Between triumphs and tragedies, the 156 consolidated Ferrari’s position among the “greats” of Formula 1, thanks to the excellent understanding of the staff who conceived the single-seater: it was the first with the engine in the rear part of the chassis
Conceived in 1961 by a technical team including, among others, engine builders Carlo Chiti, Franco Rocchi and Mauro Forghieri and the frame builder Walter Salvarani, the Ferrari 156 F1 was the first “red” with the engine placed on the rear part of the chassis. Ferrari adapted to the trend inaugurated in the two-year period 1958-1959 by British builders transferring the engine to the pilot’s shoulders. A technical solution undoubtedly very advantageous both at the level of weights both level aerodynamicwhich considerably improved the drivability of single-seaters. Working on the basis of a Cooper’s Center-South stablethe working group of Charles Chiti managed to create a new frame with a steel tube trellis structure, which could better support the engine Dino V6 of the “Red”.
THE DEBUT OF THE “SHARK MUZZLE”
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The length of the car was 4,030 mmcompared to a width of 1,400mm and of a height of 1,000 mm, and the weight was rather content for the period: only 420 kg. The exchange was placed at the hub of the rear wheels, while the clutch was Multidisc. The suspensions, both front and rear, were supported by a combination of deformable quadrilaterals, coil springs and telescopic shock absorbers leaving the wheels independent; as for the braking system, the reliable system with four disc brakes was used Dunlop. The fuel tanks were fixed on the sides of the 156 F1, while the two were futuristic front air intakes to support the radiator, for which the term “shark muzzle”, later taken over by the F1 of the nineties.
THE BITTER TRIUMPH of 1961
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At a competitive level the 1961 it was a year of enormous satisfactions. Already in the first match a Monk the 156 F1 conquered the second, third and fourth place respectively with Ginther, Phil Hill and Wolfgang Von Trips. The German then led to the “Red” the first victory in Holland in front of Hill. The American instead won in Belgium, where a quadruple of the 156 F1s was registered. In France, the victory of Giancarlo Baghetti, absolute debut in the top formulathen came a triplet in England and one shotgun in Germany. Hill and Von Trips remained the contenders for the drivers’ title. Unfortunately, the dispute was resolved with a terrible accident in Monza cost the lives of Von Trips and fourteen spectators. Ferrari won the first constructors’ title and fifth drivers’ title in a bitter atmosphere.
THE SAD EQUIPMENT OF THE 156 F1
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In 1962 the English teams took cover by developing new single-seaters able to more easily keep up with the 156 F1. The Maranello car quickly lost its supremacy, with Hill’s second place in Monaco being the best result combined with three third places. To jeopardize any chance of success, even union unrest in Maranello which led the Prancing Horse to miss the races in France, the USA and South Africa
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