XXXIo Gran Premio d'Italia - 1960
The Italian Grand Prix of 1960 saw the last ever victory from a front-engine Formula One car. However the Italian Grand Prix will not be remembered for that very reason.
Cooper had started a rear-engine revolution two years ago and were currently reaping the benefits of this change, blowing the front-engine Ferrari’s into oblivion. Ferrari’s poor form was largely due to a stubborn phrase ‘the horse should always pull the cart’ leading to their unwillingness for change. Heading into Monza, the penultimate round of the season, Ferrari had still yet to claim a victory, and results were looking grim at their home track.
However, event organisers would not have the grandstands empty, as the crowd sizes always reflected Ferrari’s form that year, which up until now looked like dragging in a small amount of spectators. Something had to be done to change this fact. Organisers then hit upon an idea, instead of using the road circuit for the event, they would use the full circuit. Including the bumpy banked section giving the Ferrari’s the necessary length to stretch their legs closing the gap to their rivals.
Not only was this idea completely bias towards Ferrari results, but it was completely rejected by the majority of the competition. British competitors were baffled at such a decision allowing the dangerous section of the track to be used for the sole purpose of giving Ferrari a performance advantage, a case of nationalism.
They then opted to boycott the event if organisers would not change their decision. However, the ever stubborn Italians stood their ground seeing a entry list of only four Ferrari’s, one of them a Formula 2 car. Two F2 Porches, and nine privateers in various hybrids.
The Italian organisers got what they wished for, a Phil Hill Ferrari victory, taken rather dully from his team-mates Richie Ginther and Willy Mairesse who were no-where near Hill come the end of the race.
Statistics
Summary| Entrants | Qualified | Started | Classified |
| 16 | 16 | 16 | 17 |
