Mauro Forghieri at Mugello F1 test session (1991), photo by Carlom1961 (CC BY 4.0) - (Credit links at the end of the content)
Mauro Forghieri wasn’t just a F1 designer… he was one of those rare engineers who seemed to build cars that belonged in a different era.
He was Italian born in Modena…. but he became one of Ferrari’s most influental technical minds.
Mauro Forghieri cars and career
He was to young when Enzo Ferrari placed him in charge of technical development at Scuderia Ferrari, just 27!
We don’t know if it was an easy decision or exactly what Enzo saw in him, but he would go on to shape one of the most successful periods in the team’s history.
Some reports suggest that Enzo Ferrari told Forghieri to try anything that worked and that he would stand by him no matter what. What is certain, however, is that they had known each other for a long time. Mauro’s father had worked closely with Enzo, and Mauro was often around them both growing up. Because of that, Enzo already had a sense that Mauro was the right choice for the team, even at just 27 years old.
Under his leadership, Ferrari secured seven Constructors’ Championships and four Drivers’ Championships during his time at Scuderia Ferrari.
Futuristic F1 cars and concepts of Forghieri
During the late 1960s and 1970s, F1 was still discovering its technical indentity… Forghieri became one of the engineers who pushed it forward sometimes even ahead of regulations.
He introduced aero thinking when most cars still looked like simple cigar-shaped machines.
Mauro Forghieri experimented with weight distribution; airflow management, and structural innovation long before these became standard in the sport!
But his most radical ideas were still to come. We’ll look at some of the futuristic cars he envisioned during his time at Ferrari, each one striking in its own way.
Ferrari 312B3 “Spazzaneve” — The Snowplow from the Future
Among all of Forghieri’s experimental machines; the Ferrari 312B ‘Spazzaneve’ remains one of the most visually extreme; it wasn’t built to race in a traditional sense, instead, it was a rolling laboratory designed to test radical aerodynamics packaging.
The car featured an unusually wide and aggressive front end that earned it the nickname Snowplow.
Unlike the narrow bodywork typical of its era; this design was different, more focused on airflow manipulation… radiators were repositioned to the sides, and the chassis was shortened to improve responsiveness.
This car never competed in a race, its concept directly influenced the later Ferrari 312T series; which went on to win world championships.
Ferrari 312T6 — When Six Wheels Entered Ferrari’s Mind
In the mid-1970s, F1 briefly became fascinated with the idea of six-wheeled cars.
Inspired by Tyrrell’s experiment, Ferrari responded with the 312T6.
This car took a different approach to the concept, instead of four small front wheels like Tyrrell, Ferrari focused on a unique rear configuration using additional wheels to increase grip and stability.
The idea was simple in theory but complex in execution; more contact with the track meant more traction; while narrower aerodynamic profile could reduce drag.
Drivers like Niki Lauda and Carlos Reutemann tested the car; but it never reached the grid.
A similar concept was also explored by March Engineering, the British team, but they never achieved the results they expected due to handling difficulties and limited improvement. It was an idea that ultimately failed, but at least it pushed experimentation a step further.
We’re sorry, but we couldn’t find any images of the Ferrari 312T6 to share here. However, you can easily find how it looked by searching online.
Semi-Automatic Vision Before Its Time
In 1979; Forghieri was already thinking about a future where drivers would no longer rely on traditional manual gear shifting; his semi-automatic transmission prototype for the Ferrari 312T was tested with Gilles Villeneuve.
Reports suggest that Villeneuve completed nearly 100 laps in testing. Instead of a fully manual system, the car introduced an early paddle-style concept that allowed faster and more controlled shifting. However, Villeneuve reportedly did not like it, as he preferred to feel the car more and wanted to keep the manual system. That ultimately brought the project to an end.
So if we look back; at the time, this technology wasn’t reliable enough, yes it worked, but the idea was far ahead of its era.
Nearly a decade later; Ferrari successfully introduced semi automatic systems in F1, and the same principle eventually filtered into modern road cars.
The 126C Series — Entering the Turbo Future
When F1 moved into turbocharged era, again, Forghieri wanted something that will beat the turbos in early 1980s.
The Ferrari 126 series marked Ferrari’s transition into high-pressure turbo engines, featuring a twin-turbo V6 that delivered enormous power for its time. Ferrari also introduced another version during the first race weekend of 1982, the 126CX, which was tested briefly in practice. It featured the Comprex system, designed to reduce turbo lag.
We have covered the Comprex system in detail in a previous article on our website, where you can read more about it. It was one of Ferrari’s most experimental ideas, but the project did not progress beyond the first practice sessions and was eventually dropped. Although it never made it into competition, Ferrari still went on to win the Constructors’ Championship that year with the 126C.
Ferrari 312T4 — Adapting to Ground Effect Aerodynamics
As F1 evolved into the ground effect era, with Lotus leading the way, Forghieri had to adapt his designs once again to match his rivals.
The Ferrari 312T4 became his reponse to this aero revolution; the car integrated wide side structures and carefully sculpted surfaces to manage airflow underneath the chassis.
It was one of the first Ferraris to fully integrate wind tunnel development into its design philosophy; treating the entire body as an aero tool rather than just a mechanical shell.
However, it was difficult to match Lotus, who were ahead at the time with a major aerodynamic advantage. Ferrari’s rivals were struggling, with Ferrari producing around 520 horsepower compared to roughly 480–490 horsepower from others, which gave them strong straight-line speed. Still, it was ultimately aerodynamics that played the key role, helping Ferrari secure the championship in 1979. But the interesting thing is that the Ferrari chassis itself looked ahead of its time, especially if you look at the 312T4.
The Ferrari Sigma F1 Concepts
In 1969, Forghieri contributed to the Ferrari Sigma concept, a design study that explore the future of driver safety.
This car was designed by Paolo Martin, but developed in cooperation with Mauro Forghieri. It used the gearbox, engine, and many components from the Ferrari 312, all of which were part of Forghieri’s engineering work.
It included ideas such as reinforced survival cells; improved fuel containment systems, and early versions of side-impact protection.
So this was another example of how Forghieri’s thinking often arrived before the sport was ready for it.
Beyond Ferrari Lamborghini, Bugatti, and Road Car Engineering
After leaving Ferrari in 1987; he continued shaping automotive engineering across different brands; at Lamborghini for example, he contributed to V12 F1 engine development.
At Bugatti; he worked as Technical Director during the early stages of the EB110 supercar project, a car that itself carried futuristic ambition for the early 1990s.
Later he founded it’s own consultancy, Oral Engineering, continuing to work on advanced automotive and racing concepts.
So even outside Ferrari, Mauro Forghieri remained deeply connected to high-performance engineering.
Content continue below…
But if you are interested in the double rear wings used in one race, designed by Mauro… but banned after the race you can read here below.
Lamborghini 291 design
He also designed the Lamborghini 291, working alongside chief designer Mario Tolentino and with contributions from Nigel Cowperthwaite on the chassis side, the car was built around the naturally aspirated Lamborghini 3512 V12 engine.
What made it unusual; the triangular sidepods, paired with forward-angled radiators that gave it a distinctive, almost experimental look.
FEATURED IMAGE CREDITS: Mauro Forghieri at Mugello F1 test session (1991), photo by Carlom1961 (CC BY 4.0) via Wikimedia Commons
