Perfect Technique, Heart, Resistance, Intelligence – Targa Florio Returns
“You need to have a perfect technique, heart, resistance, intelligence”
Piero Taruffi
Six minutes and eleven seconds for the Nordschleife by Stefan Bellof in a 956. Thirty three minutes and thirty six seconds, or a 79.890 mile per hour average, by Leo Kinnunen for the Targa Florio. What is it with Porsche and record times on racing’s most manic roads?
In 1906, a group of fearless motorsport pioneers fired up their engines and took to the roads of Sicily for the first ever Targa Florio. This happened for another 70 years, as the greatest drivers of motorsport’s golden age strapped themselves in and tore through the winding, beautiful, and treacherous roads of Sicily, until the speed event was stopped, like so many others, because of, well, terrible danger.
The Targa Florio is an iconic race from a golden era of motorsport, and now, 105 years after it began, it’s back for 2011 in modern form as the Eco Targa Florio.
On the 29th of September, 2011, we will head back to Sicily for four days of glorious road racing in everything from beautiful classic racing cars to experimental alternate-fuel modern racers. The Eco Targa Florio will feature three categories – the Eco Targa Florio Green Prix, Eco Targa Florio Classic, and Ferrari Tribute to the Targa Florio, as well as an International Forum on Sustainable Mobility.
The Eco Targa Florio Green Prix is designed as a testbed and laboratory for the development and promotion of eco-sustainable cars and alternative energy vehicles.
Where it gets most interesting for us is in the next two categories – the Eco Targa Florio Classic, and Ferrari Tribute to the Targa Florio. The Eco Targa Florio Classic is for vintage cars built between the beginning of the 20th Century and 1977, with priority given to cars the chassis or models of which actually raced in the original Targa Florio. Some of these cars will be running on alternative fuels. That’s 80 years worth of classic and vintage sports and racing cars tearing through the picturesque streets of the Madonie circuit. Does it get much better?
The Ferrari Tribute to the Targa Florio is an event run for cars from the Italian marque constructed between 1948 and the present day, and is sure to be one of the most beautiful events one can view, or take part in.
Head to the official website for the full details from the MAC Group: www.ecotargaflorio.com
Images provided by www.ecotargaflorio.com, copyright Fondazione Targa Florio Onlus
