Some months ago I said that after Niki Lauda tested the proposed Ferrari 312 P sports prototype for 1974 he advised Enzo Ferrari that if he wanted to win the World Formula One Championship that he ought to drop the Sports Prototype Programme.

(Ferrari 312 P 1974 Spec, Copyright holder unknown image will be correctly credited or removed upon request.)

The photo above shows Niki Lauda testing the 1974 312 P that is thought to be the work of Mauro ‘Fury’ Forghieri who simultaneously was working on turning the Formula One Ferrari 312 B3 into a competitive proposition.

It has emerged that it was more likely that Niki and Luca de Montemezolo between them successfully convinced Mr Ferrari that continuing the sports prototype programme was not a good idea.

(Ferrari 312 P 1974 Spec, Copyright holder unknown image will be correctly credited or removed upon request.)

As can be seen above even after the alleged advice and Lauda’s test drive, the car, seen here with Niki’s team mate Clay Regazzoni at the wheel, was developed further with the wide front wing being added before the car was dropped and plans to enter the World Sportscar Championship were abandoned.

It would appear 1974 spec 312 P was based on a short wheel base 1971 312 P chassis, probably #0876, this car, with it’s even more distinctive driver side cooler arrangement, than we saw in last weeks 1973 312 P blog, was never raced and has not ever been seen in public.

It is thought likely the car got destroyed on the orders of Enzo Ferrari early in 1974 before the Italian Tax Authorities were due to pay Mr Ferrari a visit.

My thanks to everyone on the 1974 Ferrari 312PB ‘evo’ thread at The Nostalgia Forum who contributed to this blog.

Hope you have enjoyed today’s Ugly Sister edition of ‘Gettin’ a lil’ psycho on tyres’, and that you will join me again, tomorrow. Don’t forget to come back now !