CMC Ferrari 250 LM, Reims 12h 1964, #8, Chassis 5909, Surtees/Bandini, RHD - 1/18

Description

CMC Ferrari 250 LM, Reims 12h 1964, #8, Chassis 5909, Surtees/Bandini, RHD. High-quality collector's model in 1:18 scale.

Chassis 5909 spent most of its time in the United States of America. After the car was briefly used by Luigi Chinetti's North American racing team (N.A.R.T.), it belonged to Bob Grossman of „Scuderia Bear“, who drove it throughout 1964. After the car was no longer used in racing, its greatest success was winning the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance in 1975. The current owner took part in major events such as the Tour Auto 2005, where the car was one of the stars of the event. Following an accident at the 2008 Le Mans Classic, it was fully restored and was shown again for the first time at the 2013 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance.
The uniqueness of the 1964 Reims 12-hour race was the midnight start. Driving off in the pitch dark was made even more difficult by the Le Mans start procedure. The first laps were characterised by a three-way battle between the two Ferrari drivers Graham Hill and John Surtees and Richie Ginther's Ford. For almost an hour, at average speeds well over 200 km/h, the three drivers regularly overtook each other before the Virage de Thillois.
The lead changed hands mainly due to the different pit stop tactics. Just before 11 a.m., Surtees came into the pits for refuelling. However, the pads on the front brakes also had to be changed. Although the N.A.R.T. mechanics worked quickly, the team lost two minutes in the process. With new brake pads, Surtees seemed to be able to make the impossible possible. He made up an enormous amount of time on Bonnier in a short space of time, at times he was five seconds faster per lap than the Swede. When Bonnier came into the pits for his final refuelling stop half an hour before the end of the race and handed the car back to Hill, Surtees took the lead. He had completed all the necessary stops and could have finished the race without stopping again. He had driven the Ferrari at and sometimes over the limit for more than an hour, putting the car's technology under extreme strain. At Surtee's last stop, a tyre change was not carried out due to time constraints, which now took its revenge. Ten minutes before the end, he came into the pits with a flat left front tyre. When he returned to the track, he was 1 ½ laps behind the Hill/Bonnier Ferrari and ultimately finished second.

Item number: M-262