1997 Ferrari F310b
Driven by Michael Schumacher and Eddie Irvine in 1997 Formula One season.
One of the first F1 cars with the air intake above the driver’s head
Iconic 90’s Formula 1 look with angry shrill V10 sound and no active aero technology.
This race car has been exhibited several times, most recently in the 2016 Speed Machines: Supercars & Superbikes and the 2020 From the Racetrack to the Opera: Marques That Did It All. The Ferrari F310B is one of the most special cars within the Audrain Collections for many reasons, and we are thilled to have it on display in its fourth exhibition! Ferrari Formula 1 cars from this era carry a wonderful blend of anger and simplicity, with a shrieking V10 sound to back it up.
This 1997 Ferrari F310B is chassis number 179. The eighth of just nine built, it is the first of two lighter-spec examples that had been built with a slightly higher fuel capacity than the first models.
Michael Schumacher first used it in practice at the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa, but he had a difficult time finding the right setup as he was used to an earlier car. Chassis 179 was set up for a dry weather race but there was a torrential downpour, and Schumacher decided to use the earlier car.
Chassis 179 was then used by Eddie Irvine at the Italian Grand Prix at Monza. Irvine qualified 10th and finished 8th in the race. He also used the car at the Austrian Grand Prix where he qualified 8th but failed to finish the race. After its retirement from Formula One, the car left Maranello in 1999 and was owned by a small group of prominent collectors. The car then went on to participate in several motorsports events, such as the Ferrari Historic Racing Days at Hockenheimring Baden- Württemberg circuit, Germany in 2000, and Monterey Historic Races at Laguna Seca in 2004. The car also spent time being driven for the Ferrari Corsa Clienti program.
The Audrain Collections acquired the 1997 F310b in 2014 and has attended very exciting events in the last couple years. In 2019, the car was sent to the Goodwood Festival of Speed where it went up the hill and participated in a lap of honor for Michael Schumacher’s 50th birthday. Additionally, the car was on display at Casa Ferrari for the 2019 Pebble Beach Concours.
The F310B was the replacement to the Ferrari F310 which was raced in the 1996 season. The F310 was the first Ferrari F1 car to utilize a V10 engine but struggled to keep the pace of the victorious Williams cars. Ferrari redesigned the car for the 1997 season to be more competitive, with more aerodynamic bodywork and a more refined engine. The F310B was an important car for Ferrari because it was raced on their 50th year in pursuit of F1 history. The 1997 season was also a very important building year for Scuderia Ferrari. It was the first year that Ross Brawn was the team’s technical director and Rory Byrne’s first season as chief designer, under the guidance of Jean Todt. Schumacher was able to drive the F310B to victory five times during the 1997 season.
Specifications:
Engine: 3.0 Liter V10
Horsepower: 725 hp
Top Speed: Over 200 mph
Transmission: Semi-automatic sequential 7-Speed
Curb weight: 1,322 pounds (with driver)