Soon after its first race outings, this thoroughbred was already shaking up the scene – whether on high-speed circuits or winding mountain roads, a GTO feels at home on any track and is capable of extraordinary performances.
The same was true at the 46th Targa Florio on Sunday, 6 May 1962. The Italian driver duo Giorgio Scarletti and Pietro Ferraro entered this endurance race with their Ferrari 250 GTO, finished in a striking two-tone livery and bearing start number 86. The classic Madonie (Piccolo) circuit, 72 km long, was driven ten times, meaning a total distance of 720 km had to be covered by the end.
The circuit runs on public mountain roads in the greater Palermo area, starting and finishing in the town of Cerda, and features around 900 corners that demand hours of maximum concentration and driving skill from the pilots. Crowds of spectators – often dangerously close to the roadside – rock formations, trees and steep drops form the backdrop for the drivers as they battle for victory on tracks that are frequently bumpy and dusty. The cars start individually at 20-second intervals, since the narrow roads make a mass start unthinkable and even overtaking manoeuvres extremely difficult. A skilled driver completes the circuit in under 40 minutes, which equates to an average speed of around 100km/h.
The GTO team of Scarlatti/Ferraro mastered this ordeal superbly, crossing the finish line as class winners in the GT category after 7h:22m. In the overall standings, this time was good enough for an excellent fourth place.
Yet more proof that the Ferrari 250 GTO was increasingly becoming a serial winner, with hardly any serious rivals left to fear.
CHF 1'450.-
