Phil Hill and the 156

1961, the first year of the 1.5-litre formula, was dominated by a well-prepared Ferrari team who fielded for the first time a mid-engined car – the legendary 156 “Sharknose”– going against team boss Enzo Ferrari’s dislike of mid-engine cars and his old-fashioned belief that race cars should be powered by front-engines.

The contest for the championship between Ferrari’s leading drivers, Phil Hill and Wolfgang von Trips, ended in tragedy when von Trips collided with Jim Clark at Monza, killing Trips and 14 spectators. Hill, winner in Belgium (picture-below) and in Italy, went on to win the championship, the first American driver to do so.