010. During late 1995, chassis 004 appeared in Scandia livery at the SEMA show in Las Vegas and at the Texas Motor Speedway for the US launch of the Ferrari F50.

However, chassis 004 was destined never to race in Scandia trim. Instead, the car was loaned back to Giampiero Moretti for the 1996 IMSA season; Moretti wanted to run two cars that year and 004 was called up owing to a shortage of new Ferraris.

Having appeared at the pre-season Daytona text (where it went quickest), chassis 004 (now in Evoluzione trim) subsequently contested the opening seven races of the ‘96 season for which Moretti was partnered by upcoming Italian youngster, Max Papis (plus Didier Theys and Bob Wollek for the longer events).

In those seven outings, chassis 004 took four pole positions and three wins (at Road Atlanta, Lime Rock and Watkins Glen). There were also three second place finishes, a third and a seventh as 004 continued its unblemished record of never having yet posted a DNF.

Outside of its three wins in ‘96, 004 notably finished second at the Daytona 24 Hours and third in the Sebring 12 Hours.

Unfortunately, the race at Sears Point on July 14th proved to be 004’s last as, shortly afterwards, this extremely successful 333 SP was destroyed in an accident while testing at Mosport ahead of round eight.

Giampiero Moretti subsequently borrowed the tub from 005 (which was built up to MOMO Corse trim for the last three rounds of 1996) after which a brand new replacement was acquired for the 1997 season (which we refer to as 004 ‘B’ – covered separately).

Notable History

Giampiero Moretti (MOMO Corse), Milan

17/04/1994 IMS Road Atlanta 2 Hours (G. Moretti / E. Salazar) 2nd oa, 2nd WSC class (#30)
30/05/1994 IMS Lime Rock 2 Hours (G. Moretti / E. Salazar) 1st oa, 1st WSC class (#30)
26/06/1994 IMS Watkins Glen 3 Hours (G. Moretti / E. Salazar) 1st oa, 1st WSC class (#30)
10/07/1994 IMS Indianapolis 2 Hours (G. Moretti / E. Salazar) 1st oa, 1st WSC class (#30)
24/07/1994 IMS Laguna Seca 2 Hours (E. Salazar) 2nd oa, 2nd WSC class (#30)
07/08/1994 IMS Portland 2 Hours (G. Moretti / E. Salazar) 2nd oa, 2nd WSC class (#30)
01/10/1994 IMS Phoenix 2 Hours (G. Moretti / E. Salazar) 2nd oa, 2nd WSC class (#30)

Early 1995 sold to Remo Ferri (Ferrari of Toronto), Toronto

Late 1995 sold to Andy Evans (Scandia Engineering), Washington

10/1995 SEMA Motor Show, Las Vegas
12/1995 Texas Motor Speedway Ferrari F50 launch

Back to Moretti

04/02/1996 IMS Daytona 24 Hours (G. Moretti / B. Wollek / D. Theys / M. Papis) 2nd oa, 2nd WSC class (#30)
17/03/1996 IMS Sebring 12 Hours (G. Moretti / M. Papis / D. Theys) 3rd oa, 3rd WSC class (#30)
21/04/1996 IMS Road Atlanta 3 Hours (G. Moretti / M. Papis) 1st oa, 1st WSC class (#30)
05/05/1996 IMS Texas 500 mile (G. Moretti / M. Papis) 7th oa, 5th WSC class (#30)
27/05/1996 IMS Lime Rock 1 Hour 45 (G. Moretti / M. Papis) 1st oa, 1st WSC class (#30)
09/06/1996 IMS Watkins Glen 6 Hours (G. Moretti / M. Papis) 1st oa, 1st WSC class (#30)
14/07/1996 IMS Sears Point 3 Hours (G. Moretti / M. Papis) 2nd oa, 2nd WSC class (#30)

Wrecked on test at Mosport

Text copyright: Supercar Nostalgia
Photo copyright: Supercar Nostalgia

VIN: the Andy Evans Jaguar XJR-15 chassis 003

HISTORY OF CHASSIS 003

Chassis 003 was the XJR-15 sold to American investment fund manager, Andy Evans, who was one of just two owner-drivers to contest the Jaguar Intercontinental Challenge (the other having been music producer, Matt Aitken). By contrast, most XJR-15 buyers preferred to employ professionals for the three-race series organised in 1991.

Andy Evans grew up in Northern California. After attending college he worked as an analyst and over-the-counter stock trader.

In 1978, 27-year old Evans met Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates when Evans represented a company that sought to licence a Microsoft computer language. The two became firm friends, bonding over a shared passion for fast cars and hot technology stocks.

In 1980, Evans and his wife started a Seattle-based brokerage firm, Evans Llewellyn Securities. However, by 1981 he was short of cash and, needing to keep up with regulatory capital requirements, Evans took out a $525,000 bank loan from Barclays which was supposedly to buy some real estate. He also got involved in the sale of restricted stocks.

Four years later, these two misdemeanours caught up with him; 1985 saw Evans suspended from the securities business for 30 days while he and his wife were both sentenced to six-month jail terms. Bill Gates (by this time godfather to Evans’ children) was in the courtroom when his friend was sentenced and subsequently visited him in prison.

Upon his release in 1986, the SEC filed a civil complaint against Evans, alleging insider trading, market manipulation and other securities-law violations in relation to CMC International Inc. Evans, a corporate board member and trader in the company stock, allegedly learned of an impending loss at the technology company and dumped a large stock position prior to the public announcement. This ultimately ended in a permanent injunction barring him from the securities industry.

Nevertheless, Gates stuck by his friend who now had power of attorney over the Microsoft co-founder’s fortune through Gates’ personal partnership, William H. Gates LP, and an account shared by the two men and Evans’ wife (Dominion Capital).

By the time of Microsoft’s IPO in March 1986, Evans had enormous clout on Wall Street; he kept the revenue generated from Gates' monthly sales of Microsoft stock (around one million shares per quarter) which was then re-invested through Dominion.

Through canny management, Evans amassed a sizeable fortune. By the late 1980s he was able to indulge his passion for high end cars and motor sport while travelling around the US by private jet.

Having done a couple of IMSA races with a Tiga in 1990, Evans undertook a more extensive campaign in the same series the following year. He also purchased chassis 003 with which to contest the three-round Intercontinental Challenge which supported the Formula 1 Grand Prix at Monaco, Silverstone and Spa.

The Monte Carlo round saw Evans qualify last of the 16 cars in attendance. In the 16 lap race he passed Terada and Flux and, thanks to a couple of retirements further up the field, finished twelfth.

At the British Grand Prix meeting two months later, Evans qualified 15th and was one of just five drivers not to incur damage in a race which was more akin to demolition derby. After 20 laps, Evans had moved chassis 003 up to seventh position.

The final event took place at Spa two weeks later; $1m was on the line for the winner and, so as to avoid any opportunity to fix the race, all the drivers knew was that the contest would last for at least six laps.

Evans qualified chassis 003 in last spot around the daunting Belgian circuit where the XJR-15 proved a real handful and caught out several of the more experienced professional drivers. Evans was twelfth when the chequered flag fell after eleven laps of racing.

003 finished the series as the only car not to incur accident damage.

Andy Evans subsequently sold his XJR-15 and in later years it was restored to as new condition by JD Classics.

Notable History

Sold to Andy Evans, Mill Creek, Washington

11/05/1991 JIC Monaco (A. Evans) 12th oa (#3)
14/07/1991 JIC Silverstone (A. Evans) 7th oa (#3)
25/08/1991 JIC Spa (A. Evans) 12th oa (#3)

Subsequently restored by JD Classics

Text copyright: Supercar Nostalgia
Photo copyright: Supercar Nostalgia & JD Classics