Alfa Romeo T33/TT/3 - The remarkable history of 115.72.002

The Alfa Romeo T33/TT/3 was produced by Alfa’s Autodelta racing department to compete in the 1972 World Championship for Makes. The Alfas struggled to take the fight to Ferrari, though scored regular podium positions. The highlight was a second place in the epic Targa Florio Sicilian road race, where Helmut Marko put in a stirring drive to come within seconds of victory. Marko was driving chassis 115.72.002, the most successful of the T33/TT/3 chassis, which would later have a second career on the race circuits and hillclimbs of Greece, prior to an eventual return to Europe, where it is still a frequent competitor in historic events.

• The background to the T33/TT/3 story, and how the car evolved from its Alfa Romeo predecessors.
• Full details of T33/TT/3’s world championship season in 1972, with race-by-race accounts, including the detailed story of 115.72.002’s finest hour – the Targa Florio.
• Profiles of 115.72.002’s period drivers – Vic Elford, Helmut Marko, Nanni Galli and Andrea de Adamich.
• A fascinating account of the protracted negotiations that resulted in Autodelta’s Carlo Chiti selling 115.72.002 to Greek driver George Moschous in 1975. Moschous’s successful three-year campaign in his homeland, both on the local circuits and in the national hillclimb championship, which he won with the car in 1976 and 1977.
• The car’s subsequent ownership, including its sale in the late 1980s to Andrew Fletcher and Willie Tuckett, who took the car to Japan and then South Africa. Franco Meiners’ ownership in the 21st century, during which time the car was driven by then-Red Bull Racing Formula One driver Daniel Ricciardo, reliving its finest hour on the Targa Florio course. Current owner, Martin Halusa, relates his experiences of ownership, and competing in the car with his sons, Lukas and Niklas.
• The book is lavishly illustrated with a mix of period and contemporary images, many previously unpublished, including a gallery of colour photographs showing the car in all its fascinating detail.

Specification

• ISBN: 978-1-907085-34-5
• Jacketed Hardback
• 128 pages
• 240 x 280 mm in landscape format
• Over 130 colour and black & white photos

The author – Ian Wagstaff

Ian Wagstaff began his career in the offices of Motor Sport and Motoring News before becoming Press and Promotions Manager at Silverstone Circuit. He went on to be an editor in the trade press. He has been working freelance since 1986, writing for the motor-racing press, plus automotive trade and business publications. Ian has won a number of awards for his work and is twice winner of the Guild of Motoring Writers Montagu of Beaulieu Trophy for his books. He is also a past winner of the Motorworld Book Prize (Motorsport category) for his first book in the Porter Press Great Cars series which covered the story of the 1970 Le Mans-winning Porsche 917.