Driving Niki Lauda’s 1975 Ferrari 312T Formula 1 car

The making of this video was bittersweet in many ways. First, the #022 Ferrari 312T is one of the most prized cars in Richard Griot’s collection, and although its selling had been months in the making, and the day the hammer falls will be a sad one indeed. More somber still was the news of Niki Lauda’s passing which, ironically, we heard as the car was being off loaded at the track. Lauda has always been among Richard’s biggest motorsports heroes… so much so that the three-time F1 champion is the namesake of his firstborn son, Nick. The key to this Ferrari is the ‘T’. It stands for transverse. When Ferrari re-positioned the gearbox on the 312B transversely in front of the rear axle they created the 312T and transformed the balance of the Prancing Horse by moving the weight between the axles and dramatically improving the car’s handling. Chassis #022, was instrumental in Niki Lauda’s charge to the 1975 championship. After winning the non-championship scoring International Trophy race at Silverstone, Lauda raced #022 five times, seeing the checkered flag at the French Grand Prix, nabbing a runner-up at the Dutch GP, and a podium third place finish at the German GP held at the Nürburgring. A track that the following year, would lead to his most devastating crash. The car has appeared on the Griot’s Garage Handbook cover three times and played a starring role at numerous Caffeine & Gasoline events where it was fired up to the revelry of the crowd and the chagrin of the neighborhood. But the footage in this video is the first time in a long time that it has carved apexes in anger. Enjoy the ride along.