Scarab F1 of 1960 1.0 - Author : argesacher

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Scarab made an ill-fated entry into Formula One during the 1960 season with front-engined cars which by then were nearly obsolete. The engines in these front-engined cars were 4-cylinder units similar in layout to the Offenhauser, but entirely of Scarab's own design. They featured Desmodromic valve gear similar in design to that found on the Mercedes engine of the period and were built and maintained by Chuck Daigh. The engines were the achilles heel of the team as the Desmo gear could not cope with the large amount of movement in the engine block and would consistently pull the valves too far closed resulting in valve failure. Scarab participated in five Grands Prix, entering a total of nine cars. Reventlow was joined by his engineer Chuck Daigh in piloting the blue and white liveried cars. Both Scarabs were entered in the Grands Prix of Monaco, Holland, Belgium, and France, while only Daigh's car was entered in the American Grand Prix. Daigh, while entered in the Dutch Grand Prix, did not race due to payment issues.
The Scarab F1 missed the 1960 season opening race in Argentina, first appearing to immense interest and fascination at Monaco. Reventlow offered Stirling Moss (driving a mid-engined Lotus 18 in the race) a chance to drive the Scarab. If anything Moss’s talents behind the wheel masked the front-engine Scarab’s numerous shortcomings but even freshly completed and barely shaken down both Reventlow and Daigh would have been competitive with 1959 qualifying times, the season for which the Scarab F1 was designed. The Scarab F1’s performance improved at the Belgian GP at Spa-Francorchamps two weeks later. Reventlow blew an engine on the opening lap but Daigh, despite vibration problems, qualified (two places behind his team owner who was no slouch as a driver) and completed sixteen laps before the engine threw a rod. Richie Ginther took Lance Reventlow’s seat at the French GP at Rheims but once again the engines in both his and Chuck Daigh’s Scarabs gave trouble before the race. The team packed up and went home to devote more time to developing the engine.
The Scarab team was ready to take another shot at Formula One in November when the circus arrived in their backyard at Riverside in November. Only one Scarab was entered so it could have the attention of the whole team. Driven by Chuck Daigh, it qualified 18th and acquitted itself admirably, finishing tenth. Its performance hinted at the potential of the front-engined Scarab F1 but it was too late, the GP formula changing to 1 1/2 litres for 1961. The three Scarab F1 chassis were modified to comply with the 1961 Intercontinental Formula rules, including one with an Offenhauser engine which Chuck Daigh brought home sixth at the Intercontinental race at Goodwood (after running as high as third) and seventh at Silverstone before crashing in another Silverstone meeting and damaging the rear of the chassis. RAI again returned to the States without realizing the Scarab F1’s potential.