{"id":33983,"date":"2020-09-01T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2020-09-01T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.secret-classics.com\/bugatti-and-the-targa-florio\/"},"modified":"2020-10-10T07:44:52","modified_gmt":"2020-10-10T07:44:52","slug":"bugatti-and-the-targa-florio","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.secret-classics.com\/en\/bugatti-and-the-targa-florio\/","title":{"rendered":"Bugatti and the Targa Florio"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

148 kilometers (92 miles) per lap and five laps in a row, driven at top speed and best time – a distance unimaginable today. And all this on only rudimentary sealed-off country roads that weren’t completely asphalted in the early years. Of course we are talking about the legendary Targa Florio road race in Sicily, which was first held in 1906. In 1919, the organizers shortened the lap length to 108 kilometers (67.1 miles), and in 1932 it was finally reduced to 72 kilometers (44.7 miles), while still retaining the Buonfornello straight along the beach, which, with a length of more than six kilometers is even longer than the famous Hunaudieres from Le Mans in the pre-chicane era. Training sessions before the actual race took place in flowing traffic. Yes, racing in the early days of the automobile was dangerous and much more exciting than today’s Formula E buzz. However, this anachronism actually lasted until 1977, while this event still achieved world championship status for the Sports Car Championship. Afterwards, from 1978, some parts of the track were used as special stages for the Rally Targa Florio, which is still held annually.

One car brand is particularly associated with the early days of the Targa Florio: Bugatti. After a few private drivers had already scored minor successes here, the factory team finally arrived in the mid-1920s. In 1925 and 1926 the Italian racing driver Bartolomeo Costantini won the race, driving a Bugatti Type 35 (1925) and a Type 35T (1926). A year later, his compatriot Emilio Materassi followed him to the top of the winners’ podium with a Type 35C, and finally, in 1928 and 1929, Albert Divo achieved two more overall victories with a Type 35B and a Type 35C. Today’s Bugatti company is currently erecting a mobile monument to the French works driver in the supercar Divo, limited to 40 units. Such a car and a Type 35 were now sent for photo laps on parts of the former track for the sports car world championship.<\/p>\n\n\n

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