Giro d'Italia automobilistico

The Giro d'Italia automobilistico was an automobile race around Italy, historically first held in 1901, then reinstituted as annual event between 1973 and 1980, resurrected for 1988 and 1989, and again in 2011. Both in its historical and modern iterations the Giro d'Italia was inspired by its French equivalent, the Tour de France Automobile.

History[]

1901[]

The first Giro d'Italia was organised by Club automobilistico di Torino (Automobile club of Turin) with the patronage of Milanese newspaper Il Corriere della Sera. Seventy-two crews enrolled.

The race started on 27 April 1901 in Turin; of the 72 cars which had enrolled, only 32 were present at the starting line.^[1] These included nine Fiats, four Panhards, four Peugeots, three Renaults, two Rossellis, two Morses, and one each from Benz, Ceirano, Delahaye, , Daimler, De Dion, Isotta Fraschini and Darracq.

1934[]

The 1934 edition was held over three days and 5,687 km (3,534 mi), on a circular route from Rome to Calabria and back, including a stage in Messina on the island of Sicily. Carlo Pintacuda and Mario Nardilli won in a Lancia Astura.^[2][3][4][5]

1954[]

The 1954 edition was held over ten days, seven stages and 5,763 km (3,581 mi), beginning and ending at the Monza Circuit and stopping at Sanremo, Naples, Bari, Rimini, Merano and Turin along the way. Luigi Taramazzo and Gerino Gerini won in an Alfa Romeo 1900 SS.^[6][7]

1973[]

's De Tomaso Pantera Gr. 4 of Jolly Club (no. 457), 1973 edition winner, and Jean-Claude Andruet's Lancia Stratos Marlboro Prototype (no. 524), at the start of Casale Monferrato special stage.

The first Giro d'Italia automobilistico took place between 24 and 28 October. The race was part of the Italian Group 4 Championship.

Route and events^[8][9]

Day	Leg	Circuit or route	Event
25 October	Turin–Varano de' Melegari	Cesana–Sestriere	Hillclimb
		Autodromo di Casale	Circuit race
26 October	Varano de' Melegari–Misano Adriatico	Autodromo di Varano	Time trial
		Autodromo del Mugello	Circuit race
		Autodromo Dino Ferrari	Circuit race
		Autodromo di Misano	Night time trial
27 October	Misano Adriatico–Turin	Autodromo di Misano	Circuit race
		Autodromo di Varano	Circuit race
		Autodromo di Casale	Night time trial

Podium finishers^[9]

Rank	Drivers	Team Car	Class	Time
1	Casoni Minganti	Scuderia Nettuno De Tomaso Pantera Gr.4	Gr. 4	55 m 35.0 s
2	Bonomelli Bonomelli	Bonomelli Squadra Corse Porsche 911	Gr. 5	57 m 11.2 s
3	Borri Anzalone	Brescia Corse Porsche 911	Gr. 5	59 m 57.3 s

Class winners^[9]

Class	Drivers	Car	Time
Group 5
>1300 cc	Bonomelli-Bonomelli	Porsche 911	57 m 11.2 s
Group 4
>2000 cc	Casoni-Minganti	De Tomaso Pantera Gr.4	55 m 35.0 s
2000 cc	Dal Ben-Besenzoni	Fiat 124 S	1 h 08 m 47.8 s
1600 cc	Mussa-Martino		1 h 05 m 53.8 s
1300 cc	Artina-Librizzi		1 h 22 m 05.3 s

1974[]

The 2º Giro d'Italia automobilistico took place between 14 and 20 October. The race was part of the Italian Group 4 Championship.

The works Fiat Rally team fielded four cars: two Fiat Abarth X1/9 prototypes (one driven by Ferrari F1 pilot Clay Regazzoni), a mysterious Abarth SE 030 prototype based on the yet unveiled Lancia Montecarlo (which scored a remarkable second place on its first outing), and finally a Group 4 124 Abarth Rally. Lancia was only represented by the Andruet/Biche's victorious Lancia Stratos Turbo. Another notable entrant was Arturo Merzario, on an ill-prepared Jolly Club Group 5 Stratos, stopped by an engine seizure already on the first day, at Casale. Of 85 on the starting grid, 52 finished the race.^[10]

Route and events^[11][12]

Day	Leg	Circuit or route	Event
15 October	Turin–Imola	Cesana–Sestriere	Hillclimb
		Autodromo di Casale	Race
16 October	Imola–Misano Adriatico	Autodromo Dino Ferrari	Race
		Autodromo del Mugello	Race
17 October	Misano Adriatico–Vallelunga	Autodromo di Misano	Race
		S. Stefano–Passo dello Spino	Hillclimb
		Autodromo di Magione	Race
18 October	Vallelunga–Parma	Autodromo di Vallelunga	Race
		S. Giorgio–Colonnetta	Hillclimb
		Quercegrossa–Croce Fiorentina	Hillclimb
19 October	Parma–Turin	Autodromo di Varano	Race
		Autodromo di Monza	Race

Podium finishers^[12]

Rank	Drivers	Team Car	Class	Time
1	Andruet «Biche»	Lancia Corse Lancia Stratos Turbo	Gr. 5	1 h 18 m 41.5 s
2	Pianta Beckers	Abarth Abarth SE 030	Gr. 5	1 h 22 m 43.4 s
3	Govoni Angelelli	Scuderia Nettuno De Tomaso Pantera Gr.4	Gr. 4	1 h 24 m 10.5 s

1975[]

's Fiat Abarth 031, 1975 edition winner, in action at the Imola stage.

The 3º Giro d'Italia automobilistico took place between 11 and 18 October. For 1975 the coefficient for hillclimb races times was raised to 3:1, thus favouring rally drivers over circuit drivers, less accustomed to racing on closed public roads; no Formula One drivers took parts to the 3rd Giro. Autodelta fielded an Alfa Romeo 33/3 in Group 5. The favourite Munari/Maiga duo ended sixth, but only after having witnessed their Alitalia Stratos Turbo burn to the ground after the last race. Winner were Pianta and Scabini on a 3.5-litre Abarth SE 031, a prototype based on a heavily modified Fiat 131.

Day	Leg	Circuit or route	Event	Notes
12 October	Turin–Modena	Autodromo di Monza	Race
		Cesana–Sestriere	Hillclimb	Race cancelled[13]
13 October	Modena–Misano Adriatico	Autodromo Dino Ferrari	Race
		Autodromo di Misano	Race
14 October	Misano Adriatico–Magione	S. Stefano–Passo dello Spino	Hillclimb
		Autodromo di Magione	Race
15 October	Magione–Orvieto	Rieti–Terminillo	Hillclimb
		Autodromo di Vallelunga	Race
16 October	Orvieto–Parma	S. Giorgio–Colonnetta	Hillclimb
		Quercegrossa–Croce Fiorentina	Hillclimb	Race cancelled[14]
		Autodromo del Mugello	Race
17 October	Parma–Turin	Autodromo di Varano	Race
		Autodromo di Casale	Race
Sources:[13][14]

Podium finishers[14]
Rank	Drivers	Team Car	Class	Time
1	Pianta Scabini	Abarth Abarth SE 031	Gr. 5	1 h 24 m 09.9 s
2	Coggiola Pilone	Scuderia Nord Ovest Porsche 911 Carrera RSR	Gr. 4	1 h 24 m 20.9 s
3	Bocconi Lovato	Scuderia Nettuno	Gr. 3	1 h 25 m 57.6 s

1976[]

The 4º Giro d'Italia automobilistico took place between 17 and 20 October. The race was part of the Italian Group 4 Championship, Italian Group 5 Championship. A one-make "Trofeo Alfasud" was disputed by 15 Alfa Romeo Alfasud in separate races.

Amongst the notable entrants there were two Lancia-Marlboro Stratos Turbo of Facetti/Sodano and Pinto/Bernacchini, with the "silhouette" body allowed by the newly enacted Special production cars Group 5 rules. Despite looking almost identical, the two cars were very different; Pinto's Stratos used the previous year's carburetted engine, while Facetti's one had an all-new fuel injected and intercooled engine developing about 100 PS more.^[15] Fiat sought to replicate its past year's success by entrusting Pinto another prototype 131, this time an unassuming Gr. 4 131 Rally made into a Group 5 car enlarging to 2.1-litre. Other Group 5 "silhouette" cars were Merzario's Ford Escort, Finotto's BMW-Schnitzer 2002 Turbo and Mannini's Fiat X1/9-based Dallara Icsunonove.

Facetti won with

Day	Leg	Circuit or route	Event
17 October	Turin–Monza	Cesana–Sestriere	Hillclimb
		Autodromo di Casale	Race
		Autodromo di Monza	Race
18 October	Monza–Misano	Autodromo di Imola	Race
		Autodromo di Misano	Race
18 October	Misano–Parma	S. Stefano–Passo dello Spino	Hillclimb
		Autodromo del Mugello	Race
20 October	Parma–Turin	Autodromo di Varano	Race
Sources:[16][17]

Podium finishers[17]
Rank	Drivers	Team Car	Class	Time
1	Facetti Sodano	Lancia-Marlboro Lancia Stratos Turbo "Silhouette"	Gr. 5	2 h 51 m 10.0 s
2	Bernabei Borgia	Porsche 911 RSR		2 h 57 m 48.1 s
3	Pittoni Baresi	Porsche 911 Turbo		3 h 01 m 30.6 s

1977[]

The 5º Giro d'Italia automobilistico took place between 12 and 16 October.

Podium finishers
Rank	Drivers	Team Car	Class	Time
1	«Vittorio C.» Monticone	«Victor» Porsche 935	Gr. 5
2	Bianco «Tambauto»	Porsche 934	Gr. 4
3	Pietromarchi Naddeo	De Tomaso Pantera	Gr. 5

1978[]

The 6º Giro d'Italia automobilistico took place between 13 and 18 October. It was one of ten non-World Rally Championship races that counted for the FIA Cup for Rally Drivers. The race was also part of the Italian Group 4 Championship, Italian Group 5 Championship and the one-make "Trofeo Autobianchi A112 Abarth".

Winners were Alén// on a works Lancia Stratos; Pianta drove on the track, while the Alén/Kivimäki rally duo tackled the road stages. The car was a modified Group 4 rally car, classed in Group 5 as it was fitted with the 24-valve engine and other components which had lost their FIA homologation that year. Markku Alén went on to win the FIA Cup for Rally Drivers, also thanks to points scored in the Giro.

Day	Leg	Circuit or route	Event
14 October	Turin–Imola	Autodromo di Monza	Race
		Autodromo di Varano	Race
15 October	Imola–Magione	Autodromo Dino Ferrari	Race
		Autodromo di Misano	Race
16 October	Magione–Rieti	Rieti–Terminillo	Hillclimb
		Autodromo di Vallelunga	Race
17 October	Rieti–Il Ciocco	S. Giorgio–Colonnetta	Hillclimb
		Autodromo di Magione	Race
		S. Stefano–Passo dello Spino	Hillclimb
18 October	Il Ciocco–Turin	Ronde del Ciocco	Eight special stages

Podium finishers[12]
Rank	Drivers	Team Car	Class	Time
1	Alén	Lancia Stratos	Gr. 5
2	Facetti Finotto De Antoni	Porsche 935	Gr. 5
3	Magnani Pittoni Cresto	Lancia Stratos	Gr. 4

1979[]

The two Lancias and other entrants were disqualified, and the first prize went to third-arrived Moretti, Schön and Radaelli privateer trio.

Podium finishers[12]
Rank	Drivers	Team Car	Class	Time
DQ	Villeneuve Röhrl Geistdörfer	Lancia Lancia Montecarlo Turbo	Gr. 5	3 h 49 m 46.5 s
DQ	Patrese Alén	Lancia-Alitalia Lancia Montecarlo Turbo	Gr. 5	3 h 50 m 22.3 s
1	Moretti Schön Radaelli	Porsche 935 TT	Gr. 5	3 h 56 m 34.9 s
2	Bettega De Vito Perissinot	Fiat-Alitalia Fiat Ritmo 75 Abarth	Gr. 2	4 h 7 m 6.3 s
3	Carello De Cesaris Meiohas	Lancia Stratos	Gr. 4	4 h 7 m 44.5 s

1980[]

Podium finishers[12]
Rank	Drivers	Team Car	Class	Time
1	Patrese Alén	Lancia Montecarlo Turbo	Gr. 5	4 h 25 m 47.1 s
2	Alboreto Bettega Bernacchini	Lancia Montecarlo Turbo	Gr. 5	4 h 40 m 7.6 s
3	Pantaleoni Meloni Tedeschini	Porsche 911 SC	Gr. 5	4 h 43 m 25.2 s

1988[]

The 9º Giro d'Italia automobilistico took place between 16 and 20 November 1988.

Day	Leg	Circuit or route	Event
16–17 November	Turin–Reggio Emilia	Bollengo	Special stage
		Alba	Special stage
		Varzi	Special stage
		Autodromo di Varano	Race
		Berceto	Special stage
		Ciano d'Enza	Special stage
18 November	Reggio Emilia–Misano Adriatico	Prignano	Special stage
		Zocca	Special stage
		Zattaglia	Special stage
		Autodromo di Misano	Race
19 November	Misano Adriatico–Parma	Autodromo di Misano	Race
		Vergato	Special stage
		Castagneto	Special stage
		Carpineti	Special stage
20 November	Parma–Monza	Autodromo di Monza	Race
		Milan trade fair	Super s. s.
Source:

Podium finishers[18]
Rank	Drivers	Team Car	Class	Time
1	Patrese Biasion Siviero	Alfa Romeo Alfa Romeo 75 Turbo IMSA	IMSA	2 h 43 m 22 s
2	Larini Cerrato Cerri	Alfa Romeo Alfa Romeo 75 Turbo IMSA	IMSA	2 h 43 m 46 s
3	Nannini Loubet Andrié	Alfa Romeo Alfa Romeo 75 Turbo IMSA	IMSA	2 h 44 m 13 s

1989[]

The 10º Giro d'Italia automobilistico took place between 14 and 19 November 1989.^[19] A poker of Alfa Romeo 75 IMSA took the top positions; the third classified D'Amore/Noberasco/Cianci were privateers.^[20]

Day	Leg	Circuit or route	Event
14–15 November	Turin–Castelnuovo Garfagnana	Lingotto	Super s. s.
		Alba	Special stage
		Canelli	Special stage
		Varzi	Special stage
		Autodromo di Varano	Race
		Berceto	Special stage
		Ciocco	Special stage
16 November	Castelnuovo Garfagnana–Rome	Ciocco	Special stage
		Poggibonsi	Special stage
		Campiglia d'Orcia	Special stage
		Autodromo di Vallelunga	Race
17 November	Rome–Misano Adriatico	Fiano Romano	Special stage
		Deruta	Special stage
		San Giustino	Special stage
		Autodromo di Misano	Race
18 November	Misano Adriatico–Reggio Emilia	Autodromo di Misano	Race
		Palazzuolo sul Senio	Special stage
		Vergato	Special stage
		Carpineto	Special stage
19 November	Reggio Emilia–Monza	Autodromo di Monza	Race
Source:

Podium finishers[20]
Rank	Drivers	Team Car	Class	Time
1	Francia Cerrato Cerri	Alfa Romeo Alfa Romeo 75 Turbo IMSA	IMSA	2 h 53 m 03 s
2	Larini Biasion Siviero	Alfa Romeo Alfa Romeo 75 Turbo IMSA	IMSA	2 h 53 m 23 s
3	D'Amore Noberasco Cianci	Alfa Romeo 75 Turbo		2 h 54 m 53 s

2011[]

Day	Leg	Circuit or route	Event
26 October	Turin–Monza	Bielmonte	Special stage
		Pray–Curino	Special stage
		Mottarone	Special stage
27 October	Monza–Franciacorta	Autodromo di Monza	Race
		Val Taleggio	Special stage
		Colli San Fermo	Special stage
28 October	Franciacorta–Imola	Autodromo di Franciacorta	Race
		Castelli di Canossa	Special stage
		Trinità	Special stage
		Autodromo di Modena	SPS
29 October	Imola–Arezzo	Autodromo di Imola	Race
		Monte Faggiola	Special stage
		Autodromo del Mugello	Race
		Talla	Special stage
30 October	Arezzo–Vallelunga	Magione	SPS
		Prodo–Colonnetta	Special stage
		Autodromo di Vallelunga	Race
Source:[21]

Podium finishers[22]
Rank	Drivers	Team Car	Class	Time
1	Pitorri Gagliardini Bernardini	Star Cars Porsche Cayman S CSAI GT4	GTT	3 h 9 m 8.327 s
2	Forato Bianco Gasparotto	Rubicone Corse Lamborghini Gallardo	GT	3 h 10 m 32.053 s
3	Vallini Fraschia Fraschia	PCR Sport SEAT León Supercopa	T	3h 13 m 41.472 s

Overall winners[]

See also[]

• Tour de France Automobile

References[]