40 years ago in 1965 was the last time they ran a factory prototype.

That year there were eleven Ferraris on the grid. The Factory entered 330 P2 experienced major problems with its brakes at the beginning of the race. It was Jochen Rindt and Masten Gregory, who went on to win, driving Luigi Chinetti’s 250 LM that had been entered by NART (North American Racing Team). The car spent 25 minutes in the pits during the fourth hour with serious engine problems. Rindt, thinking the race was a lost cause, was about to leave the circuit, but when Gregory began to catch up he decided to get back into the race. The 250 LM # 21 then began an incredible climb up the leader board from 18th to 2nd. With them was another 250LM driven by Gustave Gosselin and Pierre Dumay running in the colours of Jacques Swater’s Ecurie Francorchamps Team. Eugenio Dragoni, the sports director of the of Jacques Swaters Ecurie Francorchamps Scuderia then discussed the possibility of freezing their positions to ensure that the brace 250 LM’s finish after the factory P2. The first two were fine, but the boss of the NART decided to race for the win. This started a chase that would change the fate of the race.

The battle between the top two importers in Ferrari's history ended on Sunday shortly before eleven: the Yellow 250 LM No. 26 that was leading at that time driven by Gosselin, had a puncture in right rear tyre. Gregory then took over the lead and went on to win the race ... not before the differential, after being severely tested for nearly two hours, let go just after he crossed the finish line! 

Already a three-time winner of the 24 hours as a driver (the first success in La Sarthe for Ferrari in 1949), Luigi Chinetti was the boss of the team he founded in 1954. For the Prancing Horse, it was the ninth and (to date) last Le Mans overall victory Masten Gregory (1932-1985) drove at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1972, still under the banner of the NART, before retiring after the fatal accident of his friend Jo Bonnier in La Sarthe that year. 

Born in 1942, Jochen Rindt was killed in 1972 during practice for the Italian Grand Pri. His lead in the standings was such that at the end of the 1970 season he became the only Formula One World Champion Formula 1 to win the title posthumously. 

Jean Philippe Doret /ACO

Photo : CIRCUIT DES 24 HEURES (LE MANS, SARTHE), 24 HEURES DU MANS, 20 & 21 JUNE 1964.  At the start of the 1960's, Ferrari dominated the 24 Hours of Le Mans, with six consecutive wins from 1959 to 1964 (here the 275 P of Ludovico Scarfiotti and Michael Parkes in 1964).