This 1:18 resin model captures one of the most storied entries from the 1961 World Sportscar Championship — a car that combined Ferrari's finest endurance weapon with two of the era's most gifted drivers, operating under Luigi Chinetti's North American Racing Team banner. The result was a second-place finish on one of the most demanding circuits in the world, achieved by a team that was still defining what American Ferrari racing could be.
Ferrari 250 TR61: V12 Evolution for 1961
The 250 TR61 was Ferrari's front-line sportscar contender for the 1961 season, evolving from the earlier TR59 and TR60 variants. It retained the Colombo-derived V12 fed by six twin-choke Weber carburettors. What changed was the body: Fantuzzi produced a lower, more streamlined nose, refining the aerodynamics for higher-speed circuits. The TR61 was a compact, lightweight machine built specifically to contest the World Sportscar Championship at its most competitive.
NART, the Rodríguez Brothers and the 1961 Nürburgring
On 28 May 1961, Pedro and Ricardo Rodríguez brought the NART Ferrari 250 TR61 No. 5 home second overall at the Nürburgring 1000 km. Luigi Chinetti, Ferrari's exclusive US importer and founder of NART, had entered the car wearing red with a white nose stripe — the team's instantly recognisable livery. Ricardo Rodríguez was just 19 years old that day, already competing at the highest level of endurance racing. Ricardo was killed at the 1962 Mexican Grand Prix aged 20, lending every piece of his racing history particular weight for collectors.
A 1:18 Resin Interpretation
This 1:18 resin model reproduces the NART No. 5 Nürburgring 1961 livery in full — red bodywork, white nose stripe and race number. Resin construction allows fidelity of cockpit, chassis and bodywork detail, and enables the Fantuzzi bodywork's low nose and subtle surface lines to be rendered accurately, making it a precise record of the actual race car.
Frequently asked questions
Who drove the NART Ferrari 250 TR61 No. 5 at the 1961 Nürburgring 1000 km?
Pedro Rodríguez and Ricardo Rodríguez shared the car, finishing 2nd overall on 28 May 1961.
What is NART and why does its livery matter to collectors?
NART — North American Racing Team — was founded by Luigi Chinetti, Ferrari's exclusive US importer. The team's red and white nose-stripe livery is one of the most recognisable American Ferrari racing identities in endurance history.
What material is this 1:18 scale model made from?
The model is made from resin, allowing high-detail reproduction of bodywork and cockpit at this scale.
How significant is Ricardo Rodríguez's connection to this car?
Ricardo Rodríguez was 19 at the 1961 Nürburgring and was killed at the 1962 Mexican Grand Prix aged 20. Any racing artefact linked to his brief career carries considerable historical weight.
