Ferrari 375 Indianapolis
Misjudgements were not common at Ferrari, but its entry for the 500 Mile of Indianapolis was one of them.
When the 1952 Indy 500 was also included in the Formula One World Championship by the motorsport federation FIA, Ferrari modified four 4.5-litre Grand Prix racers. American Ferrari importer Luigi Chinetti sells three of them to customers and a fourth is used by the factory itself, with their top driver Alberto Ascari at the wheel.
Only thanks to Ascari's exceptional talent does the factory car qualify as the only one of the four Ferraris, and even then Ascari starts from a meagre 17th position. Indeed, the Ferraris prove inadequate on the oval circuit with bowl corners. Technically, they are set up for flat circuits with lots of corners. On the 40th lap, Ascari drops out with a broken wheel hub.
This is the 'Grant Piston Ring Special', one of three private cars. It was to be driven by Johnnie Parsons, but due to dissatisfaction with the little attention Ferrari pays to his car, he leaves during the second qualifying weekend. His replacement Danny Oakes is a much weaker driver and cannot qualify.
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