I drove a 375 Plus once, not the Le Mans winner but one that was meant to have been written off by Farina on the Mille Miglia but which had somehow appeared to resurrect itself as such cars often did during a multi-decade sabbatical in South America. And while I’ve driven almost all the sports racers of that era – the Astons, the Jaguars, the Mercedes and even the 750 Monza Ferrari that replaced the 375 Plus – none scared me half so much as this. It was a brute, pure and simple: an over-engined, under-chassised brute. Its steering and brakes were simply inadequate, it inspired very little confidence and frankly I was glad to hand it back in one piece. Only the engine, that incredible Lampredi V12, lived up to expectations. It was a car I was more happy to have driven, than I was when driving it.
One last thing: I drove the car on deserted road in northern Italy in bright sunshine for less than an hour. Messrs González and Trintignant drove theirs for 24 hours, surrounded by dozens of lunatics and in some of the filthiest weather ever to visit Le Mans. And they still won. And that is why, of them all, 1954 is the greatest of the factory Ferrari Le Mans wins. So far…
Images courtesy of Motorsport Images.