Chassis 015 was built as a works car for Autodelta, Alfa Romeo’s official competition arm, during a period when the company was determined to reassert itself on the world stage of sports car racing. The Tipo 33 project itself began in the early 1960s, with the first prototypes emerging in 1965. By 1968, the T33/2 had evolved into a sophisticated machine, powered by a 2.0-liter V8 engine producing 270 horsepower at a heady 9,600 rpm. The car’s innovative chassis featured three large-diameter aluminum tubes that doubled as fuel tanks, a design that contributed to its light weight and impressive agility.
Chassis 015 made its competitive debut at the 1968 24 Hours of Daytona, entered by Autodelta alongside two sister cars. Driven by Lucien Bianchi and Mario Andretti, 015 finished a strong sixth overall, contributing to a 5-6-7 result for Alfa Romeo—a statement of intent from the Italian marque on the international stage. Later that year, the car competed in the legendary Targa Florio, where local hero Nino Vaccarella drove it up to second place before handing over to Udo Schutz, who unfortunately crashed, ending their race prematurely.
After its frontline racing days in Europe, 015 passed into the hands of Team VDS, a Belgian outfit with connections to the Stella Artois brewing dynasty. From there, it was acquired by Portuguese driver António Peixinho, who campaigned the car in Angola. During the early 1970s, Angola was a vibrant motorsport hotspot, attracting European machinery and drivers. Peixinho enjoyed considerable success with the T33/2, racing it across the country’s circuits and earning a place in local racing folklore.
However, the outbreak of revolution and civil unrest in Angola forced a dramatic change in the car’s fortunes. As the situation deteriorated, collector António De Santos took the extraordinary step of hiding the Alfa Romeo, along with a Ford GT40 and a Chevron B19, to protect them from destruction or confiscation.
The car’s next chapter reads like a script from a Hollywood film. In the mid-1980s, French enthusiast Jean Chambault orchestrated a daring rescue, arranging for the T33/2 to be airlifted out of Angola aboard a Hercules military cargo plane. Once back in Europe, the car was entrusted to Marcello Gambi, a former Autodelta mechanic, who undertook a meticulous restoration. Under Gambi’s care, 015 was returned to its former glory, even appearing at the Le Mans Classic in 2000 and 2004. At one point, it was even registered for road use in Germany—a remarkable feat for a thoroughbred racing prototype.
Now, after decades of adventure and survival, Alfa Romeo T33/2 chassis 015 is preparing to write a new chapter in its storied history. The car is set to cross the auction block at RM Sotheby’s Monterey sale this August, where it is expected to fetch close to $2 million. The sale represents a rare opportunity for collectors to acquire a car that embodies the spirit of endurance racing, the ingenuity of Italian engineering, and a truly global history.
From the high banks of Daytona to the dusty tracks of Angola, and soon to the spotlight of Monterey, chassis 015 stands as a testament to the enduring appeal and resilience of the Alfa Romeo Tipo 33—a car that has not just survived, but thrived, across continents and decades.
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