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The last one for Porsche

16. Oct 2023 
by Ziv Knoll
5181 views

After fifty-six editions of the arduous but formidable Targa Florio, Sicily’s famous road circuit hosted what was expected as being the very last race over the open roads of the beautiful island. The CSI was indeed about to ban the famous event from the International Calendar, on safety grounds.

No less than 700.000 Sicilians watched the 1973 race, and all that was important as far as they were concerned, was the presence of Ferrari and Alfa Romeo, and they couldn’t have cared less about the rest.

Ferrari fielded two 312P’s for Arturo Merzario teamed with Sicily’s hero Nino Vaccarella (winner in 1965 in a Ferrari and in 1971 in an Alfa Romeo), and for their leading duo in endurance racing Jacky Ickx and Brian Redman.

Opposing them were two Alfa Romeo T33/TT33/12 for Stommelen/de Adamich and Regazzoni/Facetti, whilst two of the Porsche Carrera RSR entries were entered in the prototype category. These were driven by Van Lennep/Mueller and Kinnunen/Haldi.

In the race, all 4 works Ferrari’s and Alfa Romeo ran into trouble and were forced to retire. Van Lennep and Mueller (picture-above) drove steadily and the Porsche 911 Carrera RSR ran reliably all the way to a four-minute win over a Lancia Stratos driven by Sandro Munari and Jean-Claude Andruet (picture below).

Little Madonie Circuit, Sicily, Italy. 13th May 1973.
Sandro Munari / Jean-Claude Andruet (Lancia Stratos), 2nd position, action.
World Copyright: LAT Photographic.
Source: LAT Images

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