Many car-loving hearts start beating faster at the sound of driving through Italy. Land of Monza, Imola, Ferrari, Lamborghini, Mille Miglia, Ascari, Italy’s history with cars is like no other. While the thousands of speed camera’s, roadworks, traffic queues, and cracks in the roads may leave you disappointed while visiting, I still believe that some parts of Italy are high up in my personal list of favourite places in the world.
Take Lake Garda for example. In my opinion, one of the most stunning looking lakes I have ever seen. My friends organise an ‘Italy trip’ every year in the month of May. May is typically a busy month for me at work, so I don’t always have the time to participate. This year…COVID-19 has obviously spoiled these plans as most of us are confined to our houses. So let me report on last year’s wonderful trip to Italy. Our goal: watch the 2019 Mille Miglia (a 1000-mile races from Berscia to Rome and back) technical checks and start, enjoy the Lake Garda scenic drives and visit some musea.
My friends had left The Netherlands on Sunday (12 May) already, passing by Autosalon Singen in Germany on Monday before entering Italy. Unfortunately I had to work on Monday and take the plane in the afternoon. My Ferrari 348 was stored in Austria due to a recent track day at Spielberg (more on that in a future post) so I flew to Graz, picked it up, and drove 6 hours South in order to meet my friends in Agriturismo Dei Grippi which is close to Lake Garda (being a completely race-tuned Ferrari, this was not a comfortable ride…). I parked my car in good company: a Lamborghini Gallardo, a Ferrari 360, Ferrari Mondial, Ferrari 456, two Ferrari 458’s, Alfa Giulia Super, a Porsche 911, a bit out-of-place Donkervoort, and a Minotto.
A what? A Minotto: the creation of a friend of mine who, after years of work, managed to design and built a new car which is very much inspired by old Italian racers like the Ferrari 860 Monza. Powered by a Ferrari V12 and supported by modern electronics and mechanisms, this car doesn’t just have the looks; it also goes like stink. Tuesday was the “Fiera” day in Brescia (technical check of the cars participating to the Mille Miglia race) and we all set off to witness this event. When stopping for some fuel, I realized I’d love to find out how it is to drive in the Minotto. I told my friend I’d like to drive along as a passenger, and left my Ferrari parked at the petrol station to continue the morning in the Minotto. The drive was sensational; what I liked in particular is that unlike modern Ferrari’s (the engine is from a Ferrari 612), you really hear the V12 scream and I can’t help feeling much more appreciation now of this incredible engine. Thumbs up to Minotto for developing a car like this in these days where the rest of the world heads to soundless electrical cars, high weights due to all sorts of comforts, and feelingless steering.
The Fiera is an event in itself with the inspection of all participants to the race (classical cars that participated during 1927 and 1957), as well as a modern set of Ferrari’s that is allowed to follow the same route. I am not a big fan of classical cars, but must admit that some of my favorites are classic cars, such as the Porsche 550 Spyder, BMW 507 and Aston Martin DB5/6. Seeing them in real life is certainly something special. But I’m particularly warming up for the Ferrari LaFerrari, 488 Pista and my all time favourite: the Porsche Carrera GT (shown here in Zagato version).
In the afternoon we decided to drive through the hills surrounding Lake Garda. Parts of these roads are spectacular and I regretted a bit leaving my car parked in a petrol station. I had swapped cars and was now a passenger in the Gallardo, another modern favourite of mine, but it’s not the same if you don’t drive yourself. The road ended on the national road that goes along the coast of the lake, and we continued our trip with one of the most beautiful views in the world: Lake Garda.
I realized suddenly that my wallet was missing, and started to wonder if I had lost it, or left it in my car that was still parked at the petrol station. When returning to the hotel and passing by the petrol station, I realized that not only had I left my Ferrari parked there without locking it, I even left my wallet in the car, completely visible! Bravo Italy for leaving everything untouched. In the evening dinner was served at the wonderful town Peschiera del Garda.
Next day was the start of the Mille Miglia at Brescia. Having parked at a local pizzeria (and of course enjoyed a nice pizza for lunch) we watched all participants pass by on their way to one of the first checkpoints: Sirmione.
(left picture by Patrick Wijdeveld)
After seeing the majority of the participants leave, we followed a similar route and headed for Sirmione ourselves. To me, there is something special about this extremely narrow peninsula in the lake, with its historical center around the medieval Rocca Scaligera castle where Mille Miglia participants need to get their stamp at the checkpoint. We got a gigantic ice cream and sat down at the coast of the lake until it was time to drive to Desenzano del Garda for dinner. Live is good like that.
We were cheered up by the enormous crowd that is there to watch the race along the road. I don’t think there is any other country with such a passion for cars. This picture says it all I think.
Thursday, the final day for me, was museum day. We first drove to museum Panini close to Modena, which had an entrance worthy of functioning as a great location to do a little photo-shoot . Lunch was served in Maranello: a small town half-an-hour drive from Modena, and home to the Ferrari factory. The town breeds Ferrari and it is not uncommon to see some Ferrari test cars pass by. My lunch was pasta with pumpkin; a local recipe that is simple and delicious.
(bottom-right picture by Phan Vu)
In the afternoon we stopped at the Pagani factory in San Cesario Sul Panaro, where plenty of extreme looking Pagani cars are shown, with their fantastic carbon-fibre bodies. Even the washing sinks at the toilets were made of carbon!
While my friends had two more days to spend in Germany on their way home, I had to leave and drive from Modena to Belgium during the night, as I had to give a course there on Friday. After a long drive I arrived at the hotel at 2 AM with an empty reception and no key left on the counter. So I opened a key box, took a key out and checked myself in. Went to bed exhausted, but with happy memories of a fantastic trip.
The Minotto: What a stunning car, what a dream machine 😍, what a jewel 💎.
I like as well your Ferrari in front of Maranello, right car and colour at the right place 🤩.