Maserati Tipo 151 Drogo

Vehicle Overview

The new model proved as fast as it looked at the 1962 24 Hours of Le Mans, with the Cunningham cars qualifying 3rd (006) and 5th (004). Meanwhile Simone’s car qualified 7th (002) driven by Maurice Trintignant and Lucien Bianchi. The race proved much more frustrating though, with all three cars retiring. Cunningham’s cars returned to the US, with one later being destroyed in a fiery accident at Daytona, but Colonel Simone sent 002 back to Maserati for some upgrades ahead of another attempt at Le Mans in 1963. These included enlarging the engine to 4941cc, swapping the Weber carburettors for Lucas fuel-injection (gaining 70 bhp), reducing weight and revising the suspension.

Photo courtesy of Jarrah Venables