The 250 Testa Rossa was raced successfully throughout the late 1950s and early 1960s. (Not to be confused with Ferrari 500 TR or Ferrari Testarossa)
Independent teams raced the 250 TR alongside Scuderia Ferrari cars from 1958 on, although the most developed versions of the car were restricted to factory-sanctioned teams only.
250 TRs were extremely competitive during this time, winning 10 World Sportscar Championship races including the 1958, 1960, and 1961 24 Hours of Le Mans, the 1958, 1959 and 1961 12 Hours of Sebring, the 1958 Targa Florio, the 1958 and 1960 1000 km Buenos Aires and the 1961 4 hours of Pescara. Notable drivers included Phil Hill, Olivier Gendebien, Luigi Musso, Peter Collins, Dan Gurney, Wolfgang von Trips and Mike Hawthorne, among others.
The excellent results of 250 TRs and Scuderia Ferrari’s skilled drivers earned Ferrari the 1958, 1960 and 1961 Constructor’s World Sportscar Championship titles.
The Aston Martin DBR1 and the Porsche 718 were the 250 TR’s closest competitors during this time. Stirling Moss drove a DBR1 to win first place against strong Ferrari opposition at the 1958 1000km Nürburgring, and DBR1s would go on to win over 250 TRs at the 1959 Le Mans, Nürburgring, and Tourist Trophy races, depriving Ferrari of the Constructor’s World Championship in 1959.
Romano Pisciotti: Surfingweb
