Editorial

It was pointed out to me that Michael Parkes, the British racing driver and engineer, played a significant role in the development of the Ferrari 275GTB, the subject of a short driving impressions test you can read about in this week’s ClassicInside.

A member of the Scuderia’s driving line-up at the time with Formula 1 (but mainly sportscar) experience, Parkes was to refine the chassis that carried Ferrari’s powerful 3.3 litre V12 and make it a car that steered and held the road in keeping with its prodigious straight-line performance.

Outside the publicity departments of the major motor manufacturers that does not really happen today, with the possible exception of Ayrton Senna’s work on the Honda NSX although of course highly skilled test drivers will carry out many 1000s of miles at circuits like the ’Ring to ensure the very best possible chassis behaviour, a lot of the donkey work already done by computer simulation.

Do we mind? Perhaps not, but it’s a nice story and part of the fabulous Ferrari ‘myth’ that gives emotion to a collection of mechanical components.

With Michael Schumacher having time on his hands in 2007, perhaps a new role beckons?

Steve Wakefield Managing Editor sw@classicdriver.com