A 1934 Alfa Romeo Tipo B P3 (above, Tim Scott photo courtesy of RM Sotheby’s) will be offered for public sale for the first time in more than a decade at RM Sotheby’s upcoming Paris sale on February 8, 2017, the beginning of the city’s famed Rétromobile week. This particular P3 (chassis 50006) is regarded as one of the very best examples available, having been campaigned by Scuderia Ferrari in period, and raced by some of the biggest names in motorsport.
Alfa Romeo’s P3 racing cars are among the first of the narrow, open-wheeled Grand Prix machines, and were among the first European designs to shun the dual seating of previous Grand Prix cars designed to carry riding mechanics. The Tipo B P3 is one of Alfa Romeo’s most significant models, considered by many to be the most beautiful and effective racing car of its era. Launched in 1931, it enjoyed instant success in Grand Prix competition, winning at Monza and scoring 1-2-3 finishes in both the French and the German Grands Prix. Although Alfa Romeo went bankrupt partway through the season — thanks to the Great Depression — the racing team was salvaged by Scuderia Ferrari, which took over the running of the cars, producing continued success into 1932.
RM Sotheby’s annual Paris sale will also showcase a series of competition cars from across the decades, with additional highlights including an ex-de Portago 1954 OSCA MT4 1500 (chassis number 1142) and a pair of more modern racecars with Le Mans provenance.
Beyond its racing theme, the sale will also feature an exceptional 1973 Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona Spider (chassis no. 16801) that combines a potent, four-cam V12 engine with stylish, open-top motoring. The Daytona is a matching-numbers example benefitting from a professional restoration by Rich Mullin at the official Ferrari Workshop. For complete information please visit www.rmsothebys.com
