Ferrari threatened to leave Formula 1 by building their own Ferrari 637 IndyCar

Ferrari threatened to leave Formula 1 as the FIA ordered teams to build V8 engines over traditional V12 engines from the 1989 season.

Ferrari is the most prestigious and successful team in Formula One history. They have 243 wins in this motorsports and are the most well-known team out there.

The team had championship-winning drivers Michael Schumacher and Kimi Raikkonen in their seats. However, if not for the decision by the FIA, these drivers might have never won the World Championships with the Prancing Horse.

The Scuderia actually planned to leave the Formula One business to concentrate on Indy500. They also built their own IndyCar called Ferrari 637 ready for the 1986 IndyCar season.

Enzo Ferrari’s fight against the FIA’s 1989 V8 engine regulations

The FIA changed the regulations from the 1989 F1 season. They announced that team must change their turbo engine to a V8 naturally aspirated 3.5-liter engine.

This particular decision did not sit well with Enzo Ferrari. He loved the V12 engine and wanted teams to continue with the same. However, the FIA was pretty adamant about their decision.

Therefore, Enzo ordered his Italian factory team to build a car for the CART PPG Indy Car World Series. Signor Ferrari also released a statement.

He stated: “The news concerning the possibility of Ferrari abandoning Formula 1 to race in the United States has a basis in fact. For some time at the prancing horse, there have been studying a program of participation at Indianapolis and in the CART championship.”

Ferrari 637.
Stillborn Indycar from 1986 pic.twitter.com/gZM8ax0M14

— Marino (@MPB_5) November 13, 2017

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What happened to the Ferrari 637?

This was a direct threat to the FIA. The Italian giants partnered with tire manufacturer Goodyear and Truesports CART team in order to build their own IndyCar machine.

With the help of three times champions Bobby Rahal and test driver Michele Alboreto, the team successfully built the Ferrari 637.

The team scared the lawmakers as the 637 car was up and running. Looking at how serious Ferrari was and a big loss it would eventually turn out to be, the FIA bowed to Enzo’s request.

The car never raced and it was handed over to Alfa Romeo for their IndyCar pursuit. Moreover, the car sits in their Maranello museum as one of the what if?

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