1964 Tipo 151/3 - La versione della Tipo 151/3 preparata per la 24 Ore di Le Mans in collaudo all'Aeroautodromo di Modena.
-A Le Mans nelle prove sarà l'auto più veloce (308 Km/h)
1964 Tipo 151/3 - Versione della Tipo 151/3 del 1964 preparata per la 24 Ore di Le Mans.
-L'auto andò distrutta in un incidente nelle prove del mese di aprile del '65.
1964 - Tipo 151/3
-Versione della Tipo 151/3 del 1964 preparata per la 24 Ore di Le Mans. | |
Maserati Tipo 151 - Part 4
The Tipo 152, 154 & the 1964/65 Season - 'However, in the fast-moving world of early sixties endurance racing, some significant modifications would have to be made to ensure 151/1 remained competitive.'
Published with the kind permission of
Ben Tyer - Editor www.QV500.com
Having taken a class victory in 1963's Auvergne Trophy at Clermont Ferrand, finished third at the Brands Hatch Guards Trophy and qualified fifth on the grid for Le Mans, Johnny Simone must have gone into 1964 with reasonable optimism for his Maserati France-backed car. However, in the fast-moving world of early sixties endurance racing, some significant modifications would have to be made to ensure 151/1 remained competitive. All the work was carried out by Maserati themselves who began over the winter of 1963/64 by extending the wheelbase and upgrading the Tipo 151's notoriously suspect suspension. Equally importantly, weight was cut from 975 to just 940kg.
Engine-wise, the 1963-spec 5-litre engine was dry-sumped, but most obvious was the new bodywork. With 151/1's shell discarded, a low-drag body was fitted that looked as advanced as anything else around in 1964. Upon completion that spring, 151/1 was renumbered 151/3 and officially referred to by the factory as the Tipo 152. It was then tested at the Modena autodrome in preparation for 1964's Le Mans 24 Hours. At la Sarthe, 151/3 would once again be entered under the Maserati France banner, Andre Simon sharing the driving duties with Maurice Trintignant and qualifying 15th after hitting 191mph down the Mulsanne Straight. For the third year in a row though, Simone's spectacular machine retired from Le Mans, this time after eight hours and a titanic battle with the works Ford's and Ferrari's, electrical problems forcing it out having completed 99 laps. The same drivers were paired for Reims subsequent 12 Hour race a few weeks later and having qualified eighth, they posted another retirement owing to a faulty ignition. Several months passed before what would be the 152's final race of 1964, the prestigious Montlhery 1000kms. It started well for Simon and Trintignant who hustled the big Maser round in a qualifying time good enough for second on the grid. But an all-too familiar exit early on in the race, this time after an accident, meant the Tipo 152 ended 1964 having failed to complete a race distance. Even more unfortunately, Montlhery turned out to be the last time a Tipo 151 or 152 ever raced as, although chassis 151/3 was upgraded for the third time during the winter of 1964/65, a horrific accident led to the car being destroyed and a popular driver losing his life.
151/4 (the Tipo 154), testing, Modena Autodrome Renumbered 151/4 and officially referred to as the Tipo 154, Simone's car got a slightly larger, even more powerful 5-litre V8 whilst the bodywork featured a few more vents and ducts. As usual, it was entered for the official Le Mans testing weekend in May with Lloyd 'Lucky' Casner and Masten Gregory pencilled in to drive. Exiting the infamous Mulsanne Straight kink, Casner left the road, barrel rolling the Tipo 154 and wiping out two trees in the process. Neither car nor driver stood a chance of survival and after the 151/4 was scrapped, Maserati's experimental GT saga was brought to an abrupt end.
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