Back in 1977, the year of Niki Lauda’s second World Championship the Scuderia Ferrari, under the guidance of Mauro Forghieri designed a 6-wheel car that was vastly different from the infamous Tyrrell P34 that had four front wheels.
Codenamed 312 T6, the boxer 12 engined car was derived from the T2 with which Lauda came close to win the 1976 title despite his life threatening crash on the long and dangerous Nurburgring circuit in Germany.
The six-wheeled 312 T6 used four front tires at the rear, specially developed for the purpose.
Niki Lauda and Carlos Reutemann tested it at at Fiorano during the spring of 1977.
The idea behind Forghieri's project was probably the reduction of total aero drag, with front tyres at the back instead of the regularly sized rear wheels – which of course were enormous in the ‘70s.
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| Niki Lauda posing beside the twin front tires at the rear. |
Codenamed 312 T6, the boxer 12 engined car was derived from the T2 with which Lauda came close to win the 1976 title despite his life threatening crash on the long and dangerous Nurburgring circuit in Germany.
The six-wheeled 312 T6 used four front tires at the rear, specially developed for the purpose.
Niki Lauda and Carlos Reutemann tested it at at Fiorano during the spring of 1977.
The idea behind Forghieri's project was probably the reduction of total aero drag, with front tyres at the back instead of the regularly sized rear wheels – which of course were enormous in the ‘70s.
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| Niki Lauda driving the 312 T6 at Fiorano. |