| '99 FERRARI F355 CHALLENGE |
| Vehicle configuration | Mid-engine, rear drive, |
| | two-door, two-pass. |
| Chassis/body | Steel space frame/aluminum |
| Engine type | 90 V-8, DOHC, 5 valves/cyl. |
| Displacement ci/cc | 213.3/3496 |
| Horsepower, hp @ rpm, SAE net | 375@8250 |
| Torque, lb-ft @ rpm, SAE net | 266@5800 |
| Transmission type | 6-speed manual |
| Wheelbase, in/mm | 96.5/2450 |
| Min race weight, lb | 2987 |
| 0-60 mph, sec | 4.2 (est.) |
| Top speed, mph | 185 (est.) |
| Price as tested | $146,600 |
333 SP Future Hall Of FamerFact: Were it not for the Ferrari 333 SP, big bore sports car racing in this country would have died. IMSA's GTP cars of the early '90s were blindingly fast, but the formula had grown just as blindingly expensive. Porsche, Jaguar, Nissan, and Toyota had all won-and were either gone, or leaving, by the end of the '93 season. So IMSA management proposed a new recipe, called World Sports Car (WSC): swoopy, open sports prototypes that revived a bit of the spirit of the old Can-Am.
WSC promised tight racing, and costs that were palpable, at least when compared to the last of the GTPs. But none of the name brands stepped forward. Would people flock in droves to see Kudzus and Riley and Scotts?
Enter Ferrari, the name with the magical ring and the howling V-12s. Ferrari, bringing a car to the WSC party, added instant credibility and fan interest. It was developed at the behest of longtime IMSA competitor Gianpiero Moretti, Ferrari North America CEO Gian Luigi Longinotti-Buitoni, and Piero Ferrari.
The 333 SP debuted in that first WSC '94 season, and has enjoyed an amazing run over the last six seasons. Five victories the first year, followed by the WSC championship in '95 for Fermin Velez. A steady stream of wins continued through '96 and '97. But after four seasons, the 333 was getting old-or so it would seem. About the time most race designs are put out to pasture, the 333 SP was lining up for its best year ever.
The '98 season brought impressive wins at the Daytona 24, the 12 hours of Sebring (both at the hands of Moretti's Momo team), a class win at the 24 Hours of LeMans and the overall victory in the inaugural Petite LeMans (Doyle-Risi), plus the European International Sports Car Racing Series (ISRS) championship. Not too shabby for a five-year-old machine-in a business where last year's car is often not competitive.
Season '99 has been less successful in all but the ISRS, and perhaps the 333 SP has reached a crossroad. The current ACO/AMLS rules do not favor it at all. The Ferraristi hope that Maranello will see fit to further develop the car in search of the horsepower, aerodynamics, and mechanical grip required to compete with new roadster designs, like those of Panoz and BMW. But even if it never wins another race, the 333 SP must be classified as one of sports car racing's modern greats.-M.S.
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