Auto Antiche Aquilane

The people of l'Aquila were badly hit by the earthquake in April 2009 and have suspended their program of events for now. Our feelings are with them. Some words from their website:

"Dear friends, in our website's "news" section is space for the initiatives that we had scheduled for 2009. We wanted to leave it visible on this site almost like a commitment for the future, to find the desire and enthusiasm to make projects. Many events had a cultural, meetings, conferences on the shared passion for vintage motor sport. What happened the night of April 6 has forced us to cancel the program outlined, there are more spaces that were supposed to meet you, there is in these moments when the drama is still fresh in our minds, that ' enthusiasm that this business requires. I apologize to those we have always been close and we were following. However, this does not mean abandoning any project, it is just passing time to reorganize and find a minimum of calm. Best wishes from the heart to you all because you can return life to our beloved city."

The History of the Coppa Cidonio Grand Prix

The Circuit Collemaggio, also called "Cup Cidonio" represents for Aquilani for sixty years, a piece of city's history, not only from a sporting point of view but automotive.

The race began in 1950 and ended in 1963 after eight editions and some breaks. Who has a sharp memory can not forget the speeding cars in front of the Basilica of Santa Maria di Collemaggio, the steep switchbacks that wound over port between Naples wings enthusiastic crowd.  A street circuit of 3.6 kilometers was able to deliver a stiff challenge for the drivers and race cars in the competition.

Who were the protagonists? Cidonio Cup race car drivers who later progressed to Formula 1: Luigi Musso Jochen Rindt, Jo Siffert, Maria Teresa De Filippis, Ernesto Brambilla, Berardo Tarasco.  With them were many other performers in the automotive show, so many characters like local pilots & mechanics. The whole city of Aquila in early summer had an atmosphere for the race that was feverish.

The cars that were lined up at the start is a result of the commitment made by small manufacturers who gained good placings in prestigious races such as the famous Mille Miglia: Tarasco, Patriarch Stanguellini to arrive in the later editions with the arrival of Class 2000 at Osca, Maserati and Ferrari. Circuit Collemaggio requires commitment, courage, ability and good car. 1963 was the final edition, in the wake of serious accidents and even more devastating events that took place on street circuits and road courses, the Cup Cidonio saw its end.

From 2004 to 2008 an average of forty teams participated in the various retro editions of the event. In 2005, a testimonial of prestige was Maria Teresa De Filippis, president of the Maserati Club and known to the world for being the first woman to have raced in Formula 1 with her Maserati. Aquila has found through a Neapolitan collector a Taraschi-Urania which ran in L'Aquila in 1952, a moment of great emotion. In 2006 another former pilot, Massimo Natili, has been the godfather of the event and always present with his wonderful cars, another Taraschi in fact, it was a sign of great attachment to our club and Aquila, Tazio Tarasco, son of the great Berardo and now heir to that proud tradition of Abruzzo, which is the mark of Tarasco.

 

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Time Zone : (GMT +1:00 hour) Brussels, Copenhagen, Madrid, Paris

Circuit Length : 3.6 km

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