This time we will present to you not a car, but a car race which was described by Jacky Ickx as "deliciously crazy" because of its difficulties and the pleasure in overcoming them.
An endurance race that is unimaginable today and that only the most passionate know its history.
A race of exactly 444km with more than 900 curves, hairpin bends and other hairpin bends in the mountains and valleys of Sicily, covered every year from 1906 to 1977.
A race that takes its name from its founder Vincento Florio, who came from a wealthy Sicilian dynasty, and from the bronze plaque awarded to the winner, Targa meaning Plaque in Italian. .
A race not to be confused with another endurance car race created in 1905 until 1929, discontinuously, called Coppa Florio, also because of the cup awarded, and you will have understood, Coppa meaning Cup in Italian.
Here is his story:
On the morning of May 6, 1906, the inhabitants of the small Sicilian village of Cerda watched in amazement as ten racing cars gathered in a thick cloud of smoke and a deafening din on their dusty country road. The ambitious gentlemen drivers who piloted these behemoths had responded to the invitation of Vincenzo Florio, a Sicilian wine merchant and passionate motorist. With a thunderous noise, the competitors climbed the mountain from Cerda in ten minutes. A true marathon for man and machine: three laps of a 148-kilometer loop. After nine hours and 32 minutes, Alessandro Cagno claimed first place aboard his powerful Itala, thus securing the title of first winner of the Targa Florio and he left with a bronze plaque engraved by the renowned French artist René Lalique showing a racing car against a backdrop of the Sicilian landscape.
The race will change regularly, at the start, a loop of almost 150 km around Sicily, composed largely of paths, which the winner must tackle 3 times, as quickly as possible (Yes, in fact, that is the goal of a race!). In 1912, it is a loop of 995 km that must be covered. After a forced break from 1915 to 1918, it returns to loops to be covered several times.
In the 20s, the Targa Florio becomes one of the most emblematic races, and inevitably, attracts manufacturers who come to compete there, Alfa Romeo, Mercedes, Bugatti ...
From 41 to 48, the 2nd World War interrupts the race. It starts again in 49 and moves up the ranks. Porsche, Ferrari, Alfa, Lancia, Mercedes bring out the big guns. In 1955, it was registered in the world sports car championship. It was all the rage, and prototypes were starting to appear.
At the beginning of the 70s, it became completely crazy, even the drivers admitted that you had to be totally crazy to race there. The roads were no longer suitable, with speeds of over 300 km/h on winding, rutted, bumpy departmental roads, the machines were always at the limit of grip to the great delight of the spectators, who gorged themselves on the spectacle, but to the great detriment of safety. Accidents continued.
In 73, after 2 fatal road exits, the federation stopped the carnage and withdrew the Targa Florio from the world championship.
This does not prevent the Targa Florio from being part of the Pantheon of motor racing today, quite the contrary. Brands and drivers have built their records and legends there, on the altar of speed, courage, talent and also fear. A race like they don't do anymore.
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