Rare Ferrari 333 SP sports prototype goes under the hammer

Much has been written about Ferrari’s triumphant return to the most prestigious category of endurance racing: for two years in a row, the legendary Italian company’s works team has won the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Ferrari has always stressed that the 499P is the first sports prototype to be built in Maranello in half a century, but this is not entirely true. In mid-August, the traditional ‘automotive beauty contest’ Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance will be held in the Californian town of Pebble Beach, with auction house Gooding & Company holding auctions there, and one of the most interesting lots is a rare car: the Ferrari 333 SP.

Developed by Ferrari designers in the early 1990s, it was introduced in late 1993 and has competed in endurance racing since 1994, including taking the starting line at Le Mans.

Why did they “forget” her in Maranello? The fact is that only the first four chassis were built by Ferrari, and then other Italian companies – Dallara and Michelotto – were involved in the production of this sports prototype. By the way, Dallara specialists actively participated in the design of the car, being responsible for the development of the transmission, suspension and aerodynamic research. However, the car was still called Ferrari.

The Ferrari 333 SP Evoluzione, built by Dallara in 1995, is expected to fetch between $6,000,000 and $8,000,000.

This particular car was built from 1995 to 1997. participated in the endurance races of the American IMSA series, where several victories were achieved and in total the drivers who participated in it finished in the top three 13 times. In 1997, the Italian-Belgian team of the Moretti Racing team, consisting of Gianpiero Moretti, Max Papis and Didier Theis, achieved 6th place at Le Mans.

So it was the Ferrari 333 SP that was the next sports prototype to be developed in Maranello after the 312P, and not the latest hypercar 499P. But chassis No. 10, which is being auctioned at Pebble Beach, is actually being built at Dallara’s Varano base.