The “modern” Gran Premio Nuvolari has been held as a classic car rally for over 20 years. Since then, this old-timer rally has quietly developed into the beautiful sister of the Mille Miglia.
Every autumn Tuscany & Emilia Romagna becomes a stage for fans of historic motorsport. Nostalgic also recommends the Gran Premio Nuvolari as an attractive alternative to the Mille Miglia and offers an annual trip where Nostalgic guests experience the classic car race up close.
Here you can find detailed information about this program.
The pictures of the last trips to the Gran Premio Nuvolari with Nostalgic give a taste of this classic car experience . The travel participants experienced the GPN up close:
Tazio Nuvolari, Italian racing legend with legendary character . Without him, the Gran Premio Nuvolari would not exist. We tell you the most incredible events of his heroic career.
In a village of 2,000 souls near Mantua, in the Italian Po Valley, Tazio Giorgio Nuvolari, on 16. November 1892, first sees the light of day. His uncle, a motorcycle dealer for Bianchi motorcycles, infects his nephew with the "racing virus". Nuvolari started out as a driver in the Italian military.
It was here where Tazio Nuvolari starts his career as a serious racing driver on a two-wheeler. He successfully took part in motorcycle races on Norton, Indian and Garelli motorcycles before the then-leading Bianchi racing team noticed him and signed the fast Mantuan.
At the Monza Grand Prix for motorcycles Tazio Nuvolari had an accident and broke both legs. Without further delay, the intrepid man had both legs splinted, tied to the motorcycle and supported by two mechanics when he starts. He wins the race with two broken legs.
This hussar ride makes the racing world sit up and take notice and is the foundation on which the Nuvolari myth is born.
In 1927 Nuvolari founded a private automobile racing team together with the motorcycle pilot and his later-rival Achille Varzi. The racing team buys two Bugattis and Nuvolari wins important races with his own merit.
Achille Varzi, who came from a wealthy merchant family, could not stand to finish second behind Nuvolari. He left the racing team and bought the best material there was at the time: an Alfa Romeo P2.
He could only outdo Nuvolari for a moment, because the Alfa Romeo racing team brought Nuvolari on board. Varzi and Nuvolari became bitter rivals and the Mille Miglia became the stage for great motorsport.
Nuvolari drove the competition into the ground, but left Alfa Romeo in a dispute with the then team leader Enzo Ferrari .
After a brief interlude at Maserati , he returned to Alfa Romeo in 1935.
It is the great time of the superior "Silver Arrows" from Mercedes-Benz , which Alfa Romeo could do nothing else than a daring and death-defying racing driver - Tazio Nuvolari, the " flying Mantuan ”.
The Grand Prix of Germany at the Nürburgring was staged with a great roar.
The planned highlight was the triple triumph of the “Silver Arrows”. But Nuvolari beat the overwhelming competition in an Alfa Romeo and achieves one of the most important racing victories for Alfa Romeo, and at the same time one of the most important and greatest victories of his career.
Ferdinand Porsche then signed Nuvolari, who won for the four rings in the up-and-coming Auto Union.
Nuvolari doesn't let anyone or anything stop him from the greatest passion of his life, racing. Severe asthma, possibly a long-term consequence of having been exposed to exhaust fumes for many years, brought the winner to his knees.
Even the regained friend Enzo Ferrari tried to persuade Nuvolari to withdraw from motorsport. Despite his poor health the over fifty year old continues to win car races.
Nuvolari's wish to die in his beloved racing car does not come true. On August 11, 1953, one of the greatest racing drivers of all time died of a stroke.
50,000 people accompany his last journey. Nuvolari had become a legend in his lifetime.
His death prompted the organizers of the Mille Miglia to change the route so that Nuvolari's birthplace Mantua is on the route.
In his honor this section of the Mille Miglia would be held as the "Gran Premio Nuvolari".
The heyday of the Alfa Romeos was already over in 1954. Enzo Ferrari was the great dominator of the racing scene with his sports cars.
At the GPN, however, his Ferraris were first beaten by the great Alberto Ascari in a Lancia 1954 and then by Mercedes-Benz in 1955. Ferraris have won twice.
Stirling Moss was able to beat the favorite Ferraris in 1955 and achieved victory in the Mercedes-Benz SLR. In his fabulous record drive, he achieved an average speed of 198.496 km/h, unimaginable on country roads.
In the last edition of the GPN in 1957, the Ferraris achieved a triple triumph.
Due to the tragic accidents at the Mille Miglia in 1957, the Gran Premio Nuvolari was banned at the same time. After only four events.
Exotic sports car manufacturers that have long since disappeared will take part in the Gran Premio Nuvolari. You can catch a glimpse of the following splendid specimens:
SIATA: Italian manufacturer who manufactured tuning parts for FIAT sports cars and built sports cars under its own brand from 1946 to 1975. In 1975 production had to be stopped. SIATA 1400 Gran Sport is one of the most valuable models from SIATA and is traded around € 200,000.
Lagonda: The British brand Lagonda started its own production as early as 1906 and became quite well known and successful in racing between the wars. It didn't go so well commercially. Lagonda was taken over by Aston Martin in 1947. From now on, the name Lagonda was only used as an addition for selected Aston Martins.
Amilcar: In 1921 the French manufacturer started production in France. The launch of the sporty CGGS, which was built and sold under license in Italy, Germany and Austria, was the highlight of Amilcar and at the same time the start of racing activities. Amilcar did not manage to bring more than one model onto the market despite several changes of ownership. This remained in a less lucrative niche and did not make a fresh start after the end of the Second World War.
John Tojero: A little more than 30 Tojeros were built, could hardly show themselves at races and are still a myth. In the 1950s, John Tojero only wanted to build his own sports car for personal use. Suddenly, acquaintances and insiders appeared who also wanted a Tojero sports car. Tojero, born in Protugal, became a well-known face in the English racing scene, but his greatest achievement was the development of the AC Cobra's forerunner, the AC Ace.s
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