ATS (Automobili Turismo e Sport) was an Italian sports car manufacturer and Formula One constructor founded in the aftermath of Ferrari’s famous 1961 “Palace Revolution.” Created by a group of former Ferrari engineers and executives, the ambitious company set out to challenge its former employer both on the road and on the racetrack. Although the project lasted only a few years, ATS remains one of Formula One’s most intriguing “what if?” stories.
| Nationality | Italian |
| Years Active | 1963 |
| First Race | 1963 Belgian Grand Prix |
| Last Race | 1963 Mexican Grand Prix |
| Race Entries | 5 |
| Race Starts | 5 |
| Wins | 0 |
| Podiums | 0 |
| Pole Positions | 0 |
| Fastest Laps | 0 |
| Points | 0 |
| Constructors’ Championships | 0 |
| Drivers’ Championships | 0 |
| Best Start | 13th |
| Best Finish | 11th |
| Did Not Start | 0 |
| Did Not Qualify | 0 |
| Retirements | 8 |
The company was established by Carlo Chiti, Giotto Bizzarrini and several other former Ferrari personnel, with financial backing from Count Giovanni Volpi of Scuderia Serenissima. Their goal was nothing less than to build an Italian manufacturer capable of competing directly with Ferrari in both Grand Prix racing and high-performance road cars.
Alongside its racing programme, ATS unveiled the elegant 2500 GT at the 1963 Geneva Motor Show. Designed by Franco Scaglione and bodied by Allemano, the sleek mid-engined coupé was powered by a 2.5-litre V8 developed by Chiti, producing around 245 horsepower and capable of reaching approximately 160 mph (257 km/h). Only 12 examples were reportedly built, making it one of the rarest Italian sports cars of its era. Although the 2500 GT never achieved commercial success, its advanced flat-plane crank V8 would later evolve into the celebrated Alfa Romeo Tipo 33 engine developed by Chiti at Autodelta.
ATS had begun work on its Formula One challenger, the Tipo 100, during 1962. Constructed on a farm near Bologna before being unveiled later that year, the car featured an extremely slim body, a fuel-injected 1.5-litre V8 engine with double overhead camshafts, a six-speed Colotti gearbox, sophisticated independent suspension and inboard disc brakes. Weighing just over 1,000 pounds, it appeared highly advanced on paper.
To lead the new team, ATS recruited former Ferrari drivers Phil Hill and Giancarlo Baghetti, while motorcycle legend Mike Hailwood also tested the car during its early development. However, testing proved frustratingly slow. Every mechanical problem required the cars to be transported back to Bologna for repairs before returning to Monza, severely limiting development. Chassis flex became a major issue and was eventually addressed by welding reinforcing tubes directly over the engine—a highly unconventional solution that complicated maintenance, as the tubes had to be cut away and rewelded whenever the engine was removed.
The team’s Formula One debut suffered repeated delays. Planned appearances in several non-championship events and the Monaco Grand Prix were abandoned because the cars were simply not ready. ATS finally arrived at the 1963 Belgian Grand Prix, where expectations quickly gave way to disappointment.
Despite looking stunning when first unveiled, the Tipo 100s appeared unfinished by the time they reached the circuit. Ill-fitting body panels, poor paintwork, visible repairs and hastily modified engine covers left the cars looking far from polished. Both retired in Belgium, and the same fate followed at the Dutch Grand Prix.
ATS skipped the French, British and German Grands Prix before returning for its home race at Monza. The 1963 Italian Grand Prix proved to be the team’s only finish in a World Championship event, with Phil Hill classified 11th and Giancarlo Baghetti 15th after running well behind the leading cars. Both entries retired once again in the United States and Mexican Grands Prix, bringing ATS’s Formula One campaign to an end after just one season.
The Tipo 100 enjoyed one final chapter when it was later adapted for the Derrington-Francis project led by former Rob Walker Racing chief mechanic Alf Francis. Entered for the 1964 Italian Grand Prix with Mário de Araújo Cabral at the wheel, the car retired after 25 laps. It was restored during the late 1990s and has since appeared at numerous historic racing events.
Although ATS disappeared as a Formula One team, its influence continued elsewhere. Count Giovanni Volpi shifted his backing to Serenissima, whose racing cars incorporated much of the technology originally developed by ATS. In 1966, Bruce McLaren even raced with Serenissima power in selected Grands Prix.
Following the company’s collapse, Giotto Bizzarrini joined Lamborghini before founding his own sports car marque, while Carlo Chiti established Autodelta with Lodovico Chizzola. Autodelta would go on to become Alfa Romeo’s official competition department, where many of ATS’s engineering ideas found lasting success.
More than five decades later, the ATS name returned. In 2017, the revived company unveiled the ATS GT, a limited-production supercar powered by McLaren’s 3.8-litre twin-turbocharged V8 engine, with production planned at just 12 examples. ATS also introduced a sister brand, ATS Corsa, whose only known production model is the Corsa RRTurbo, continuing the famous Italian name into the modern era.
Automobili Turismo e Sport Stats by Season
| Year | Engine | Drivers | Entries | Starts | Wins | Podiums | Poles | Fastest Laps | Front Rows | DNF | Best Start | Best Result | Points | Championship |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1963 | ATS | Giancarlo Baghetti, Phil Hill | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 13 | 11 | 0 | NC |
