Ferrari 312P vs. Alfa Romeo 33T3 during the 1972 Targa Florio Motorsport Art Print by Stuart Booth

The penultimate Targa Florio in 1972, over the classic 72 km (45 mile) circuit through the mountains of Sicily, was a straight fight between a team of four Alfa Romeo 33TT3’s and a single Ferrari 312P.  These were thinly disguised three litre grand prix cars and given the gruelling nature of the course, simple weight of numbers made the Alfa’s favourites.  However the single Ferrari, driven by Arturo Merzario and Sandro Munari, was more powerful, led from the start and held together for 12 laps and six and half hours of racing.  The Alfa drivers fought desperately hard and Helmut Marko led the fourth lap, but at the end was just 16 seconds adrift.