Alfa Romeo Tipo 312

Alfa Romeo Tipo 312

Constructor:	Alfa Romeo
Designer:	Gioacchino Colombo
Predecessor:	Alfa Romeo 12C (technical)
Successor:	Alfa Romeo Tipo 158/159 (chronological)
Technical specifications
Chassis:	Aluminum body, aluminum tubular frame
Engine:	Alfa Romeo 2995 cm³ V12 with 2 compressors, 320 hp, 6500 rpm
Wheelbase:	2800 mm
statistics
Driver:	Nino Farina Eugenio Siena Raymond Sommer Clemente Biondetti Jean-Pierre Wimille Carlo Pintacuda Gianfranco Comotti Piero Taruffi Pietro Ghersi
Starts Victories Poles SR - - - -
World Cup points:	-
Podiums:	-
Leadership laps:	-

The Alfa Romeo Tipo 312 , also known as the 312 and 12C-312 , was a 3-liter formula racing car designed by Gioacchino Colombo and used by Alfa Romeo in the 1938 Grand Prix season . It replaced the relatively unsuccessful 12C-37 . The drivers were Raymond Sommer , Giuseppe Farina , Eugenio Siena , Clemente Biondetti , Carlo Maria Pintacuda , Jean-Pierre Wimille , Gianfranco Comotti , Piero Taruffi and Pietro Ghersi .

background

After the so-called 750 kg formula between 1934 and 1937 failed to meet its set goal, new, displacement-based regulations were drafted that forced Alfa Romeo to develop a new vehicle.

development

In 1938 Alfa Romeo took part in three different vehicles in the Grand Prix of the "3-liter formula" introduced for this year: the Tipo 308 (3-liter, 8-cylinder in-line engine), the Tipo 312 (3-liter displacement, V12 Engine) and the Tipo 316 (3 liter displacement, V16 engine).

The 312 was based on the 12C-37, probably using the old frames. The road holding was improved considerably so that it was easier to control than its predecessor. The 312 had a longitudinally installed 60 ° V12 front engine with 2995 cm³ displacement. This engine was charged by two Roots compressors and developed 320 hp (239 kW) at 6500 rpm. The engine of this model was indeed more powerful than that of the Tipo 308, but that was not sufficient to make the car specifically to the German competitors Mercedes-Benz W154 and the Auto Union Type D to make more competitive.

Racing history

The Tipo 312 was used in six major races: the Tripoli Grand Prix (with Giuseppe Farina, Eugenio Siena and Raymond Sommer), the German Grand Prix (Farina and Clemente Biondetti), the Coppa Ciano (Farina and Jean-Pierre Wimille), the Coppa Acerbo (Farina, Sommer and Biondetti), at the Swiss Grand Prix (Farina and Wimille) and at the Italian Grand Prix (with Wimille and Piero Taruffi).

The use of the Tipo 312 was disastrous. Eugenio Siena was killed in an accident with the Tipo 312 when he drove into Franco Cortese's Maserati-6CM - Voiturette and had to brake hard when he was first used in the Tripoli Grand Prix . He lost control of his car and raced into a house. In the same race, Giuseppe Farina also suffered a serious accident on the second Tipo 312: he drove into László Hartmann's Maserati-4CM -Voiturette and also lost control of his vehicle. Both cars rolled over several times. While Farina was almost uninjured, Hartmann died a day later from his severe spinal injuries. In 1939 the Tipo 308 and 316 were still used, but Alfa Romeo was already concentrating more on the use of the Tipo 158 in the so-called Voiturette class.

Web links

• Columbus.fi (English)
• Racingdatabase.com (English)

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Alfa Romeo Tipo 312 1938. Retrieved June 25, 2020 . 
2. ^ CARS (PART 1) Alfa Romeo. Retrieved June 25, 2020 . 
3. ^ CARS (PART 1) Alfa Romeo. Retrieved June 25, 2020 . 
4. ↑ Alfa Romeo Tipo 312 1938. Retrieved June 25, 2020 . 
5. ↑ ^{a b} Alfa Romeo Tipo 312 1938. Retrieved June 25, 2020 . 
6. ↑ 1938 GRAND PRIX SEASON - PART 2. Accessed June 25, 2020 (English).