A Taste of Targas Past

1972 Lancia Fulvia Sport Zagato at the Floriopoli,the location of the old pits. Photo by L. Ariosto.

Photos by Gianni Petta and friends as noted

VeloceToday covers the Mille Miglia every year, but rarely have we seen photos from the similar Targa Florio event in Sicily. The following are from several recent editions of the Classic Targa Florio, when both spectators and entrants were abundant. In fact before the Pandemic, there were so many spectators that the traditional paddock location by the old pits was no longer sufficient.

The safe haven at the University of Palermo.

Says Gianni Petta, “At one time the cars were paddocked in Floriopoli, the area of the boxes and grandstands at the traditional start of the Targa Florio. But this eventually attracted thousands of spectators and created a need for a conspicuous deployment of police and Carabinieri men and vehicles. The vastness of the University makes it possible to safely park (surveillance) service vehicles and cars of a certain value. The University facility provides a protected and uncrowded place for the many car transporters that come from different European nations on the occasion of the Targa Florio.”

Also seen on the campus is a F 104 jet plane. The plane was donated years ago to the University by the Squadron of the Italian military Air Force Francesco Baracca, and bears (not visible in the photo) the prancing horse, now the emblem of Ferrari. The plane is an F 104 without an engine.

Below, photos from a variety of earlier events. The first set of photos are by Gianni Petta and L. Ariosto, the second set were taken by his friend, Andrea Oliveri.

Gallery One