1959 Targa Florio

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The 43° Targa Florio was a motor race for sportscars held on 24 May 1959 on the Circuito Piccolo delle Madonie, Sicily, Italy. It was the second round of the 1959 F.I.A. World Sports Car Championship and the 43rd running of the Targa Florio. Early that year, the event founder, Vincenzo Florio died and his nephew Vincent Paladion promised to keep alive Florio's Targa. “The Targa must continue... Promise me!..” [1]

The race was won by Edgar Barth and Wolfgang Seidel driving a Porsche 718 RSK entered by Porsche KG.

Report[]

Entry[]

The event attracted fewer cars than in previous years, with 59 racing cars registered for this event,[2] instead of the 81 in 1958.[3] Of the 59 cars registered, 58 arrived for practice with 52 qualifying for and starting the race.[2]

Reigning champions, Ferrari had entered three of their latest 250 TR 59 for their squad of drivers; Phil Hill, Dan Gurney, Tony Brooks, Olivier Gendebien, Jean Behra and Cliff Allison. As Aston Martin elected to miss the event, there was no other entrants in the S3.0 class, therefore their main opposition would come from the works Porsches of Jo Bonnier, Wolfgang von Trips, Edgar Barth and Wolfgang Seidel, but these were smaller engined cars and less powerful.[4]

Race[]

This was meant to be a Ferrari battle, but it was not to be, as all the Ferraris retired due to mechanical problems. This left Porsche alone to command the race, taking the top four places. Their only issue was the leading Porsche 718 of Bonnier and von Trips being forced to withdraw on the last lap.[1][2]

Porsche recorded their first win in the World Sportscar Champions, with the pairing of Barth/Seidel. They took an impressive victory, with their 718 RSK completing 14 laps, covering 626.343 miles in just over 11 hours of racing, averaging a speed of 56.737 mph. Second place went to the second Porsche of Eberhard Mahle, and Herbert Linge in a Porsche 550 RS, albeit 20 mins adrift. The podium was complete by another works Porsche, this time a 356A Carrera of Antonio Pucci and Huschke von Hanstein who were further 9 mins behind, the first GT car to finish. Surprisingly, the fourth car home was driven by the same crew that finished second.[5][2][6]

The result meant Porsche took the lead in the World Championship standing. This was the first time Ferrari had not topped the standings since March 1957.[7]

Official Classification[]

Edgar Barth and Wolfgang Seidel won the race driving a Porsche 718 RSK similar to the example pictured above.

Class Winners are in Bold text.

Pos No Class Driver Entrant Chassis Laps Reason Out
1st 112 S1.5 West Germany Edgar Barth West Germany Wolfgang Seidel Porsche KG Porsche 718 RSK 11hr 02:21.8, 14
2nd 118 S1.5 West Germany Eberhard Mahle
West Germany Herbert Linge
West Germany Porsche KG Porsche 550 RS 11hr 22:20.8, 14
3rd 102 GT2.6 West Germany Huschke von Hanstein Italy Antonio Pucci Porsche KG Porsche 356A Carrera 11hr 31:44.4, 14
4th 96 GT2.6 West Germany
West Germany Eberhard Mahle
West Germany Herbert Linge Porsche KG Porsche 356A Carrera 11hr 36:10.0, 14
5th 134 S2.0 Italy Mennato Boffa Italy Piero Drogo Centro-Sud Maserati A6GCS/53 11hr 41:20.0, 14
6th 38 GT1.3 Italy
Italy
United Kingdom Colin Davis Scuderia Sant’Ambroeus Alfa Romeo Giuletta Sprint Veloce Zagato 12hr 02:30.0, 14
7th 84 S1.1 Italy Italy Scuderia Sant’Ambroeus Osca S1100 12hr 10:52.3, 14
8th 132 S2.0 Italy Italy Mario Cammarata Ferrari 500 TRC 12hr 14:45.4, 14
9th 120 GT+2.6 Italy Italy Nissena Ferrari 250 GT LWB Berlinetta 12hr 24:15.0, 14
10th 138 S2.0 Italy Italy Nino Vaccarella Giuseppe Allotta Maserati A6 GCS 12hr 35:47.4, 14
11th 72 S1.1 Italy Italy Monte Pellegrino Osca MT4 1100 12hr 39:40.0
12th 30 GT1.3 Italy
Italy
Italy Monte Pellegrino Alfa Romeo Giuletta Spider 12hr 41:31.0, 14
13th 46 GT1.3 Italy Italy Nissena Alfa Romeo Giuletta Sprint Veloce 12hr 46.16.0, 14
14th 8 GT750 Italy Italy Ernesto Prinoth Janua Fiat-Abarth 750 Zagato 12hr 53:39.0. 14
15th 24 GT1.3 Italy
Italy
Italy Nissena Fiat 1200 Boano 13hr 00:27.0, 14
16th 20 GT1.3 Italy Italy Pietro Laureati Alfa Romeo Giuletta Spider Veloce 162
17th 50 S750 Italy Italy Settecoli Osca S750 13hr 13:46.1, 14
18th 70 S1.1 United Kingdom Tommy Wisdom France Bernard Cahier Tommy Wisdom Austin-Healey Sprite 13hr 22:05.0, 14
19th 60 S750 Italy Italy Montegrappa Osca S750 13hr 22:05.4, 14
20th 56 S750 Italy Italy Anna Maria Peduzzi Scuderia Sant Ambroeus Osca S750 13hr 39:23.2, 14
21st 28 GT1.3 France France Paris Alfa Romeo Giuletta Sprint Veloce Zagato 13hr 44:11.4, 14
NC 76 S1.1 Italy Italy Clemente Biondetti Ermini-Fiat 1100 14 Over time limit
NC 6 GT750 Italy Italy Nissena Fiat 500 14 Over time limit
NC 92 GT2.6 Italy Italy San Rizzo Fiat 8V Zagato 14 Over time limit
DNF 136 S2.0 Italy Umberto Maglioli West Germany Hans Herrmann Porsche AG Porsche 718 RSK Transmission
DNF 150 S3.0 France Jean Behra United Kingdom Tony Brooks Scuderia Ferrari Ferrari 250 TR 59 Rear axle
DNF 154 S3.0 United States Dan Gurney United Kingdom Cliff Allison Scuderia Ferrari Ferrari 250 TR 59 Transmission
DNF 4 GT750 France France Automobiles Deutsch et Bonnet D.B.-Panhard HBR4 did not finish
DNF 26 GT1.3 Italy Italy G.S. Savio Alfa Romeo Giuletta Sprint Veloce did not finish
DNF 32 GT1.3 Italy Italy Giuseppe Riggero Alfa Romeo Giuletta Sprint Veloce Zagato did not finish
DNF 34 GT1.3 France France Jean-Pierre Hanrioud D.B.-Panhard HBR5 did not finish
DNF 36 GT1.3 Italy Italy Camidoglio Alfa Romeo Giuletta Sprint Veloce Zagato did not finish
DNF 40 GT1.3 Italy Italy Racing Club 19 Alfa Romeo Giuletta Sprint Veloce Zagato did not finish
DNF 42 GT1.3 Italy Italy Enrico Giaccone Alfa Romeo Giuletta Sprint Veloce did not finish
DNF 44 GT1.3 Italy Italy Racing Club 19 Alfa Romeo Giuletta Sprint Veloce Zagato did not finish
DNF 52 S750 Italy Italy Montegrappa Giaur 750 Sport did not finish
DNF 58 S750 Italy Italy Monte Pellegrino Fiat-Abarth 750 Zagato did not finish
DNF 74 S1.1 Italy
Italy
Italy Monte Pellegrino Osca MT4 1100 did not finish
DNF 78 S1.1 Italy Italy Monte Pellegrino Osca MT4 1100 did not finish
DNF 80 S1.1 Italy Italy Falanga Roar-Fiat 1100 Special did not finish
DNF 82 S1.1 Italy Italy Settecoli Osca MT4 1100 did not finish
DNF 90 GT2.6 Italy Italy Giuseppe Bologna Fiat 8V did not finish
DNF 94 GT2.6 Italy Italy Pietro Tremini Fiat 8V did not finish
DNF 100 GT2.6 Italy Italy Rocco Finocchiaro Fiat 8V did not finish
DNF 104 GT2.6 Italy Italy Sorrentino Lancia Flaminia did not finish
DNF 114 S1.5 Italy Italy Ludovico Scarfiotti Scuderia Sant Ambroeus Osca MT4 1500 did not finish
DNF 116 S1.5 Belgium Christian Goethals Christian Goethals Porsche 550 RS did not finish
DNF 122 GT+2.6 Italy Italy Mediterranea Ferrari 250 GT did not finish
DNF 140 S2.0 Italy Gaetano Starrabba Italy Gaetano Starrabba Ferrari 500 TRC did not finish
DNF 142 S2.0 Italy Giulio Cabianca Italy Giorgio Scarlatti Scuderia Eugenio Castellotti Dino 196 S Out of fuel
DNF 130 S2.0 Sweden Jo Bonnier West Germany Wolfgang von Trips Porsche AG Porsche 718 RSK 13 did not finish
DNF 152 S3.0 Belgium Olivier Gendebien United States Phil Hill Scuderia Ferrari Ferrari 250 TR 59 1 Pinion
DNS 2 GT750 Italy Italy Elio Lenza Fiat-Abarth 750 Zagato did not start
DNS 10 GT750 Italy
Italy
Italy Aretusa Fiat-Abarth 750 did not start
DNS 22 GT1.3 Italy Francesco Gambi Alfa Romeo Giuletta Spider Veloce did not start
DNS 54 S750 Italy Spampinato Fiat-Abarth 750 Sport did not start
DNS 98 GT2.6 Italy Italy Monte Pellegrino Lancia Aurelia B24 did not start
DNS 110 S1.5 France
France
France Henri Perrier / Binachon Osca MT4 1500 did not start
  • Fastest Lap: Jo Bonnier, 43:01.6secs (62.147 mph) [5][2][8]

Class Winners[]

Class Winners
Sports 3000 No finishers
Sports 2000 134 Maserati A6GCS/53 Boffa / Drogo
Sports 1500 112 Porsche 718 RSK Barth / Seidel
Sports 1100 84 Osca S1100 Bini / Mantovani
Sports 750 50 Osca S750 Leonardi / Tinazzo
Grand Touring +2600 120 Ferrari 250 GT LWB Berlinetta La Pira / Siracusa
Grand Touring 2600 102 Porsche 356A Carrera von Hanstein / Pucci
Grand Touring 1300 38 Alfa Romeo Giuletta Sprint Veloce Zagato “Sepe” / Davis / Sannino
Grand Touring 750 8 Fiat-Abarth 750 Zagato Carini / Prinoth

[2]

Standings after the race[]

Pos Championship Points
1 West Germany Porsche 12
2 Italy Ferrari 8
3 Italy Maserati 2
4 Italy Alfa Romeo 1
  • Note: Only the top five positions are included in this set of standings.

Championship points were awarded for the first six places in each race in the order of 8-6-4-3-2-1. Manufacturers were only awarded points for their highest finishing car with no points awarded for positions filled by additional cars. Only the best 3 results out of the 5 races could be retained by each manufacturer. Points earned but not counted towards the championship totals are listed within brackets in the above table.

References[]

  1. ^ a b "43^ TARGA FLORIO 24 maggio 1959".
  2. ^ a b c d e f "Targa Florio 1959 - Racing Sports Cars".
  3. ^ "Targa Florio 1958 - Racing Sports Cars".
  4. ^ "Targa Florio 1959 - Entry List - Racing Sports Cars".
  5. ^ a b "Reference at www.teamdan.com". Archived from the original on 2008-11-20. Retrieved 2016-02-06.
  6. ^ "F2 Register - Index".
  7. ^ Peter Higham, The Guinness Guide to International Motor Racing, 1995, page 266
  8. ^ "F2 Register - Index".

Further reading[]

  • Ed Heivink. Targa Florio: 1955-1973. Reinhard Klein. ISBN 978-3927458666


World Sportscar Championship
Previous race:
12 Hours of Sebring
1959 season Next race:
1000km Nürburgring
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