The historic Grand Prix at Le Castellet, organized by former Ferrari driver Jean Alesi, was a unique opportunity to see iconic Formula 1 cars in action. Among them was a single-seater I had never seen race on track before: the Ferrari Type 555.
A direct evolution of the 553, it retained the innovative coil spring front suspension instead of the previous transverse leaf spring system. The car was dubbed the Super Squalo (Super Shark) due to its further elongated bodywork compared to the previous model.
Its track debut took place roughly 71 years ago, back on April 24, 1955: the car made its official debut in the top-tier racing category at the Bordeaux Grand Prix.
The car was equipped with a 2.5-liter 4-cylinder engine, the final version featuring this engine type, capable of delivering an impressive 256 HP for its era. The car could reach insane speeds given the safety standards of the time, with a top speed close to 270 km/h.
Webber stunned by the Ferrari Type 555
The former Australian Formula 1 driver had never seen this type of car before. Literally, he didn’t even know what it looked like. This is also why I noticed his great amazement when he tried to familiarize himself with the Super Squalo.
Webber was profoundly stunned when he began inspecting the cockpit of the Ferrari Type 555. The accelerator and brake are located on the right side, while the clutch, on the opposite side to the left, creates a truly wide distance between the legs while driving, forcing an unnatural driving position by today’s standards.
The gear lever is also located on the left, and, obviously, there are no seatbelts. His first reaction was almost one of embarrassment when, joking with him, I described the driving posture as a “gynecological” position, given the extreme spread of the legs.
Mark was nonetheless very good-natured, and thanks to Ferrari’s racing department, after familiarizing himself with the car, he succeeded in driving this beast and completing his task. A truly fascinating car, a piece of Formula 1 history.
