With four valves per cylinder, quad cams and a Lucas fuel injection system, the new Type 261 engine followed the design of the team's Formula 1 engines closely. (Photo: ultimatecarpage.com)
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Poor weather dogged the new 512 S' testing all through the winter, with the team rarely finding a dry piece of track. Testing was more important than ever, as the half year development gap with Porsche had to be covered before the Daytona 24 Hours season opener in January 1970. When Mario Andretti drove the first bit of dry track at the Daytona test week, he clocked a time less than one second adrift from the Porsches. The speed was clearly there, only one problem remained; homologation. On the morning of the deadline, Ferrari presented 17 completed examples and parts for the remaining 8 cars.
Five hours after the homologation inspection, five cars were on their way to Daytona. In head-to-head qualifying, the 512 S and the 917 were disturbed by unfavourable weather. Andretti benefited from the situation and placed his 512 S on the pole position in its debut race, just like the 312 P had done in the previous year. All five Ferraris that were entered suffered from problems throughout the race and only the Andretti car managed to finish, in a reasonable fifth. A suspension failure had thrown it back from a seemingly secure second place. Carefully driven around the track, it was overtaken by one of the 917s in the second-last lap.
Ferrari probably
learned more about the 512 in those 24 Hours at Daytona than they did in the previous two months of testing. The Ferrari almost made up in handling what it lacked in the power and weight department. Improving aerodynamics and fuel consumption were also on designer Forghieri's to-do list. An open spyder version shaved of around 25 kg, but it was not preferred by all drivers, especially in rainy conditions. Small lips were added on each side of the nose to increase downforce. Improved fuel injection brought the V12 engine up to Porsche power and fuel efficiency.
Four revised 512s faced four 917s for the next championship race at Sebring. Three of the four Ferraris featured spyder bodywork, with the Daytona finishing car still in its initial configuration. Showing his talents once more, Andretti qualified his 512 S on pole, followed by the seven remaining 'GT-cars'. From the start Andretti lead the field, only to be overtaken by three of the Porsches during a pit stop. This proved to be a short-lived as all three Porsches were overtaken after suffering various problems of their own, leaving the four Ferraris to lead the race. After a few more lead changes Andretti managed to overtake one of the 917s and the leading Porsche 908, to record the 512's maiden victory.
