1970: PORSCHE 917 vs FERRARI 512S

This page will be followed later by a survey of the 1972 & 1973  seasons of  endurance racing

Autosport 1972 Porsche 917 (1969) Porsche 917 (1970) Ferrari 512S (1970)
 

Ferrari 312P (1969-70) Porsche 908 (1968-70) Matra MS650/MS660 (68-70) Lola T70 Mk3GT & Mk3B

by drs. Jean Pierre van Rossem

Although Porsche won the 1969 Manufacturer's World Championship, there was bitterness at Stuttgart to have lost the outright victory at Le Mans, where the factory cars were beaten, for the second time in a row, by John Wyer's Ford GT40. In 1970 Porsche changed its complete racing strategy and was inspired by Ford's former intramural competition from 1966, after they too lost twice in a row Le Mans. Three Porsche teams were created. The first was … the old enemy: John Wyer Automotive Ltd. Having nothing more to expect from Ford, definitively out at endurance racing in 1970, John Wyer accepted the deal to receive Porsche cars and all spare parts for free, plus the racing fee for Jo Siffert (CH) and Brian Redman (GB). Fees for Leo Kinnunen (SF) and Pedro Rodriguez (MEX) should be paid by Gulf, continuing to be Wyer's generous sponsor. Porsche-Salzburg Ltd., using Vic Elford (GB), Kurt Ahrens (D), Richard Attwood (GB) and Hans Hermann (D) as drivers, received similar help of the factory. In fact those cars were prepared by the factory itself. Wyer was not happy with this situation, because he considered it as a lack of confidence by Porsche Engineering Ltd. Later during the season Martini International Racing joined the group. By doing so Porsche hoped to have free hands to work exclusively at the development of the 917 and the 908. Other 917K cars were sold to privateers such as the Gesipa Racing Team [with Jürgen Neuheus and Helmut Kelleners as German drivers], Aarno A. Wihuri Racing [with Hans Laine (D) and Gijs van Lennep (NL) as drivers], and to the old …Ferrarist David Piper (GB). Price of the car was up to $ 50,000 US. Starting the season John Wyer discovered that the 917LH - a nightmare to drive - could be much improved abbreviating his tail. This aerodynamic correction, resulting in the 917K, improved the machine's road holding enormously. The braking problems of the 917LH were solved by locating the brake fluid tank further away from the hot brake discs. Certain parts were now in titanium, no longer in aluminium, lowering the total weight of the car. The wheel suspension was strengthened and the lowest gear was fitted with a lock to avoid errors in shifting. Meanwhile Wyer corrected the 917LH to a 917K, at Zuffenhausen a new 3.0 Porsche 908/3K was developed to replace the 908/2 Flunder. The car was totally based on the 1968 2.2 Porsche 908 Bergspider, only 380 kgs heavy for 255bhp. By installing the flat 8-cylinder motor in it, Porsche created a nearly unbeatable weapon for the Targa Florio and the Nürburgring.
Inspired by Porsche's commercial success to built 25 sports-cars and to sell them to privateers, Enzo Ferrari, constructed 25 5.0 Ferraris 512S, with a total new 560bhp V12 motor. Such cars were easily sold to Ferrari's traditional clients: North-American Racing Team (the American Ferrari dealer, having also bought the two 312P Berlinettas from last year), the Swiss Scuderia Filipinetti and Écurie Francorchamps (the Belgian Ferrari dealer). New clients were the Escuderia Montjuich (E), the Italian Scuderia Picchio Rosso, Jean Guichet's Barracuda Racing (F), the American Earl Cord Racing and Georg Loos's Gelo Racing (D). Ferraris motivation to come back into endurance racing was less inspired by sportive arguments than by commercial. At $ 40,000 US his cars were easier sold than Porsche's. But he knew very well that he had not the smallest chance to win the 1970 FIA Manufacturer's World Championship. First of all he had no lightweight prototype to go after such rounds as the Targa Florio and the ADAC 1,000-kms Rennen. Indeed his new 2.0 Ferrari 212E, equipped with a 300bhp flat-twin 12 cylinder engine, and having won all rounds of the 1969 European Hill-climb Championship with Paul Schetty as driver, could never beat the new 3.0 380bhp lightweight Porsche 908/3. Unlike Porsche, Ferrari had no flat 3-litre engine to mount in a 212E based prototype. Indeed the 3.0 V12 motor, as used in the F1 cars, could never be lowered enough in the rear of the 312P. Only a brand new boxer version could be an efficient anti 908/3 weapon. Another handicap for Ferrari was that Porsche could reap the seads it sowed in 1969 with the 917LH, while the 512S had no racing practice. Last but not least Enzo Ferrari knew very well that he could not find such talented drivers as Porsche's. After having lost his best racers in deadly accidents - Giancarlo Baghetti, Lorenzo Bandini, Günther Klass, Tommy Spychiger and Lodovico Scarfiotti, all between 1966 and 1968 - or after deadly quarrels (John Surtees going away in 1966 after a virulent dispute with the impossible race director Eugenio Dragoni), nor the young Ignazio Giunti, neither the old Nino Vaccarella or Arturo Merzario, had the superb racing abilities of Pedro Rodriguez, Jo Siffert or Brian Redman. Only Jacky Ickx [and Mario Andretti or Chris Amon, when they were free to drive] were able to fight on equal foot with Porsche's top drivers. At any rate, starting the 1970 season, anything lets suppose that Enzo Ferrari lost the combat before the start, despite the fact that at most of the 10 races for the 1970 FIA Manufacturers Worlds he entered works cars by SpA SEFAC.

5.0 JW Gulf Porsche 917K vs 5.0 Ferrari 512S (Scuderia Montjuich)

5.0 Porsche 917K (Porsche-Salzburg Ltd.) vs 5.0 Ferrari 512S Berlinetta

5.0 Porsche 917LH (Martini International) vs 5.0 Ferrari 512 Coda Lunga (Écurie Francorchamps.)

  CURTAIN RAISER: TEMPORADA 1000
Contrary to 1971 the 6th Temporada Argentina 1000-kms didn't count for the FIA Manufacturer's World Championship. Contested on January 11, 1970, the event saw 25 cars at the start, among them the new Matra MS650 prototype, shared by Jean-Pierre Beltoise and Henri Pescarolo, and the new Alfa Romeo T33/3 of Andrea de Adamich and Piers Courage, as lonely works' cars. There is only one Porsche 917K at the start: David Piper's, the 1969 specification with a short rear tail. At the wheel of this car Brian Redman realised the pole, but the car had to retire with tyre-chunking problems. Apart from two Lolas T70 Mk3B the rest of the field was mainly made by 1969 Porsches 908-01 Coupes. Victory went surprisingly to the new Matra MS650 realising an average speed of 178.07 kmh. The new Alfa finished 6th. Only 11 cars reached the finish. 

MIL KILOMETROS DE LA CIUDAD DE BUENOS AIRES (TEMPORADA ARGENTINA)

1. Matra MS650 J.P. Beltoise-Pescarolo 1st P
2. Porsche 908/01 Soler Roig-Rindt 2nd P
3. Porsche 908/01 Dean/Copello 3rd P
4. Lola T70 Mk3B Pilette-Garcia Veiga 1st S
5. Porsche 908/01 de Cadenet-Pairetti 4th P
6. Alfa Romeo T33/3 de Adamich/Courage 5th P
7. Porsche 908/01 Peterson-Cupeiro 6th P
8. Porsche 908/01 Juncadella-Fernandez 7th P
9. Porsche 908/01 Laine-Gijs van Lennep 8th P
10. Porsche 908/01 Dechent-Koch 9th P
11. Lola T70 Mk3B Oliver-Reutemann 2nd S

TEMPORADA 1970 - Brian Redman dominated not only pratice but a large part of the race at the wheel of David Piper's 4.5-litre Porsche 917K, a 1969 specification (to be recognised on the nose). Here he passes Teddy Pilette in the VDS 5.0 Lola T70 Mk3B (#50). Redman retired after severe tyre-chiunking problems, having forced him to three pit stops. Picture: Champion, February 1970.

                ROUND 1: DAYTONA 24 HOURS
At the Daytona 24-hours Mario Andretti (in a works' Ferrari 512S) conquers the pole, ahead of the two JW Gulf Porsches 917K of Siffert/Redman and Rodriguez/Kinnunen. Being nearly 100 kgs heavier than the 917K, the 512S is easily outdistanced by the Porsches in the banking, more than can be made up on the road section. Despite the replacement of a clutch and an exhaust pipe on the Siffert/Redman car, costing the team nearly one hour into the pits, they can finish 3 laps ahead of the Andretti/Merzario 512S, finishing 3rd. Winners are Rodriguez/Kinnunen on the other 4.5 JW Gulf Porsche 917K, being …45 laps faster. Two other S.E.F.A.C. Ferraris 512S were retired, together with the private 512S of N.A.R.T. and Scuderia Picchio Rosso. The Salzburg 917K retired earlier with a split fuel tank. Both 312P Berlinettas, entered by N.A.R.T., finished as 4-5, winning the 3-litre prototype class. Also the two new 3.0 Matra MS650s can be brought home, but as low as 10th and 18th. The new prototypes Alfa Romeos T33/3 were not ready and didn't show. Of the 65 starters only 27 reached the finish. Of the old sports cars, such as the Ford GT40, the Ferrari 275LM and the Lola T70 Mk3B - no longer competitive now they have to fight the 560bhp Porsches 917K and Ferraris 512S - a N.A.R.T. Ferrari 275LM is brought home as 7th overall, while a Ford GT40 is 8th. An even older prototype, Greg Loomis's Porsche 906E is 9th. The GT class is dominated by the 7-litre Corvettes, taking the 3 first places in their category, and finishing 6th, 11th and 13th overall.

DAYTONA 24 HOURS 1970 - The classic picture of a new started season: two JW Gulf 4.5 Porsches 917K heading a fast but too heavy 5.0 Ferrari 512S. Picture: Sport Auto #109, p. 29.

DAYTONA 24 HOURS - QUALIFICATIONS

DAYTONA 24 HOURS - FINAL RESULTS

#28 Ferrari 512S SpA S.E.F.A.C. Andretti-Merzario S 1'51"6   1. Porsche 917K JWA Engineering Rodriguez-Kinnunen 1stS 724
#1 Porsche 917K JWA Engineering Siffert-Redman S 1'52"9   2. Porsche 917K JWA Engineering Siffert-Redman 2ndS 679
#2 Porsche 917K JWA Engineering Rodriguez-Kinnunen S 1'55"8   3. Ferrari 512S SpA S.E.F.A.C. Andretti-Merzario-Ickx 3rdS 676
#3 Porsche 917K KG Salzburg Ahrens-Elford S 1'56"1   4. Ferrari 312P N.A.R.T. Parkes-Posey 1stP 647
#27 Ferrari 512S SpA S.E.F.A.C. Ickx-Schetty S 1'56"9   5. Ferrari 312P N.A.R.T. Piper-Adamowicz 2ndP 632
#25 Ferrari 512S N.A.R.T. Gurney-Parsons S 1'57"8   6. Corvette StingR Owens Thompson-Mahler 1stGT 608
#33 Matra MS650 Matra Sports Brabham-Cévert P 1'58"7   7. Ferrari 275LM N.A.R.T. Chinetti jr-Young 4thS 603
#26 Ferrari 512S SpA S.E.F.A.C. Giunti-Vaccarella S 1'59"0   8. Ford GT40 William Wonder Wonder-Cuomo 5thS 579
#24 Ferrari 312P N.A.R.T. Posey-Parkes P 2'00"0   9. Porsche 906E Greg Loomis Loomis-Everett 3rdP 573
#5 Lola T70 Mk3B Randy's Cannon-Eaton S 2'02"4   10. Matra MS650 Matra Sports Brabham-Cévert 4thP 565
#7 Corvette StingR Owens Thompson-Mahler GT 2'04"6   11. Corvette Sting Cliff Gotlieb Gotlieb-Dooley 2ndGT 545
#53 Porsche 908/02 A.A.W. van Lennep-Laine P 2'05"2   13. Corvette Sting Owens De Lorenzo-Lang 3rdGT 535
#23 Ferrari 312P N.A.R.T. Piper-Adamowicz P 2'06"0   14. Porsche 911S Ralph Meaney Meaney-Wright 4thGT 534
#32 Matra MS650 Matra Sports Beltoise-Pescarolo P 1'53"0   15. Corvette Sting Or Constanzo Constanzo-Heinz 5thGT 533
#8 Corvette StingR Bob Johnson Johnson-Greendyke GT 2'07"0   18. Matra MS650 Matra Sports Beltoise-Pescarolo 5thP 509
#17 Ford GT40 Trevor Graham Hedges-Forrester S 2'07"6   20. MGB Waldron Motors Belperche-Lilly-Pickert 6thGT 504
#30 Ferrari 512S Picchio Rosso Manfredini-Moretti S 2'19"0   27. TVR Vixen Ray Walle Walle-Speakman 6thP 364

                  ROUND 2: SEBRING 12 HOURS
At the Sebring 12-hours Andretti conquers again the pole, ahead of the JW Gulf 917K of Siffert/Redman. The 7 first places on the grid go exclusively to Ferraris 512S and Porsches 917K. Three of the four Ferraris are spyders. Two 917s are entered by JWA, one by KG Salzburg. Another 917K, entered by Porsche-Audi USA for Hermann/Lins is 11th on the grid. There is also an interesting combat between the 3-litre prototypes, where the two new Matras MS650 and three new Alfa Romeos T33/3 head the older machinery on the grid: the Ferrari 312P Berlinetta and Porsches 908-02 of theprevious year. Just as in Daytona the Matra MS650 is the fastest prototype on the grid. At the eventual race, 3 of the 4 entered Ferraris 512S and 3 of the 4 Porsches 917K have to retire. Eventually Vaccarella/Giunti, helped by Mario Andretti after the retirement of his car, win the race with the works' 512S, but in the same lap of Steve McQueen's Porsche 908/2 (entered by Solar Productions in view of the film Le Mans). A works' Alfa Romeo T33/3 comes 3rd, one lap further, ahead of the Rodriguez/Kinnunen/Siffert JW Gulf 917K. Both Matras reach again the finish (now as 5th and 12th). And NART's Ferrari 312P is again 6th.

SEBRING 12 HOURS 1970 - The winning 5.0 Ferrari 512S (#21) in close company with the Ronnie Bucknum/Sam Posey N.A.R.T. 512S Barquetta. Here Ignazio Giunti drives the victorious car. He and team mate Nino Vaccarella were joined at the end of the race by Mario Andretti who drove furiously to take an eventual 22"1 win from the Peter Revson/Steve McQueen Porsche 908/02 Flunder. The orange car coming last on the picture is the 1.8 Chevron-FVC B16 which retired during the 4th hour with a broken camshaft. Picture: Automobile Year #18, p. 183.

SEBRING 12 HOURS - QUALIFICATIONS

SEBRING 12 HOURS - FINAL RESULTS

#19 Ferrari 512S Spyder SpA SEFAC Andretti-Merzario S 2'33"5   1. Ferrari 512S SpA SEFAC Andretti-Vaccarella-Giunti 1stS 248
#14 Porsche 917K JWA Siffert-Redman S 2'34"47   2. Porsche 908-02 Solar McQueen-Revson 1stP 248
#16 Porsche 917K KG Salzburg  Elford-Ahrens S 2'35"42   3. Alfa T33/3 Autodelta Gregory-Hezemans 2ndP 247
#20 Ferrari 512S Spyder SpA SEFAC Ickx-Schetty S 2'36"23   4. Porsche 917K JWA Rodriguez-Kinnunen-Siffert 2ndS 244
#15 Porsche 917K JWA Rodriguez-Kinnunen S 2'36"31   5. Matra MS650 Matra Sports Pescaloro/Servoz-Gavin 3rdP 242
#24 Ferrari 512S Spyder N.A.R.T. Bucknum-Posey S 2'36"48   6. Ferrari 312P N.A.R.T. Parkes-Parsons 4thP 240
#21 Ferrari 512S SpA SEFAC Giunti-Vaccarella S 2'36"60   7. Porsche 908-02 Martini Int'l Larousse-Koch-Attwood 5thP 236
#35 Matra MS650 Matra Sports Gurney-Cévert P 2'37"44   8. Alfa T33/3 Autodelta Courage-de Adamich 6thP 231
#31 Alfa Romeo T33/3 Autodelta Courage-de Adamich P 2'38"47   9. Alfa T33/3 Autodelta Stommelen-Galli 7thP 230
#34 Matra MS650 Matra Sports Pescarolo-Servoz P 2'39"50   10. Corvette Sting Troy Promo De Lorenzo-Lang 1stGT 219
#17 Porsche 917K Porsche-Audi Hermann-Lins  S 2'40"32   11. Corvette Sting Bob Johnson Johnson-Greendyke 2ndGT 214
#32 Alfa Romeo T33/3 Autodelta Stommelen-Galli P 2'40"78   12. Matra MS650 Matra Sports Gurney-Cévert 8thP 213
#33 Alfa Romeo T33/3 Autodelta Gregory-Hezemans P 2'41"37   15. Porsche 911S Jacq Duval Duval-Baily-Nicolas 3rdGT 201
#22 Ferrari 312P N.A.R.T. Parkes-Parsons P 2'42"19   17. Chevy Camaro Marlbank Grossman-Yenko 4thGT 189
#48 Porsche 908/02 Solar McQueen-Revson P 2'42"75   20. Corvette Sting Troy Promo Thompson-Mahler 5thGT 187
#23 Ferrari 312P N.A.R.T. Chinetti jr-Adamowicz P 2'43"10   22. Porsche 906S Food Brokers Rahal-Wise-Franck 3rdS 181
#47 Porsche 908/02 A.A.W. Laine/van Lennep P 2'44"17   25. MGB Waldron Mot Belperche-Gommon 6thGT 175
#46 Porsche 908/02 Martini Larousse-Attwood P 2'46"43   29. Porsche 906S P-Audi USA Behr-Rosen 4thS NC
#30 Corvette StingRay Owens Thompson/Mahler GT 2'57"76   32. Lola T70 Mk3B Randy's Brown-Young-Ormes 6thS NC

ROUND 3: BRANDS HATCH 1000-KM
At the following Le Mans April Tests the 5.0 JW Gulf Porsche 917K of Brian Redman is with 3'33"500 a half second faster than the work's 5.0 Ferrari 512S Coda Lunga of Jacky Ickx. The Autodelta 3.0 Alfa Romeo T33/3 is third with 3'36"500, followed far behind by the Team VDS 5.0 Lola T70Mk3B GT in 3'51". The April tests go during the same week-end of the BOAC 1000-kms, thus round #3 at the Brands Hatch. Both at Le Mans as at Brands heavy rain perturbs the event. For the third consecutive time the Ferraris are the fastest during the qualifications.  We note four Ferraris 512S as entrants: two works cars, one entered by Filipinetti and one by Gelo Racing. The works cars develop now 580bhp. There are five Porsches 917K, 570bhp strong: 2 by JWA, 2 by KG Salzburg and Piper's. Four older Lolas T70 Mk3B complete the sports cars entry. Among the 3-litre prototypes the Matra MS650 is for the third consecutive time fastest qualifier, now as fourth, only 0.4 seconds slower than TQ. The Porsches 917K make it 1-2-3 with John Wyer's Pedro Rodriguez/Leo Kinnunen beating the two Salzburg entries. The 512S Ferraris come no further than 5-8-13 despite a 1-2 on the grid; 13th is the Filipinetti machine, the Gelo Racing 512S being unable to start due to unavailable tires. Similar problems for David Piper's personal 917K. Again both new 3.0 Matra MS650 reach the finish, but only as 12-21. The unique 3.0 Alfa Romeo T33/3 is retired by accident. Winner among the prototypes is for the second consecutive time the Porsche 908-02. The Joachim Bonnier Lola T70 Mk3B is brought home as 7th. Only 17 of the 34 started cars reach the finish.

BOAC 1000-KMS BRANDS HATCH 1970 - Chris Amon in the pole setting SEFAC Ferrari 512S Barquetta, which finished 5th, 10 laps behind the winning JW Gulf 4.5 Porsche 917K. One remarks the modified front spoiler, coming deeper. Picture: PRUNET Antoine, La Légende Ferrari Sport et Prototypes, Paris: E.P.A., 1983 (1978), 2nd, p. 241.

B.O.A.C. 1000 KMS - QUALIFICATIONS

B.O.A.C. 1000 KMS - FINAL RESULTS

#2 Ferrari 512S SpA SEFAC Amon-Merzario S 1'28"6   1. Porsche 917K JWA Rodriguez-Kinnunen 1stS 235
#1 Ferrari 512S SpA SEFAC Ickx-Olivier S 1'28"8   2. Porsche 917K KG Salzburg Elford-Hulme 2ndS 230
#11 Porsche 917K KG Salzburg  Elford-Hulme S 1'28"8   3. Porsche 917K KG Salzburg Attwood-Hermann 3rdS 227
#51 Matra MS650 Matra Sports Brabham-Beltoise P 1'29"0   4. Porsche 908-02 A.A.W. Van Lennep-Laine 1stP 227
#9 Porsche 917K JWA Siffert-Redman S 1'29"2   5. Ferrari 512S SpA SEFAC Amon-Merzario 4thS 225
#52 Matra MS650 Matra Sports Pescarolo-Servoz P 1'29"8   6. Porsche 908-02 Martini Koch-Larousse 2ndP 217
#10 Porsche 917K JWA Rodriguez-Kinnunen S 1'30"0   7. Lola T70 Mk3B Écurie Bonnier Bonnier-Wissell 5thS 217
#60 Alfa Romeo T33/3 Autodelta Courage-de Adamich P 1'30"4   8. Ferrari 512S SpA SEFAC Ickx-Olivier 6thS 213
#12 Porsche 917K KG Salzburg Attwood-Hermann S 1'30"4   9. Porsche 910 John L'Amie Reid-L'Amie 7thS 211
#57 Porsche 908/02 A.A.W. Van Lennep-Laine P 1'30"8   10. Chevron B8 BMW Central Garage Lepp-Silverwood 8thS 211
#59 McLaren M8C Evergreen Craft-T. Taylor P 1'32"2   11. Porsche 910 Bob Johnson Gold-Beuttler 9thS 201
#32 Lola T70 Mk3B Grand Bahama de Udy-Gardner S 1'32"6   12. Matra MS650 Matra Sports Brabham-Beltoise 3rdP 201
#33 Lola T70 Mk3B Écurie Bonnier Bonnier-Wissell S 1'32"6   13. Ferrari 512S Filipinetti Parkes-Müller 10thS 197
#3 Ferrari 512S Filipinetti Parkes-Müller S 1'33"8   15. Gropa CMC Ford A.M. Graphic Birrell-Mylius 4thP 195
#4 Ferrari 512S Gelo Racing Loos-Williams S 1'35"0   16. Astra RNR2 Ford Roger Nathan Nathan-Beckwith 5thP 193
#14 Porsche 917K David Piper Piper-Hobbs S 1'42"0   17. Chevron B16 Ford Chevron Racing Bridges-Lawson 6thP 189

                  ROUND 4: MONZA 1000-KM
At round #4, the Monza 1,000-kms, where 80,000 supporters showed, Enzo Ferrari is handicapped by the fact that Mario Andretti is not free and that Jacky Ickx is not recovered from his accident at the Spanish F1 Grand Prix. Six 512S are present: three works' cars, Filipinetti's, Picchio Rossi's and Gelo's (which will not be qualified). Porsche has 7 917Ks at the start, among them one 5 litre car entered by KG Salzburg for Elford/Ahrens. The 6 others (2 for JWA, another for KG Salzburg, one of David Piper, a new one for A.A.W, and another new one for Gesipa) are all 4.5-litre set-ups. It's the first of three championship's races lost by Ferrari due to a total disorganisation of its pits. Indeed between laps 92 and 100 (575 kms) Ignazio Giunti succeeded undoing a 15 seconds arrear on the leading Rodriguez-Kinnunen Porsche. But when he takes the lead and comes in for refuelling he finds no less than 3 Ferraris in the pits. Normally the very fast Chris Amon should had take over the wheel, but due to general confusion the slower Nino Vaccarella starts, loosing half a second per lap. At the last refuelling Amon gets the wheel but has to undo an arrear of more than one minute: mission impossible. All five Ferraris 512S reach the finish with a 2-3-4 for the factory cars, an 8th and 9th place for res. Filipinetti's and Picchio Rossi's 512s. Winners are Rodriguez/Kinnunen, a minute ahead over the open 512S of Giunti/Vacca-rella. John Surtees - back at the Prancing Horse after four years of absence - finishes 3rd. Both Matras are now home as 5th and 6th, winning the prototype class. First works' 3.0 Alfa Romeo T33/3 is 7th. After 4 rounds it's obvious that the 3-litre prototypes are unable to follow on fast circuits the 5-litre sports cars. The remaining 917Ks all ran in problems, with the Gesipa, A.A.W. and second JWGulf finishing as 10-11-12. The similar Salzburg and Piper machinery was retired with engine problems.

MONZA 1000-Kms 1970 - Start of a race Ferrari only lost by the terrible misorganisation of its pit crew. LEFT LINE: #8 JW Gulf Porsche 917K (Siffert/Redman), #1 SEFAC Ferrari 512S (Amon/Merzario), #3 SEFAC Ferrari 512S Barquetta (Giunti/Vaccarella), #2 SEFAC Ferrari 512S (Surtees/Schetty), #9 KG Salzburg Porsche 917K (Hermann/Attwood), etc. RIGHT LINE: #10 KG Salzburg Porsche 917K (Ahrens/Elford), #7 JW Gulf Porsche 917K (Rodriguez/Kinnunen), #14 Gesipa Rivets Porsche 917K (Neuhaus/Kelleners), #12 A.A.W. Shell Porsche 917K (Laine/Van Lennep), followed by an Alfa Romeo T33/3 and a Matra MS650. Picture: Sport Auto, 1970.

MONZA  1000 KMS - QUALIFICATIONS

MONZA 1000 KMS - FINAL RESULTS

#8 Porsche 917K JWA Gulf Siffert-Redman S 1'25"21   1. Porsche 917K JWA Gulf Rodriguez-Kinnunen 1stS 174
#1 Ferrari 512S SpA SEFAC Amon-Merzario S 1'25"78 2. Ferrari 512S SEFAC Giunti-Vaccarella-Amon 2ndS 174
#10 Porsche 917K KG Salzburg  Elford-Ahrens S 1'25"82   3. Ferrari 512S SEFAC Surtees-Schetty 3rdS 171
#3 Ferrari 512S Spydr SpA SEFAC Giunti-Vaccarella S 1'26"10 4. Ferrari 512S SEFAC Amon-Merzario 4thS 171
#7 Porsche 917K JWA Gulf Rodriguez-Kinnunen S 1'26"36   5. Matra MS650 Matra Sports Brabham-Beltoise 1thP 169
#2 Ferrari 512S SpA SEFAC Surtees-Schetty S 1'26"69 6. Matra MS650 Matra Sports Pescarolo-Servoz Gavin 2ndP 169
#14 Porsche 917K Gesipa Rivets Neuhaus-Kelleners S 1'27"02   7. Alfa Romeo 33/3 Autodelta Galli-Stommelen 3rdP 166
#9 Porsche 917K KG Salzburg Attwood-Hermann S 1'27"15 8. Ferrari 512S Filipinetti Parkes-Müller 5thS 163
#12 Porsche 917K A.A.W. Shell Van Lennep-Laine S 1'27"52   9. Ferrari 512S Picchio Rosso Moretti-Manfredini 6thS 163
#37 Alfa Romeo 33/3 Autodelta Courage- Adamich P 1'27"88 10. Porsche 917K Gesipa Rivets Neuhaus-Kelleners 7thS 162
#38 Alfa Romeo 33/3 Autodelta Galli-Stommelen P 1'28"26   11. Porsche 917K AAW Shell Van Lennep-Laine 8thS 162
#37 Matra MS650 Matra Sports Pescarolo-Servoz P 1'28"34 12. Porsche 917K JWA Gulf Siffert-Redman 9thS 158
#36 Matra MS650 Matra Sports Brabham-Beltoise P 1'28"60   13. Alfa Romeo 33/3 Autodelta Courage-de Adamich 4thP 158
#4 Ferrari 512S Filipinetti Parkes-Müller S 1'28"61 14. Porsche 908/02 Martini Larousse-Lins 5thP 157
#5 Ferrari 512S Picchio Rosso Moretti-Manfredini S 1'29"08   15. Porsche 907 André Wicky Wicky-Cabral 6thP 144
#11 Porsche 917K David Piper Piper-Adamowicz S 1'29"39   20. Porsche 911S Brescia Corse Schenetti-Zerbini 1stGT 128

 ROUND #5: 54th TARGA FLORIO
At the mountainous Targa Florio - a legendary road race over 10 laps of 72 kilometres - the lighter 3-litre prototypes have at least their chance against the heavy 5-litre sports-cars. This year there are more than 400,000 spectators (!): 5 times more than at Monza, 6 times more than at Sebring, 20 times more than at Brands Hatch. All 400,000 they came to support the Italian cars. Ferrari has no car able to win since its 5-litre 512S sports car, given to the national hero Nino Vaccarella, can hardly compete against the lighter and much more adapted 3-litre prototypes. The only other 5-litre sports car is Filipinetti's 512S. Autodelta has three 3.0 Alfa Romeos T33/3 at the start, Carlo Abarth two new 3.0 Abarths 3000SP. The sworn enemy of the public is Porsche, showing with no less than four brand new and ultra light 3.0 908/3K machines, derived from the Bergspider: three entered by JW Gulf, one by Salzburg.  Porsche is very decided to conquer its 5th consecutive win at the Targa. Matra is absent.  The race is dominated by the JW Gulf 908/3K Porsches taking 1-2-5 with Jo Siffert/Brian Redman as winners. The 512S Ferraris finish as 3rd and 6th. No Alfas T33/3 and no 3-litre Abarths reach the finish. For Autodelta the 54th Targa is a disaster since its three prototypes were written off. Superb race, as always, by Sandro Munari and Claudio Maglioli bringing their Lancia Fulvia HF home as 9th and winner in the GT class. Jonathan Williams, who lost the wheel of his damaged Alfa Romeo T33/3 found another wheel in the 2.0 Alfa Romeo T33/2 Barquetta, brought home as 7th overall. Abarth, having lost its two 3-litre prototypes, could save the honour by finishing with two Abarths 2000S in the top-10 (8th and 10th). A 5 years old Ferrari Dino 206S finished 11th. Of the 78 starting cars 43 reached the finish.

54th TARGA FLORIO - QUALIFICATION

54th TARGA FLORIO - FINAL RESULTS

#12 Porsche 908/3 JWA Gulf Jo Siffert (CH) P 34'10"0   1. Porsche 908/3 JWA Gulf Siffert-Redman 1stP 11
#20 Porsche 908/3 KG Salzburg Vic Elford (GB) P 34'37"3 2. Porsche 908/3 JWA Gulf Rodriguez-Kinnunen 2ndP 11
#6 Ferrari 512S Spyder SpA SEFAC Nino Vaccarella (I) S 34'46"0   3. Ferrari 512S SEFAC Vaccarella/Giunti 1stS 11
#28 Alfa Romeo 33/3 Autodelta Piers Courage (GB) P 35'05"7 4. Porsche 908/02 A.A.W. Laine-Van Lennep 3rdP 11
#40 Porsche 908/3 JWA Gulf P. Rodriguez (MEX) P 35'12"8   5. Porsche 908/3 JWA Gulf Attwood/Waldegaard 4thP 11
#18 Porsche 908/02 A.A.W. Gijs van Lennep(NL) P 35'21"7 6. Ferrari 512S Filipinetti Parkes/Müller 2ndS 10
#32 Alfa Romeo 33/3 Autodelta Nanni Galli (I) P 35'43"5   7. Alfa Romeo 33/2 Autodelta Williams-Alberti 5thP 10
#26 Porsche 908/02 Martini Int'l Gerard Larousse(F) P 35'54"0 8. Abarth 2000S Brescia Corse "Pam"-"Gibi" 3rdS 10
#14 Alfa Romeo 33/3 Autodelta T. Hezemans (NL) P 37'05"0   9. Lancia Fulvia HF HF Sq Corse C.Maglioli-Munari 1stGT 10
#36 Porsche 908/3 JWA Gulf Bj. Waldegaard (S) P 37'12"2 10. Abarth 2000S Etna Virgilio-Taramazzo 4thS 10
#4 Ferrari 512S Filipinetti Herbert Müller (D) S 37'38"5   11. Ferrari Dino 206S Pegaso Lo Piccolo-Calascibetta 6thP 10
#38 Abarth 3000SP Abarth Corse Arturo Merzario (I) P 38'55"0 14. Porsche 911S L.Marchiolo Marciolo-Castro 2ndGT 9
#98 Abarth 2000S Etna G. Virgilio (I) S 40'19"3   15. Porsche 911T David Weir De Cadenet-Ogier 3rdGT 9
#56 Alfa Romeo 33/2 Sc. Madunina J. Williams (GB) S 40'35"2 17. Porsche 911S André Wicky Garant-Chevenière 4thGT 9
#174 Lancia HF HF Sq Corse Sandro Munari (I) GT 40'35"5   18. Lancia Fulvia HF Jolly Club Restivo-Apache 5thGT 9
#58 Ferrari Dino 206S Pegaso P. Lo Piccolo (I) P 41'03"0 20. Alpine A110 R.Romonio Romonio-Giacomini 6thGT 9
#200 Lancia HF HF Sq. Corse A. Ballestrieri (I) GT 41'09"3   24. Alfa TZ-2 P.de Francisci Francisci-Balistreri 5thS 9
#86 Porsche 911S Porsche Club Claude Haldi (CH) GT 41'09"9   27. Alfa TZ2 Nissena Guigno-Sutera 6thS 8

        ROUND #6: SPA 1000-KMS
At round #6, the Spa-Francorchamps 1,000-kms., we find no less than six Porsches 917K at the start (two by JW Gulf and Salzburg, one by A.A.W. and Gesipa) and four Ferraris 512S (three work's cars and the yellow Écurie Francorchamps). Three of the Porsches have already the 5-litre engine: the two John Wyer Gulf Porsches and the 917K of KG Salzburg shared by Elford-Attwood. On the extremely fast Spa circuit the 5-litre Porsches reach lap speeds around 250 kmh! Winners are Siffert/Redman in the 5.0 JW Gulf Porsche 917K, ahead of the 5.0 Ferrari 512S shared by Jacky Ickx and John Surtees, coming 2'35" later over the finish line. Nevertheless Ickx was fighting like a devil, leading the race after 2 hours. At mid-race the difference is between the Redman-Siffert Porsche and the Ickx-Surtees Ferrari is only 2 seconds. Surtees, however, spills all the efforts made by the young Belgian. When he finds his car back, after a 60 minutes stint by Surtees, the battle is lost. Eventually the 917Ks sign for a 1-3-5-6-17-DNF, the 512S Ferraris for a 2-4-7-8. Alfa Romeo having lost its 3 spyders at the Targa and Matra, being not ready with the new MS660, are absent. Battle among the prototypes will go between the Martini International Porsches 908-02 and the very fast Porsche 907 of Hans-Dieter Blatzheim, being the fastest prototype on practice. The Chevron B16 Mazda is the lonely serious opponent of Porsche among the prototypes. Winners in this category are Larousse/Lins in the Martini International Porsche 908/02. After a brilliant race the VDS Lola T70 of Pilette has to retire from an astonishing 7th place.

SPA 1000-KILOMETRES 1970 - Splendid image of the 5.0 KG Salzburg Porsche 917K, driven into 6th place by Hans Hermann and Dick Attwood.

SPA 1000 KMS - QUALIFICATIONS

SPA 1000 KMS - FINAL RESULTS

#25 Porsche 917K JWA Gulf Rodriguez-Kinnunen S 3'19"8   1. Porsche 917K JWA Gulf Siffert-Redman 1stS 71
#24 Porsche 917K JWA Gulf Siffert-Redman S 3'23"9 2. Ferrari 512S SEFAC Ickx-Surtees 2ndS 71
#20 Ferrari 512S SpA SEFAC Ickx-Surtees S 3'24"4   3. Porsche 917K KG Salzburg Elford-Ahrens 3rdS 70
#30 Porsche 917K Gesipa Rivets Kelleners-Neuhaus S 3'29"7 4. Ferrari 512S SEFAC Giunti-Vaccarella 4thS 68
#22 Ferrari 512S SpA SEFAC Giunti-Vaccarella S 3'30"2   5. Porsche 917K A.A.W. Shell Laine-Van Lennep 5thS 68
#43 Porsche 917K A.A.W. Shell Laine-Van Lennep S 3'31"1 6. Porsche 917K KG Salzburg Attwood-Herrmann 6thS 68
#23 Ferrari 512S Éc.Francorchamps Bell-de Fierlandt S 3'31"6   7. Ferrari 512S SpA SEFAC Schetty-Merzario 7thS 66
#29 Porsche 917K KG Salzburg Attwood-Herrmann S 3'33"2 8. Ferrari 512S Francorchamps Bell-de Fierlandt 8thS 64
#21 Ferrari 512S SpA Ferrari Schetty-Merzario S 3'35"4   9. Porsche 908-02 Martini Int'l Larousse-Lins 1stP 64
#33 Lola T70 Mk3B Écurie Bonnier Bonnier-Wisell S 3'35"4 10. Lola T70 Mk3B Éc. Bonnier Bonnier-Wisell 9thS 63
#35 Lola T70 Mk3B Team VDS Pilette-Gosselin S 3'36"4   11. Porsche 908/02 Martini Int'l Dechent-Marko 2ndP 62
#28 Porsche 917K KG Salzburg Elford-Ahrens S 3'40"5 12. Porsche 910 John L'Amie Nelson-L'Amie 10thS 59
#15 Porsche 907 H-D Blatzheim Blatzheim-Kraus P 3'41"1   13. Porsche 907 H-D Blatzheim Blatzheim-Kraus 3rdP 59
#5 Porsche 908/02 Martini Int'l Dechent-Marko P 3'47"8 15. Chevron B16Mazda Levi's Deprez-Vernaeve 4thP 55
#6 Porsche 908/02 Martini Int'l Larousse-Lins P 3'49"3   16. Porsche 911S Chevenière Chevenière-Haldi 1stGT 55
#34 Lola T70 Mk3B Devel Moteurs Pillon-Morand S 3'51"5 18. Porsche 911S Kremer Kremer-von Wendt 2ndGT 54
#32 Porsche 910 Paul Vestey Vestey-Sadler S 4'07"6   19. Alpine A110 J-M Jacquemin Jacquemin-Pallayer 3rdGT 52
#59 Porsche 911S Chevenière Chevenière-Haldi GT 4'20"5   20. Porsche 911S J-P Gaban VButsel-Moerenhout 4thGT 50

ROUND #7: NÜRBURGRING 1000-KMS
At round #7 on the mountainous Nürburgring, Porsche shows with four 908/3K machines (two for Salzburg, two for JW Gulf), backed up by, among others, two Martini 908/2 and one A.A.W. 908/2, and by the Gesipa 917K. Ferrari brings two 5.0 512S works' cars at the start, backed up by the Filipinetti machinery. Practice is full of drama when Hans Laine hits with the A.A.W. 908/2 the bump on the bridge where Henri Grandsire had his accident two years earlier. Laine is trapped in his 908 when it is overturning. When he tries to escape the whole car is a mass of flames, burning so fiercely that no one can get near. Only 15 minutes later the fire is under control, but poor Laine is burnt to death. The four Porsches 908/3 take the four first places on the grid. First of the three Ferraris on the grid is the Giunti/Merzario works' 512S Barquetta. On Sunday the show must go on. Being out on the lead since the start the JW Gulf cars are off before mid-race. That brings the Salzburg 908/3K cars at the two first places, with Ahrens/Elford beating Hermann/ Attwood by 5 minutes. The Surtees/Vaccarella 512S Spider is 3rd, ahead of Filipinetti's Parkes/Müller pairing. The Martini 908/2 Flunders come home as 5-6. The lonely Alfa Romeo T33/3, 5th on the grid, was retired with a broken shock absorber. The Chevron B16 Mazda with rotor motor finished as 10th: a real performance. Of the 54 started cars 34 reach the finish, among them an old Ford GT40, brought home as 22nd. Fastest GT is the Porsche 911S, finishing 14th, 7 entire laps behind the winning 908/3 of Kurt Ahrens and Vic Elford.

ADAC 1000-KM-RENNEN 1970- Jo Siffert (CH), in the #20 JWA Gulf 3.0 Porsche 908/3, gets uptight, both personally and behind Ignazio Giunti  (I) as he tries to pass the #57 SpA SEFAC 5.0 Ferrari 512S Barquetta in the opening laps. The 908/3 led the race at mid-race, only to be put out with a seized engine (no oil pression) after 24 of the 44 laps. Another 908/3 won the race, the #22 Salzbug 3.0 Porsche 908/3 driven by Vic Elford (GB) and Kurt Ahrens (D). Picture: Automobile Year 1970-1971, #18, p. 201.

NÜRBURGRING 1000 KMS - QUALIFICATIONS

NÜRBURGRING 1000 KMS - FINAL RESULTS

#20 Porsche 908-3 JWA Gulf Siffert-Redman P 7'43"3   1. Porsche 908-3 KG Salzburg Ahrens-Elford 1stP 44
#21 Porsche 908-3 JWA Gulf Rodriguez-Kinnunen P 7'44"2 2. Porsche 908-3 KG Salzburg Hermann-Attwood 2ndP 44
#22 Porsche 908-3 KG Salzburg Elford-Ahrens P 7'48"2   3. Ferrari 512S SpA SEFAC Surtees-Vaccarella 1stS 43
#15 Porsche 908-3 KG Salzburg Hermann-Ahrens P 7'57"1 4. Ferrari 512S Filipinetti Müller-Parkes 2ndS 42
#6 Alfa Romeo 33/3 SpA Autodelta Stommelen-Courage P 7'59"2   5. Porsche 908-02 Martini Int'l Larousse-Marko 3rdP 42
#57 Ferrari 512S SpA SEFAC Giunti-Merzario S 8'01"7 6. Porsche 908-02 Martini Int'l Lins-Kauhsen 4thP 42
#55 Ferrari 512S SpA SEFAC Surtees-Vaccarella S 8'12"3   7. Porsche 908-02 German BG von Wendt-Koch 5thP 41
#58 Ferrari 512S Filipinetti Parkes-Müller S 8'15"9 8. Porsche 908-02 Asahi Pentax Greger-Leuze 6th< b>P 40
#54 Porsche 917K Gesipa Kelleners-Neuhaus S 8'17"4   9. Porsche 907 André Wicky Wicky-de Cabral 7thP 39
#1 Porsche 908-02 Martini Int'l Larousse-Marko P 8'21"5 10. Chevron B16 Mazda Lévi's Deprez-Vernaeve 8thP 39
#17 Porsche 908-02 Gesipa Basche-Werlich P 8'24"8   14. Porsche 911S Chiquita Fröhlich-Toivonen 1stGT 37
#2 Porsche 908-02 Martini Int'l Lins-Kauhsen P 8'35"7 15. Porsche 911S Kremer Kremer-Huber 2ndGT 37
#11 Porsche 908-02 German BG von Wendt-Koch P 8'37"4   16. Porsche 911S Peter Kersten Schickentanz-Stuck 3rdGT 37
#19 Berta LR Ford Oreste Berta DiPalma-Marincovich P 8'39"8 17. Chevron B8 BMW R. Heavens Heavens-Garton 3rdS 37
#6 Porsche 908/02 Asahi-Pentax Leuze-Greger P 8'41"1   18. Porsche 911L KG Salzburg Loos-Pesch 4thGT 36
#38 Daren Mk2 Daren Cars Richardson-Cowin P 8'52"8 19. VW Porsche 914 Sc.Lufthansa Huhn-Schwarz 5thGT 36
#26 Chevron B16 Red Rose Bridges-Lawson P 8'56"5   22. Ford GT40 Evergreen Forester-de Cadenet 4thS 35
#79 Porsche 911S Chiquita Fröhlich-Toivonen GT 9'35"0   30. Chevron B8 BMW Worchester Tangyre-Westey 5thS 32

 ROUND #8: LE MANS 24 HOURS
Then comes Le Mans. For Porsche, having already won six of the seven rounds, and being already crowned as winner of the 1970 FIA Manufacturer's World Championship on the holy home ground of the Eifel, it's now or never. John Wyer, who won the two last editions of Le Mans with Ford, feels that he, and nobody else, deserves to win the first Le Mans for Porsche. He prepared 3 cars, the #20 and #21 equipped with the 5-litre engine, the #22 (Hobbs/Hailwood) with the standard 4.5-litre. He's not very happy that the factory is present with three other works cars, officially entered by KG Salzburg. Of those 3 machines the 917 LH is equipped with a 5-litre engine. (One of them will not be raced). Another 917LH, with a 4.5-litre engine, also a pure works machinery, goes to the Martini International Team, being also present with a Porsche 908/02 LH. The 7th and last 917 at  the start is the lonely client's version, entered by the very rich Aarno Wihuri for Gijs van Lennep/David Piper.
The Prancing Horse is present with eleven 512S machines, all in Coda Lunga version, but only 8 of them are candidate winners. Four are work's entries, two by Filipinetti and one by N.A.R.T., Écurie Francorchamps, Escuderia Montjuich, Scuderio Picchio Rosso, and Gelo Racing. The three last cars are pure clients entry without factory back-up. N.A.R.T. has also its 3.0 Ferrari 312P Berlinetta on the grid. Other 3-litre prototypes than the 312P are three Matras MS650 and four Alfa Romeos T33/3.
TQ goes to the Elford/Ahrens Salzburg 917LH in a superb 3'19"8, followed by the works' 512S of Giunti/Vaccarella in 3'20"0, the Siffert/Redman JW Gulf 917K in 3'21"1, the Peterson/Merzario work's 512S in 3'21"3, the Rodriguez/
Kinnunen JW Gulf 917K in 3'21"8 and the works' 512S of Ickx/Schetty in 3'23"1. Blamed for the deadly accident of John Woolfe last year, the organising A.C.O. abandoned the traditional Le Mans start. Moreover 12 kms of barrier was added to the track. At 4 p.m. Ferry Porsche himself drops the flag and sees two of his cars blasting off: Elford and Siffert. After 27 minutes of racing Ferrari's fastest man, Nino Vaccarella (#6) comes into the pits with a broken ball-bearing and retires. Before the end of the second hour three other Ferraris are out after a multiple accident in the rain: the two Filipinettis (#14 and #15) and a second works' car (#8). One lap further the third work's Ferrari (#7) is out with a broken valve, followed by two of the three JW Gulf Porsches: Rodriguez/Kinnunen (#21) after a broken connec-ting rod and Hobbs/Hailwood (#22) after a collision. Of the eleven 512S Ferraris only six are left, against five 917 Porsches out of seven. After four hours those five Porsches are found at the five first places, with Siffert/Redman (JW Gulf) leading Elford/Ahrens (Salzburg) and Piper/Van Lennep (A.A.W.). First Ferrari is the Ickx/Schetty works' car (#5), preceding a Matra MS650, an Alfa T33/3 and the Manfre-dini/Moretti Picchio Ross
o 512S (entered under Filipinetti colours). Two hours later, under the streaming rain, Ickx is already third, four hours later second behind the #20 JW Gulf Siffert/Redman 917K. Meanwhile Ferrari lost the Gelo Racing 512S (#10) due to handling problems under the rain, and Matra lost its three MS650 prototypes during the 7th hour with broken piston rings. Shortly after midnight Gijs van Lennep spins the yellow and red #18 A.A.W. 917K after a front tire puncture at 300 kph, bringing the balance of survivors to five 5-litre cars for Porsche and five for Ferrari. A quarter-to-two in the morning, Jacky Ickx, having already complained of feeling tired, but always second, and bearing the hope of all Ferrari fans, spins at the Ford Chicane, and hurts a marshal who is killed. The last work's 512S catch fire. It is the end of the Ferrari challenge. Hardly 15 minutes later the #20 Siffert/Redman JW Gulf 917K, having a 7-lap advance over the red and white #25 Salzburg Attwood/Her-mann 917K, comes into the pits with oil pouring from practically everywhere. Now only three 917K Porsches (one Martini #3 and two Salzburg #23-#25) and four 512S Ferraris (but no works' cars) are left: #16 Picchio Rosso, #11 NART, #12 Francorchamps, the slow and ill #9 Montjuich. Leading are Hermann/Ahrens in the #23 KG Salzburg 917K. Second are now Larousse/Kauhsen in the psychedelic coloured #3 Martini 917LH, ahead of the #25 Salzburg 917K of Elford/ Ahrens, the #27 Martini 908/2 Flunder and the #35 Stommelen/"Galli" Alfa Romeo T33/3. First Ferrari is N.A.R.T.'s #11 Posey/Bucknum 512S, only 6th and 12 laps down to the leaders. Before mid-race we loose an two other Ferraris 512S, the Escuderia Montjuich with a split gearbox and the Picchio Rosso with a broken rear driveshaft. Until 8 o'clock in the morning positions rest unchanged, with the three surviving Porsches 917 at the three first places and the Stommelen/"Galli" Alfa Romeo T33/3 always hunting the Lins/Marko 908/2 Flunder. By 8.30 a.m. an inlet valve brakes on the #25 Elford/Ahrens Salzburg 917K, being enforced to retire. The #35 Alfa Romeo T33/3 is only during a few minutes 4th, since the car is shortly after black-flagged for receiving outside restarting help. Three Porsches are now followed by three Ferraris, N.A.R.T.'s #11 512S being 4th, the Belgian #12512S being 5th and the #57 312P Berlinetta coming as 6th (and 2nd in the prototypes class). Under the heavy storm during the last hours the 312P will loose four places, while other positions remain unchanged.

LES 24 HEURES DU MANS 1970 - TQ-er #25 KG Salzburg Porsche 917LH (Elford/Ahrens, retired after 17 hours) leads the three John Wyer Gulf Porsches (retiring res. after 11 hours, 3 hours and 4 hours), the #6 Ferrari 512S LH (Giunti/Vaccarella, retired after 7 laps), the #8 Ferrari 512S LH (Merzario/Regazzoni, victim of a colision after 3 hous), the #15 Filipinetti Ferrari 512S LH (Parkes/Müller, retired after the same accident at the end of the third hour), the yellow #12 Garage Francorchamps Ferrari 512S LH (finishing 5th), the #3 Martini International Porsche 917LH (finishing 3rd), the #14 Filipinetti Ferrari 512S LH (Bonnier/Wisell, also retired at the accident after 3 hours), the #16 Picchio Rosso Ferrari 512S (Manfredini/Moretti, retired after 12 hours) and the first prototype, the #35 Alfa Romeo T33/3 (still 4th after 17 hours, but retired). Picture: Sport Auto, #109, p. 29.

Eventually the Attwood/Hermann Salzburg 917K wins, five laps ahead of the Larousse/Kauhsen Martini 917LH. First prototype is the Lins/Marko Martini 908/2 Flunder, heading the two surviving 512S Ferraris. This year Porsche not only wins the Manufacturer's World Championship, but eventually the much more important Le Mans 24-hours. In total 16 cars reach the finish line, but only 7 are classified. Porsche wins also among the prototypes with the #27 Martini International 908-02LH and among the GTs with the #40 Sonauto 914/6. There were 300,000 spectators.
One week after Le Mans F1 driver Piers Courage dies at Zandvoort at the Dutch GP. Two weeks later three racers are killed the same day: Derek Williams at a F-5000 race in Anderstorp, Jean-Luc Salmon and Dennis Gayan at a race for F3 at the hyper dangerous circuit of Rouen. Five days later Bruce McLaren is killed at that other deadly track - Goodwood - testing his new McLaren M8D in view of the CANAM series.

LE MANS 24 HOURS - QUALIFICATIONS

LE MANS 24 HOURS - FINAL RESULTS

#25 Porsche 917LH 5-li KG Salzburg Elford-Ahrens S 3'19"8   1. Porsche 917 4.5-lit KG Salzburg Hermann-Attwood 1stS 2863
#6 Ferrari 512S LH SpA SEFAC Vaccarella-Giunti S 3'20"0 2. Porsche 917LH 5-lit Martini Int'l Larrousse-Kauhsen 2ndS 2822
#20 Porsche 917K 5-lit JWA Gulf Siffert-Redman S 3'21"1   3. Porsche 908-02LH Martini Int'l Lins-Marko 1stP 2798
#8 Ferrari 512S LH SpA SEFAC Merzario-Reggazoni S 3'21"3 4. Ferrari 512S LH N.A.R.T. Posey-Bucknum 3rdS 2616
#21 Porsche 917K 5-lit JWA Gulf Rodriguez-Kinnunen S 3'21"9   5. Ferrari 512S LH Francorchamps de Fierlandt-Walker 4thS 2550
#5 Ferrari 512S LH SpA SEFAC Ickx-Schetty S 3'23"1 6. Porsche 914-6 Sonauto BallotLéna-Chausseuil 1stGT 2382
#7 Ferrari 512S LH SpA SEFAC Bell-Peterson S 3'23"4   7. Porsche 911S Éc Luxembourg Kremer-Koob 2ndGT 2355
#15 Ferrari 512S LH Filipinetti Parkes-Müller S 3'25"4 NC. Chevrolet Corvette Greder Racing Greder-Rouget 3< b>rdGT 2391
#14 Ferrari 512S LH Filipinetti Bonnier-Wisell S 3'28"7   NC. Porsche 908-02 Solar Productn Linge-Williamsl 2ndP 2360
#22 Porsche 917K JWA Gulf Hobbs-Hailwood S 3'29"1 NC. Ferrari 312P Coupe N.A.R.T. Parsons-Adamowicz 3rdP 2349
#18 Porsche 917K AAW Shell Piper-G.van Lennep S 3'29"4   NC. Porsche 911S René Mazzia Mauroy-Mazzia 4thGT 2294
#3 Porsche 917LH 5-lit Martini Int'l Larrousse-Kauhsen S 3'30"8 NC. Porsche 911TH Wicky Racing Verrier-Garant 5thGT 2263
#11 Ferrari 512S LH N.A.R.T. Posey-Bucknum S 3'31"2   NC. Porsche 911S J.Duchaumel Parot-Duchaumel 6thGT 2260
#23 Porsche 917K KG Salzburg Hermann-Attwood S 3'31"5 NC. Porsche 911S Claude Laurent Laurent-Marche 7thGT 2192
#32 Matra MS650 Matra Sports Brabham-Cévert P 3'32"2   NC. Porsche 911S Claude Haldi Sage-Greub 8thGT 2121
#16 Ferrari 512S Picchio Rosso Manfredini-Moretti S 3'33"0 NC. Porsche 911S R. Touroul Swietlik-Lagniez 9thGT 1929
#35 Alfa Romeo T33/3 Autodelta SpA Galli-Stommelen P 3'33"8  

16 cars reached the finish, but only 7 were classified. Of the 17 started prototypes only one was classi-fied. Of the 21 started sports cars only 3 were classified. Of the 14 GTs 9 reached the finish.

#10 Ferrari 512S LH Gelo Racing Kelleners-Loos S 3'35"6  

 ROUND #9: WATKINS GLEN 6-HOURS
At Watkins Glen (USA) Porsche is present with two JWA Gulf 917s, with two KG Salzburg (officially entered by Porsche-Audi USA) 917s and with the Martini 917K. There are two works' Ferraris 512S (two Barquettas) and the extremely slow Gelo Racing 512S. The Bonnier Lola T70 Mk3B, 3 old Porsches 906S and a Lotus 47 complete the sports cars entry. Matra and Alfa Romeo are absent among the prototypes. Although the works' Berlinettas were fast during the qualifications Ferrari's race director Mauro Forghieri makes the mistake to put Mario Andretti and Jacky Ickx on two different cars, with team mates being much slower (res. Ignazio Giunti and Paul Schetty). Only 50,000 persons show for the 6-hour race. After 90 minutes the JW Gulf Porsche 917K of Pedro Rodriguez has already a 2-lap advance over Andretti's Ferrari 512S, but spills much time in the stands after an accident. Redman/Siffert are the new leaders, with Andretti/Giunti close behind (Ickx looses ground with failing brakes). Eventually Rodriguez comes back and passes the Siffert/Redman Gulf Porsche. The Ferraris finish 3rd and 5th, the Salzburg Porsches 4th and 6th, the Martini 917K 9th, behind the Bonnier Lola T70 Mk3B. First prototype is the Marko/Lins Porsche 908/02, brought home as 7th. Winner among the GT-cars is the Grossman/Yenko Chevrolet Camaro, brought home as 10th overall. Of the 26 starters 18 cars reach the finish. One day later the five Porsches and two Ferraris enter the CANAM race among the big bangers. They finish 2-3-4-5-6-7, just beaten by the McLaren-Chevrolet M8D of Denny Hulme, but preceding all other hairy machinery. Runner-up Jo Siffert comes only 28.5 seconds short. First Ferrari is Andretti's in 5th position, 2 laps behind the leaders.

WATKINS GLEN 6 HOURS - QUALIFICATIONS

WATKINS GLEN 6 HOURS - FINAL RESULTS

#1 Porsche 917K JWA Gulf Siffert-Redman S 1'06"3   1. Porsche 917K JWA Gulf Rodriguez-Kinnunen 1stS 308
#92 Ferrari 512S Barq SpA SEFAC Andretti-Giunti S 1'06"6 2. Porsche 917K JWA Gulf Siffert-Redman 2ndS 308
#2 Porsche 917K JWA Gulf Rodriguez-Kinnunen S 1'06"6   3. Ferrari 512S Barquetta SpA SEFAC Andretti-Giunti 3rdS 305
#91 Ferrari 512S Barq SpA SEFAC Ickx-Schetty S 1'07"6 4. Porsche 917K KG Salzburg Elford-Hulme 4thS 302
#35 Porsche 917K Martini Int'l Larrousse-v.Lennep S 1'08"2   5. Ferrari 512 Barquetta SpA SEFAC Ickx-Schetty 5thS 299
#32 Porsche 917K KG Salzburg Attwood-Ahrens S 1'08"7 6. Porsche 917K KG Salzburg Attwood-Ahrens 6thS 295
#31 Porsche 917K KG Salzburg Elford-Hulme S 1'08"8   7. Porsche 908-02 Martini Int'l Marko-Lins 1stP 288
#50 Lola T70 Mk3B Ecurie Bonnier Bonnier-Wisell S 1'11"2 8. Lola T70 Mk3B Ecurie Bonnier Bonnier-Wisell 7thS 264
#36 Porsche 908/02 Martini Int'l Marko-Lins P 1'12"6   9. Porsche 917K Martini Int'l Larousse-van Lennep 8thS 260
#8 Porsche 908/02 A.G. Dean Ltd Dean-Revson P 1'17"4 10. Chevy Camaro 427 B.Grossman Grossman-Yenko 1stGT 243
#46 Chevron B16 FVC Jim Baker Reynolds-Christian P 1'19"5   11. Porsche 906S dr.M. Rosen Jacobs-Rosen 9thS 241
#20 Chevy Corvette J. Greenwood Greenwood-Parker GT 1'21"1 12. Porsche 906S Mike Rahal von Frank-Wise 10thS 236
#53 Porsche 906S Mike Rahal von Frank-Wise S 1'22"5   13. Porsche 911S Bruce Jennings Jennings-Tullius 2ndGT 233
#52 Porsche 906S dr.M. Rosen Jacobs-Rosen S 1'23"5 14. Lotus 47 Jim Bandy Bandy-Cargill 11thS 233
#45 Chevron B16 FVC Jim Baker Richards-Baker P 1'24"2   15. Porsche 906S R. Brezinka Peterman-Brezinka 12thS 231
#5 Chevy Camaro 427 B.Grossman Grossman-Yenko GT 1'25"7 16. Porsche 911S R. Meaney Wright-Grant 3rdGT 223
#41 Lotus 47 Jim Bandy Bandy-Cargill S 1'26"3   17. Chevron B16 FVC Jim Baker Reynolds-Christian 2ndGT 223
#37 Porsche 911S Sunoco CDN Duval-Nicholas GT 1'28"4   18. Porsche 911S S. Garant Wicky-Garant 4thGT 217

WATKINS GLEN 1970 - Mario Andretti (Ferrari 512S Barquetta #92) leads Jo Siffert (#1 Porsche 917K), Jacky Ickx (#91 Ferrari 512S Barquetta), Pedro Rodriguez (#2 Porsche 917K) and the three other Porsches.

 ROUND #10: ÖSTERREICHRING 1000-KM
The Österreichrring 1,000-kms is another race Ferrari never should have lost. At Zeltweg the Prancing Horse was present with its new 5.0 Ferrari 512M, 630bhp strong. It's already the car for next season. On the grid preceded by the Rodriguez-Kinnunen JW Gulf Porsche 917K, the car pulls away from the rest of the field, right after the start. Jacky Ickx makes immediately a serious gap between him, the four following Porsches and the four following Alfa Romeos T33/3. Already during the qualifications he mentioned his stand that there was an electrical problem. Mechanics forgot to control the alternator. After 49 laps the car - at that moment 51 seconds ahead of the rest of the field - comes in with ... a broken alternator. Giunti restarts but 24 kilometres further he has to retire without electricity. Meanwhile Rodriguez is already out with a blown engine, followed by the very fast Alfa Romeo T33/3, retiring from third (!) place, also with a blown engine. The Marko-Ahrens 917K, leader after 69 laps, falls out without fuel, whilst the Elford-Attwood 917K lost 10 laps in the pits.  At mid-race Siffert-Redman and their JWA Gulf Porsche 917K are leading the lonely surviving Alfa Romeo T33/3 of de Adamich-Pescarolo by 2 laps. The Elford-Attwood 917K comes back from 10 to 8 laps arrears. Eventually Siffert and Redman win the race, ahead of the Alfa and the Martini Porsche 908-02 of Larrousse-Lins. The Gelo Racing Ferrari 512S comes not further than a poor 7th place. In the GT class victory goes to a Porsche 914-6 (just as at Le Mans). Of the 31 started cars 19 reach the finish. At the end of the season Porsche collected 63 points for the FIA Manufacturers' Worlds against 37 for Ferrari, 10 for Alfa Romeo and 4 for Matra.

At the ÖSTERREICHRING 1000-KILOMETRES 1970 the new Ferrari 512M was one second per lap faster than the fastest Porsche. The car was intended to be Ferrari's new weapon for the 1971 season. However, when it became obvious that 1971 should be the last year for the 5-litre prototypes Enzo Ferrari decided to enter no works' 512M at all. He let drive the new car by clients and prepared the 3.0 Ferrari 312PB prototype, which in 1972 should win all rounds but one at the FIA Manufacturer's World Championship.

ÖSTERREICHRING 1000-KMS - QUALIFICATIONS

ÖSTERREICHRING 1000-KMS - FINAL RESULTS

#22 Porsche 917K JWA Gulf Rodriguez-Kinnunen S 1'40"48   1. Porsche 917K JWA Gulf Siffert-Redman 1stS 170
#31 Ferrari 512M SpA SEFAC Ickx-Giunti S 1'40"75 2. Alfa Romeo T33/3 Autodelta SpA de Adamich-Pescarolo 1stP 168
#20 Porsche 917K KG Salzburg Ahrens-Marko S 1'41"16   3. Porsche 908/02 Martini Int'l Larrousse-Lins 2ndP 167
#21 Porsche 917K KG Salzburg Elford-Attwood S 1'41"19 4. Porsche 917K KG Salzburg Elford-Attwood 2ndS 162
#23 Porsche 917K JWA Gulf Siffert-Redman S 1'42"02   5. Porsche 908/02 Martini Int'l Jöst-Pankl 3rdP 162
#1 Alfa Romeo T33/3 Autodelta SpA Galli-Sommelen P 1'42"78 6. Porsche 908/02 Bosch Racing Lauda-Peter 4thP 161
#3 Alfa Romeo T33/3 Autodelta SpA Adamich-Pescarolo P 1'43"61   7. Ferrari 512S Gelo Racing Loos-Pesch 3rdS 156
#2 Alfa Romeo T33/3 Autodelta SpA Hezemans-Gregory P 1'44"23 8. Lola T210 FVC Max Wilson Wilson-Daghorn 5thP 153
#4 Alfa Romeo T33/3 Autodelta SpA Zeccoli-Facetti P 1'47"39   9. Abarth 2000 OT Brescia Corse Moreschi-"Pam" 6thP 149
#6 Porsche 908/02 Martini Int'l Larrousse-Lins P 1'46"89 10. Porsche 910 Bosch Racing Hofer-Riedl 4thS 146
#5 Porsche 908/02 Martini Int'l Jöst-Pankl P 1'49"26   11. Ford GT40 Snake Speed de Cadenet-Weir 5thS 141
#12 Porsche 908/02 Bosch Racing Lauda-Peter P 1'49"42 12. Porsche 914/6 P-E Strähle Hohenzollern-Steckkonig 1stGT 129
#25 Ferrari 512S Gelo Racing Loos-Pesch S 1'50"91   13. Porsche 906S Bosch Racing Stuppacher-Reider 6thS 129
#14 Abarth 2000 OT Brescia Corse Moreschi-"Pam" P 1'55"27 14. Porsche 914/6 Tartaruga Ettmüller-Seiler 2ndGT 127
#46 Porsche 911S Erwin Kremer Kremer-Huber GT 2'07"37   15. Porsche 911 Jolly Club Ilotte-Rusba 3thGT 127
END OF SEASON ENDURANCE RACES OVER 1000 KMS OR MORE

Meanwhile the list of deadly accidents on dangerous tracks becomes longer and longer. On September 5, Jochen Rindt, the former F1 world champion, dies in his Lotus 72 during the qualifications of the Italian Grand Prix. And what does the FIA? The FIA does nothing, except crossing out names and names and names.

      PARIS 1000 KMS
On October 18 29 cars show for the 15th 1000 Kilomètres de Paris on the Montlhéry oval. Porsche is present with 3 917s, the #3 Gesipa, the #2 ex-A.A.W. Martini and the #4 Zitro, having only be raced at the Imola 500-kms where it was retired. There is also a Ferrari 512S, the yellow one of the Montjuich Team. However all eyes go to the new Matra MS660, being here at two copies. After its win at the Temporada, starting the season, Matra let note some fine results with the MS650 at the Sebring 12 hours and the Monza 1000-kms where they finished 5th overall. The Le Mans 24 hours, where the MS660 made its first race, was, however, a big deception when the brand new car had to retire with a broken piston ring. Later, from September 19 to 27 the two entered Matras MS650 had their revenge at the 15th Tour de France, a road race over 4,206 kilometres of which 1,250 on circcuits. Both cars took 1 and 2, offering Matra its second important win of the season. 
At the qualifications the two Matras MS660 V12 were 2 seconds faster than the fastest Porsche 917K (Gesipa's). They started from the first row and dominated the race. With only 15 laps to go the two Matras had a 3 laps lead over the rest of the field.


MONTLHÉRY 1000-KMS 1970 - The winning car (TOP), the moral winner (MIDDLE) and the Gesipa Porsche 917K, being enforced to retire.

Sudden transmission problems on the leading #12 of Pescarolo/Beltoise made that they had to retire, after having been out on the lead since more than 100 laps. Meanwhile both 917s were retired (the Zitro Racing having even not started). That brought the #14 of Brabham-Cévert on the lead. They won the race ahead of the Montjuich Ferrari 512S  and the Martini Porsche 908/02 of Larrousse/Ballot-Léna. Only 10 cars out of 29 reached the finish.

RESULTS PARIS 1000-KMS

1. Matra MS660 V12 Brabham-Cévert 1st P
2. Ferrari 512S Juncadella-Jaboiille 1st S
3. Porsche 908/02 Larrousse-BallotLéna 2nd P
4. Matra MS660V12 Beltoise-Pescarolo 3rd P
5. Porsche 910 Meier-Cohen 2nd S
6. Chevron-BMW B8 Garton-Evans 3rd S
7. Ford GT40 de Cadenet-Weir 4th S
8. Porsche 911T Rey-Jacquemin 1st GT
9. Porsche 911S Sage-Kremer 2nd GT
10. Corvette StingR Greder-Beaumont 3rd GT

   KYALAMI 9-HOURS
On November 7 the last important endurance race of the season is contested: the 14th Rand Daily Mail Nine Hours Endurance Race of Kyalami. There are 31 entries, among them 2 Ferraris 512 and 2 Porsches 917K. The SpA SEFAC works' Ferrari is the 512M earlier seen at Zeltweg and again driven by Jacky Ickx and Ignazio Giunti.  The other 512 is the Écurie Francorchamps entry for Derek Bell and Hughes de Fierlandt. David Piper, who won five times the race is not recovered from his accident at the Steve McQueen movie, having cost him a leg. However his proper 917K is present, now painted in Team Gunston colours. Drivers are the local John Love and Richard Attwood. The other 917K is the ex-A.A.W. Shell, now Martini's.

Among the hairy sports cars there is also the 5.7 Lola T70 Mk3B of Jack Pretorius and Barrie Smith. Since the engine capacity exceeds 5-litre the car is eventually entered as a Group 7 machinery. Among the  prototypes the 2 Martini Porsches 908/02 are the favourites, since all others are 2-litre machines, where the 1.8 Chevron B16 FVC (a spyder!) is a dangerous outsider together with the red #14 2.0 Lola T210 of Karl von Wendt and Willy Kauhsen. 
Just as at Zeltweg the Ferrari 512M is the fastest car on the track. It takes the pole position with a fastest lap in 1'22"4, exactly one second faster than the Martini Porsche 917K driven by Jo Siffert. Then follow Piper's Porsche 917K in 1'23"6 and the Écurie Francorchamps Ferrari 512S in 1'24"8. The Chevron B16 Spyder, in the same Team Gunston colours as Piper's 917K, causes a stir by realising the 5th place on the grid in 1'25"7 ahead of the fastest Martini Internatio-nal Porsche 908/02.
The eventual race starts as a combat between the Ferrari 512M and the two Porsches 917K. Of them the Team Gunston machine disappears with serious brakes problems. But Siffert/Ahrens maintain the pressing in their #2 Martini 917K. Those two cars lap several times the complete field. At the finish Ickx/Giunti offer the Ferrari 512M its first victory, one lap ahead over the Martini Porsche of Siffert-Ahrens. The yellow Ferrari 512S of the Écurie Francorchamps looses its third place with ignition problems. Eventually the Martini Porsches 908-02 take 3 and 4, res. 16 and 24 laps behind the winners. The Chevron B16 Spyder finishes 5th, in the same lap as the second Porsche 908/02.

KYALAMI 9 HOURS - QUALIFICATIONS

KYALAMI 9 HOURS - FINAL RESULTS

#4 Ferrari 512M SpA SEFAC Ickx-Giunti S 1'22"4   1. Ferrari 512M SpA SEFAC Ickx-Giunti 1stS 370
#2 Porsche 917K Martini Int'l Siffert-Ahrens S 1'23"4 2. Porsche 917K Martini Int'l Siffert-Ahrens 2ndS 369
#1 Porsche 917K Team Gunston Love-Attwood S 1'23"6   3. Porsche 908/02 Martini Int'l Marko-Lins 1stP 354
#3 Ferrari 512S Francorchamps de Fierlandt-Bell S 1'24"8 4. Porsche 908/02 Martini Int'l Larousse-G. van Lennep 2ndP 346
#11 Chevron B16 FVC Team Gunston Hine-Redman P 1'25"7   5. Chevron B16 FVC Team Gunston Hine-Redman 3rdP 346
#6 Porsche 908-02 Martini Int'l Larousse-v.Lennep P 1'25"9 6. Ferrari 512S Francorchamps de Fierlandt-Bell 3rdS 346
#16 Lola T210 FVC Evergreen Hailwood-Hobbs S 1'27"2   7. Lola T70 Mk3B Barrie Smith Smith-Pretorius Gr7 336
#7 Lola T70 Mk3B Barrie Smith Smith-Pretorius G7 1'30"4 8. Lola T210 FVC German BG von Wendt-Kauhsen 4thS 325
#17 Alfa Romeo T33/2  unknown Charlton-Driver P 1'31"4   9. Chevron B8 BMW Jack Holme Holme-van der Merwe 5thS 312
#12 Chevron B16 Chevron Cars Larrousse-Lins P 1'34"0 10. Mustang Boss

unknown

Frank Gardner-M.de Udyl 1stGT 306

5.0 JW Gulf Porsche 908-3K  vs 3.0 Matra MS650 (Matra Sports)

3.0 Porsche 908-3K (Porsche-Salzburg Ltd.) vs 3.0 Alfa Romeo T33/3 (Autodelta SpA)

3.0 Porsche 908/2 Flunder (Martini) vs 3.0 Ferrari 312P Berlinetta (N.A.R.T.)

NOTE ON THE FIA EUROPEAN SPORTS CAR CHAMPIONSHIP

1970 is the first year that the FIA organises a European Sports-Car Championship for under 2-litre prototypes. In pure endurance racing such cars can hardly win a top-10 rank. Best 1970 performances at such endurance races came from the 2.0 Abarth 2000SP finishing 8th and 10th at the Targa Florio and from a 1.8 Lola-FVC T210 finishing 8th at the Zeltweg 1,000-kms. At the Kyalami 9-hours a 1.8 Chevron-FVC B16, shared by Brian Redman and John Hine, could even finish 5th overall. The five other rounds at the South-African Springbok Series, all restricted to 3-hour races for 2-litre prototypes, were all five won by Brian Redman in the same machinery. But at the European Sports-Car Championship the same machinery could only win four of the nine rounds, twice with Brian Redman at the wheel (Le Castellet and Tophée des Ardennes), once by Vic Elford (Nürburgring 500-kms) and once by John Burton (Hämeenlina 300-kms). Four other rounds went to the new 1.8 Lola-FVC T210, distributed by Joachim Bonnier. He himself won four rounds (Anderstorp, Salzburgring, Pergusa and Hockenheim). The remaining round at Mugello with more than 80 entrants, was won after a 1-2-3 for tha 2.0 Abarth 2000SP by Arturo Merzario, ahead of Leo Kinnunen and Gijs van Lennep. Overall championship's winner was Jo Bonnier, ahead of Holland's Ed Swart (Abarth 2000S), Brian Redman and Arturo Merzario. But in the intermake ranking the Chevron-FVC B16 won 1 point more than the Lola-FVC T210 and 14 more than the 2.0 Abarth 2000SP

1.8 Lola-FVC T210, winning 4 of the 9 rounds of the European 2-litre Sports-Car Championship

1.8 Chevron-FVC B16, not only winning 4 x at the EuropaChamps, but also 5 at the Springbok series

2.0 Abarth 2000 SP, having won one round at the European 2-litre Sports-Car Championship

NOTE ON THE INTERSERIE CUP

New too in 1970 is the Interserie Cup, where 5-litre G5 cars can compete against real open class "big bangers" as seen at the famous CANAM series. Restricted to 6 rounds, regular entrants are the Gesipa Racing Porsche 917K of Jürgen Neuhaus, the A.A.W. Racing Porsche 917K of Gijs van Lennep, the David Piper Porsche 917K, the Scuderia Picchio Rosso Ferrari 512S of Giampiero Moretti, and a bunch of Lolas T70Mk3B GT, among them Teddy Pilette in the VDS Racing and Joachim Bonnier in his own car. Most famous "big bangers" at the start are the 8.2 March-Chevrolet 707 of Helmut Kelleners, the 7.0 McLaren-Chevrolet M6B/12 of Alistair Cowin, the 7.0 McLaren-Chevrolet M12/6GT of David Prophet and the 7.0 McLaren-Ford M8C of Chris Craft. Eventually Helmut Kelleners (Croft, Hockenheim 300-miles) and Jürgen Neuhaus (with the Gesipa 917K at the Norisring 200-miles and Thruxton) win each two rounds, Vic Elford (in the Alistair Cowin McLaren M6B12 at the Hockenheim Südwest Pokal) and Gijs van Lennep (with the A.A.W. 917K at Keimola) each one. The series is won by Neuhaus, ahead of Gijs van Lennep, Helmut Kelleners and Joachim Bonnier.

8.2 March-Chevrolet 707

7.0 McLaren-Ford M8C

7.0 McLaren-Chevrolet M6B/12

NOTE ON THE CANAM SERIES

But Porsches 917K and Ferraris 512S are also seen in the true CANAM Series, even Tony Dean's tiny 3.0 Porsche 908/02 mid a lot of hairy "big bangers". At Mosport Park (round #1) Tony Dean finishes 4th. At Watkins Glen (round #3) only one "big banger", Denny Hulme's McLaren-Chevrolet 8D, can beat six G5 cars taking ranks 2 thru 6, with Jo Siffert in the JW Gulf 917K coming only 28 seconds behind the winner after 101 minutes of racing. First 512S is Mario Andretti's works' car on rank 5. At Mid-Ohio (round #5) Jim Adams in the Earl Cord Racing Ferrari 512S spyder finishes 8th, Pedro Rodriguez in the N.A.R.T. 512 11th. At Road America (round #6) Tony Dean brings his Porsche 908/2 home as 5th, Rodriguez the N.A.R.T. 512S as 7th. Road Atlanta (round #7) can even be won by Tony Dean and his 3-litre 908/02. At Donybrooke (round #8) Jim Adams brings the 512S home as 4th. All this proves that European G5 cars are far from ridiculous, even if they have to compete against hairy "big bangers", not restricted by F.I.A. rules.

CONCLUSION

The 1970 season endurance racing was a fantastic season. The Porsche-Ferrari battle was one of the highlights in the history of autosport. The Porsche 917 was a mythic car, having won 9 out of 13 important endurance races. Although Ferrari won only 2 of those races, the 512 was also a fabulous car. Unfortunately it was not always driven by the best racers available on the market and Ferrari's race direction was in several ways inferior to what was be done by John Wyer and by KG Salzburg. Towards the end of the season it became obvious that the 3-litre prototypes were on their way top beat one day the 5-litre sports cars, also on other circuits than the Targa Florio and the Nürburgring. The fact that Matra could win 2 important races (even 3 if one adds the Tour de France Automobile) let hope that one day they should win the Le Mans 24 hours. But also Alfa Romeo was not far behind with its T33/3. At the end of the season there were speculations that in 1971 the Porsche-Ferrari combat should continue and that with the new 630bhp 512M Ferrari had good chances to win the renewed combat. However, the fact that the FIA decided that 1971 should be the last year that 5-litre sports cars were allowed on the tracks, made that Enzo Ferrari refused to do further efforts. In 1971 he should enter no longer works' 512M cars: the 512M should be raced uniquely by privateers. That meant that the Porsche-Ferrari battle was over before the start of the new season. Indeed, in 1971 Enzo Ferrari prepared already the 1972 season by working very hard on the new 3.0 Ferrari 312PB as the absolute anti-Porsche weapon. At Zuffenhausen they had no new machinery for 1972 to fight the 3-litre prototypes of Ferrari, Matra and Alfa Romeo. In 1972 Ferrari will win all rounds but one of the FIA Manufacturer's World Championship with an absolutely unbeatable car, the 312PB. He could also have won the lonely missing race of 1972: the Le Mans 24 hours. But unfortunately he decided not to enter his 312PB. Later I'll publish on this web site the complete 1972 season endurance racing. That too was a highlight in the history of autosport. [JPVR]