1.4.07

Lest Ferraristi start foaming at the mouth at the very thought, they should consider the logic. The Green Agenda is now firmly established in motor racing and no manufacturer can afford to ignore it. It would be difficult for Ferrari to do anything in F1, given Marlboro’s continuing involvement, so where better than Le Mans? Ferrari has won the 24 Hour race nine times. The last win was over 40 years ago. The tifosi have been crying out for a Ferrari sports racer for years and such a car gives Ferrari the opportunity to take on the old enemy, Porsche head-to-head. It will generate massive publicity.

Ferrari does not have a suitable LMP1 engine available to it so LMP2 is the obvious choice. Diesel engines are not currently allowed in LMP2, but the Energy Efficient Motorsport website reveals that the ACO (organizers of Le Mans) rule book makes provision for the participation of cars using bio-fuels and reserves the right to alter its technical regulations to allow such entries to compete on equal terms with cars using conventional fuels. This is the loophole that has facilitated this publicity generating dream.

This is too small a project for Ferrari to undertake in-house. Following the precedent set by the 333SP, the car has been built by an outside company, in this case a well-established manufacturer of LMP2 cars situated on the Eastern side of the UK, also known for its hillclimb cars.

The car will be powered by a highly modified Alfa Romeo 2.4 JTD engine re-badged as Ferrari. This has been developed by a UK engineering company with extensive knowledge of record-breaking diesels to double its power output to 400bhp. This falls short of the 480bhp produced by Porsche’s 3.4 litre petrol V8, but the diesel’s superior fuel economy should more than make things equal over the course of the race. The power unit will be coupled to one of the engine builder’s proven endurance racing transmissions.

This is all interesting stuff, but where does the Green bit come in. The new Ferrari will be a “bio-diesel”, running on a vegetable oil alternative to fossil fuel! The technology is proven and what better fuel could there be for such a project than - olive oil? What could be greener and more redolent of Italy? Despite wags suggesting that Extra Virgin could be useful for qualifying, this is a deadly serious project, the engine work being financed by a joint venture between Filippo Berio and Shell.

It is expected that the car will be raced at La Sarthe in 2008. Incidentally, the small French WR team has already announced that it will run an LMP2 bio-diesel in the race that same year.

As to who will drive it, well who is the greatest driver in the world, currently retired, but occupying an undefined role in Ferrari and was a once a member of the Mercedes-Benz Sports-Prototype team? It won’t half be one in the eye for Peugeot and Jacques Villeneuve.

If all this is not proof enough we actually know the new tipo’s nomenclatura through trade mark registration – it will be the 250 DTO.

We believe that there are currently no plans to introduce a diesel Ferrari road car in the near future, but would not be surprised to see the Ferrari Challenge cars switch to bio-diesel before long, using the same engine as the sports-racer.