Formula One Lamborghini V12

lamborghini s 3.5l v12 formula 1 engine, 3512, @ lamborghini museum.

lamborghini made move formula 1 in 1989 when fia outlawed turbocharged engines. former scuderia ferrari designer / engineer mauro forghieri commissioned design , build new, 3.5 litre v12 engine use french larrousse team in 1989. dubbed lamborghini le3512, (lamborghini engineering 3.5 liters 12 cylinders) 3,493 cc (213.2 cu in), 80° v12 engine reported best sounding engine of new 3.5l naturally aspirated formula. lamborghini representatives stated @ engines début race, 1989 brazilian grand prix in rio de janeiro, chose lower ranked team join formula 1 (larrousse in third season using lola chassis ) felt @ stage of development 3512 not able justice 1 of teams closer front of grid. also, front running teams had existing engine suppliers in place (mclaren honda, williams renault, benetton ford, , ferrari made own v12 engines).

the lamborghini v12 did impress many in 1989 despite unreliability, , engines best result in first year came fast accident prone larrousse driver philippe alliot when qualified lola lc89 in 5th position spanish grand prix @ jerez, 1.417 seconds slower v10 mclaren-honda of pole winner ayrton senna. alliot backed performance scoring engine s first point in formula 1 finishing 6th in race , setting 4th fastest race lap in process. unfortunately, alliot s team mate second half of 1989, former ferrari driver michele alboreto, never came grips either lola or lamborghini. in 8 races larrousse recorded 4 dnf s, 2 failures pre-qualify, 1 failure qualify, , single 11th-place finish in portugal.

the lamborghini v12 s best finish came when larrousse driver aguri suzuki finished 3rd in infamous 1990 japanese grand prix @ suzuka. time in formula 1 (1989-1993) prove frustrating though poor reliability became norm engine, despite being used grand prix winning teams such lotus , ligier boast driving talent such derek warwick (lotus - 1990), , thierry boutsen (ligier - 1991). in 2014 interview, warwick said of 3512 noise , no go .

in 1993 after 4 years in formula 1 1 significant result engine, bob lutz of lamborghini s parent company chrysler, did hand-shake deal mclaren boss ron dennis team test le3512 evaluate potential race winner. mclaren made modified version of 1993 race car, mclaren mp4/8 dubbed mp4/8b, test engine (the test car took 3 months modify fit longer , heavier v12). testing completed triple world champion ayrton senna, , future dual world champion mika häkkinen @ both silverstone circuit in england , estoril circuit in portugal. after first drive of car @ silverstone, senna suggested changes forghieri (a less brutal top end , fatter mid-range), , complied engine power increased 710 bhp (529 kw; 720 ps) approximately 750 bhp (559 kw; 760 ps) , both drivers impressed despite engine still being unreliable (häkkinen reported massive engine blow while testing @ silverstone, though did manage lap 5.226 km (3.260 mi) circuit 1.4 seconds faster teams mp4/8 race car powered 680 bhp (507 kw; 689 ps) ford v8 engine). according reports, senna wanted race engine @ japanese grand prix believing while reliability might problem, @ least quicker ford powered race car (ironically senna win in both japan , last race in australia existing mp4/8). despite however, ron dennis decided go peugeot v10 engines in 1994 due better commercial agreement give long term stability team , @ end of 1993 season, lamborghini le3512 retired grand prix racing after company sold chrysler indonesian investor group led tommy suharto.

the lamborghini, on cars powered carried words chrysler powered lamborghini (other mclaren mp4/8b virgin white, though test engines badged chrysler), 1 of 5 v12 engines used in naturally aspirated era 1989-2013, others being ferrari (1989-1995), honda (1991-1992), yamaha (1991-1992), , porsche (1991). other 12 cylinder engines in formula 1 during time disastrous efforts life racing engines w12 engine , subaru reintroduced flat 12 sport, both appearing in first half of 1990.

le3512 power output

1989 - 600 bhp (447 kw; 608 ps)
1990 - 640 bhp (477 kw; 649 ps)
1991 - 640 bhp (477 kw; 649 ps)
1992 - 700 bhp (522 kw; 710 ps)
1993 - 710 bhp (529 kw; 720 ps)
1993 - 750 bhp (559 kw; 760 ps) (mclaren tests)

f1 statistics 1989-1993

races - 80 (49 starts)
first race - 1989 brazilian grand prix @ jacarepaguá
first chassis - larrousse lola lc88c
last race - 1993 australian grand prix @ adelaide
last chassis - larrousse lh93
wins - 0
pole positions - 0
podiums - 1 (3rd - 1990 japanese grand prix @ suzuka, aguri suzuki, larrousse lola lc90)
points - 20
teams - larrousse (1989, 1990, 1992, 1993), lotus (1990), ligier (1991), modena team (1991), minardi (1992)
best qualifying - 5th, philippe alliot, larrouse lola lc89, 1989 spanish grand prix @ jerez
best constructors championship - 6th, larrousse, 1990 (11 points)
best drivers championship - 12th, aguri suzuki, 1990 (6 points)




^ lamborghini 3512 formula 1 v12 @ statsf1
^ alcune applicazioni storiche - 1989/1993 [some historical applications] (in italian). retrieved 2016-04-06. 
^ rainer nyberg (2001). mclaren s brief flirtation chrysler empire . 8w.forix.com. archived original on 2016-03-05. retrieved 2016-04-08. 
^ if senna had driven mclaren-lamborghini in 1994? . www.race2play.com. f1 racing. 2011-04-04. archived original on 2014-04-27. retrieved 2016-04-08.