Maserati 300S

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Maserati 300S
Spartan cockpit of a 300S
Maserati 300S, built in 1957

The Maserati 300S , also Maserati 300 Sport , was a sports car prototype that was developed by Maserati in 1955 .

Development history and technology

The Maserati 300S was a further development of the Tipo 2500 Sport, which was officially called the Talbot 2500 Sport because it was the result of a collaboration between Maserati and Automobiles Talbot . The construction of the chassis from round and oval tubes was started at Maserati and subsequently completed at Gilco Design . In 1956 the front end was lengthened and in 1957 the body was completely redesigned. While working on the Maserati 200SI , Maserati had conducted aerodynamic studies that were also used in the 300S. From 1957 the cars looked less brawny, the lines had become more harmonious and rounded. Of the total of 27 chassis built, six were still made in 1957, although the 450S had long been the works team's emergency vehicle. However, the 300S was a popular customer vehicle and a financial success for Maserati. The demand from the private teams therefore had to be met. The bodies were made by Fantuzzi , all right-hand drive versions of the Spider, none of which were actually identical to any other.

The engine was originally a 2.8-liter 6-cylinder in-line engine with a bore and stroke of 89 × 75 mm. Vittorio Bellentani was an advocate of the long stroke. He wanted engines with high piston speeds and more torque at low revs. The first test drives with the new engine were not very satisfactory, however. The engine was operated with alcohol. Ultimately, Giulio Alfieri opted for a 3-liter 6-cylinder engine with three Weber carburettors and dual ignition. The specified output was 260 hp (191 kW). The gearbox was blocked with the differential . There were transverse leaf springs at the rear and coil springs at the front. The 300S had drum brakes . The light metal housing had perforated cooling fins attached in a star shape. This provided more cooling in the heat and let the water run off more easily when it rained. The brakes were operated hydraulically. Maserati named the top speed 290 km / h.

In 1958 three chassis were equipped with V12 engines from the Formula 1 - 250F , which had different bore and stroke. When Maserati ceased motorsport activities, this project came to a standstill.

Racing history

1955

The racing history of the 300S is long. It began in 1955 in the two long-distance races, the two-hour races in Dakar and the 12-hour races in Sebring, and ended in 1971 with the 12-hour race in Interlagos . There were a total of 309 reports at 220 events. 44 races were won with this type of race; Races were finished on the podium of the top three 96 times.

The mentioned first race in Dakar in 1955 ended in a retirement. At the wheel of the works car was the Frenchman Jean Behra , who led him long before drive problems forced him to give up. The first places came in the Sebring 12-hour race, which was being driven at the same time. Bill Spear and Sherwood Johnston finished third; Gino Valenzano and Cesare Perdisa finished fourth overall. The deficit on the winners Mike Hawthorn and Phil Walters in a Jaguar D-Type was two and four laps respectively. The Spear and Johnston Chassis 3053 was privately registered. The Valenzano and Predisa car (chassis 3061) was registered by Maserati and used by Briggs Cunningham . The first podium came at the Giro di Sicilia in 1955 . Luigi Musso was in the works Chassis 3054 behind the two factory - Ferrari 118LM of Piero Taruffi and Umberto Maglioli third parties; Vittorio Marzotto was overall sixth on a privately entered 300S. The first victory came on May 1, 1955 in a sports car race in the USA through the success of Bill Lloyd in Thompson.

At the Mille Miglia , which is important for Italian racing teams , only one 300S was at the start. The works car was driven by Cesare Perdisa, who retired early. There were two other important races for the works team in 1955. The 1000 km race at Monza and the 24 hour race at Le Mans . In Monza , Luigi Musso and Jean Behra fought a fierce battle with the factory Ferrari 750 Monza of Umberto Maglioli and Mike Hawthorn over the entire race distance , which the Maserati team won with a margin of 17 seconds. Third place was Roberto Mieres and Cesare Perdisa in another 300S. In the Le Mans race overshadowed by the serious accident , both works cars were canceled. There was already a serious accident during training on the Wednesday before the race: Stirling Moss collided with a small DB HBR while driving out of the pits and pushed it into the Gordini box. The French Maserati driver Jean Behra was injured in the legs and could not take part in the race. Two journalists were also knocked over and slightly injured. The injured Behra was replaced by Luigi "Gino" Valenzano, who together with Musso made it to second place overall before a defective drive shaft ended the race.

The 1955 RAC Tourist Trophy on the Dundrod Circuit was a fatal race . Three drivers were killed in the event, with Luigi Musso and Franco Bordoni-Bisleri finishing fifth.

1956

In the sports car world championship in 1956 , the factory 300S became the great opponents of the Ferraris. Sterling Moss and Carlos Menditéguy won the 1000 km race in Buenos Aires ahead of Olivier Gendebien and Phil Hill in a Ferrari 857S and teammates Jean Behra / José Froilán González . After finishing fifth in the Sebring 12-hour race , the Mille Miglia suffered a total failure. In the 1000 km race at the Nürburgring in 1956 , four drivers took turns in the victorious 300S with Stirling Moss, Harry Schell , Piero Taruffi and Behra. No Maserati crossed the finish line at Le Mans and Kristianstad either, so the title went back to Ferrari.

1957 to 1971

The 300S were also used in the World Sports Car Championship in 1957 , but there was no overall victory. The various private teams were successful. Sun won Juan Manuel Fangio the Grand Prix of Cuba , Luigi Piotti the Trofeo Vigorelli and George Constantine the Grand Prix of Watkins Glen .

Until 1971, the 300S remained a highly successful racing car, which the pilots loved to drive because of its easy handling.

literature

  • Maurizio Tabucchi: Maserati, All Grand Prix, Sports and GT vehicles from 1926 until today . Heel, Königswinter 2004, ISBN 3-89880-211-6
  • Anthony Pritchard: Maserati - the racing history . Delius Klasing, Bielefeld 2008, ISBN 978-3-7688-2513-9

Web links

Commons : Maserati 300S  - Collection of pictures, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. 1955 Dakar 2-hour race
  2. 12-hour race of Interlagos 1971
  3. ^ Sports car race Thompson 1955
  4. Monza 1000 km race in 1955
  5. 1957 Grand Prix of Cuba
  6. dripped Vigorelli 1957
  7. Watkins Glen Grand Prix 1957