Niki Lauda’s 1975 Formula One Ferrari Champ At Pebble Beach

When the Pebble Beach Auction kicks off in August, along with the inventory will be a very cool part of racing history. Gooding & Company is presenting the 1975 Ferrari 312T car that won the 1975 Formula One Championship, when it was driven by Niki Lauda. 

“The Ferrari 312T is among the most important and dominant Grand Prix models in the marque’s celebrated history”, states Hans Wurl, Specialist at Gooding & Company. “Never before has a 312T been presented at auction, and this example, having been an integral part in legendary Austrian driver Niki Lauda's championship win, makes this a once in a lifetime opportunity. This is a consignment several years in the making, and it is a truly rare chance to acquire a Formula One car of this significance."

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This 1975 Ferrari 312T carries an estimated value of $6 million to $8 million, and is chassis 022 in one of only five evolutionary “transversale” Grand Prix cars built by Ferrari in 1975 for the Formula One season. The design is changed from its 312B3 predecessor to include a transverse mounted gearbox with the gearbox ahead of the rear axle. This new configuration helped to give the car a lower polar moment of inertia to improve cornering for the car - while updated bodywork helped to improve airflow. 

In 1975, Niki Lauda began his successful run in chassis 022 with a win at the 1975 BRDC International Trophy at Silverstone. He would then go on to win the French Grand Prix, come in second place in the Dutch Grand Prix, and third place German Grand Prix. Lauda qualified in pole position in all five championship races behind the wheel of chassis 022. The car was also driven by Clay Regazzoni, a Scuderia Ferrari teammate, during the 1976 South African Grand Prix before it was retired from racing. 

After its racing career, French collector Jacques Setton acquired the car, which he owned for two decade before selling it. John Bosch owned it until 2008, and it was then restored by its current owner. 

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