Having deployed its most talented drivers such as Nino Vaccarella, Mario Andretti, and Lucien Bianchi to pilot the new and yet-unproven T33/2 prototypes, Alfa Romeo has fielded just two Giulia Sprint GTAs in the under-two-litre category of the prestigious Daytona 24 Hours, with an all-Italian squad to drive them. Alas, it’s not going to be Autodelta’s race. While the T33/2s have shown promise, Porsche’s formidable 907s will sweep the podium. On the plus side, each of Alfa’s three prototypes will finish the race, an encouraging sign of things to come in the following year. It’s a similar story in the GTAs’ race – the more robust and consistently quick Porsche 911s will ultimately have the legs, claiming the top four spots in the class. When the chequered flag drops, Alfa’s sole remaining GTA, piloted by Leo Cella, Teodoro Zeccoli, and Giampiero Biscaldi, will have to make do with 20th overall, rather embarrassingly one place behind a GTA fielded by an all-American privateer outfit.

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