This legendary race car was able to bring home one more victory.
Both good and bad fortunes have come to fruition in Monterey this weekend. One of the solid victories was for a car that’s used to snagging the checkered flag, a 1975 Ferrari 312T driven by Niki Lauda. It has an amazing backstory, fueling a bidding war that culminated in a $6 million sale at the hands of Gooding & Company.
While that final sale amount is good, it just barely meets the minimal estimate Gooding & Company as well as many experts had set prior to the auction. The high end of most estimates was $8 million.
This particular 312T chassis no. 022 helped carry Ferrari to victory after nine years of the automaker trying desperately to capture the F1 world championship. As a result, the car has become quite legendary.
Just five examples were built by Ferrari, and this one uses one of two main chassis used by Lauda in 1975. It also has under its belt the BRDC International Trophy and was a Class Award Winner at the 2017 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance.
The previous owner held onto the car for almost 14 years, sinking a considerable sum into restoring it in glorious fashion. Today, it wears the exact same livery as when the racer took the checkered flags for the 1975 French Grand Prix. It was not only a big victory for Ferrari, in addition it was the first world championship for Lauda. A red, green, and white color scheme sits proudly on the tall intake, representing the nation that backed such a monumental effort.
Niki Lauda died earlier this year at the age of 70. While tragic, this car will help preserve the memory of a legendary driver and one of his storied accomplishments. This particular car is one of the most significant F1 racers to have ever been offered for sale to the public, which was a rare treat. The end result did not disappoint.
Image credit: Gooding & Company
