Daytona 24 Hours: Ferrari's Honourable Defeat
3/4.2.01

Just one Ferrari 333SP took part in the world-famous Daytona 24-hour sportcar race and, although it retired, it certainly gave an excellent account of itself.

David Brabham tries the 333SP for size

The Risi Competizione-entered Ferrari, with drivers Ralf Kelleners, Eric van de Poele, Allan McNish and David Brabham, had an exciting and challenging 2001 Rolex 24.

Quickest during qualifying, but starting third on the grid due to the quirky Daytona procedure which gives the front row to an earlier (slower) session, the Ferrari took the lead for the first time on Lap 12.

Battling with the Dyson Racing Riley&Scott throughout much of the race, they continuously jockeyed between first and second position. Caution flags and torrential rain were constant factors during the race.

Kelleners has a pit stop while McNish looks on

Eight hours into the race, at 9:46 pm, McNish lost a right front wheel due to a lug nut seizing and threading itself out. He had just gotten in the car, taking over from Kelleners during a normal pit stop. The two back-to-back stops caused the team to trail the Riley&Scott by five laps.

Following that action, it was a very smooth race for the Ferrari team. They settled into two-stint sessions per driver and regular pit stops. Finally, on Lap 462, at 4:41 a.m. on Sunday morning, during a scheduled pit stop and driver change from McNish to Brabham, the team noticed rising oil temperature in the V-12 Ferrari motor. Coolant was added to the overheating car and a failed head gasket was suspected. The car was taken behind the wall to the team garage and after an assessment of the situation, Team Engineer John McLoughlin announced the car would be withdrawn due to a failed engine at 4:53 a.m.

The Ferrari howls through the night

Allan McNish set the fastest overall lap of the race with a time of 1:41.875 on lap 64 of the 656-lap 24 hour race.

The Dyson Riley&Scott also retired with a failed engine and, with most of the other sports-prototypes retiring, the race was won by the Chevrolet Corvette of Fellows/Kneifel/ Freon/O'Connell ahead of two Porsches and a further Corvette.

Ralf Kelleners: "There were problems in the sixth and seventh hour and we were very concerned about that. It would have been difficult to make up the laps on the Dyson team. But without the engine problem we may have had a chance to catch up to them."

Allan McNish: "I'm very disappointed. We fought hard and worked hard and had to retire about five o'clock in the morning. I thought we were very competitive, which makes going out early more difficult."

Eric van de Poele "I believe this is the third time somebody has woken me up at an endurance race to tell me we were out. It's not a very pleasant experience. I had a fantastic time behind the wheel and a good fight with the Dyson team. Our team did the best they could do. There was nothing we could do about the problem. It proves we have a tough job, trying to win a race. But when you do win one, you want to do it again. I don't believe anybody that this is the last time for the 333 because I've heard that many times. I wish to thank everyone. It's a real pleasure to work in this condition. It was a dream to have teammates like this...to know the car will be back every time and don't worry about that."

David Brabham: "I'm very disappointed for the team. There was a great effort and the car was in good shape and capable of winning. Despite not finishing, I enjoyed the experience. This being Ferrari's last race...it was something. It would be special if one day I got to drive the Ferrari again."

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