Alfa Romeo 6C 2500 Sport Freccia d’Oro
Photos by Alessandro Gerelli
Our faithful correspondent in Milan recently visited one of the largest automobile shows in Italy, Milano AutoClassica, held from November 22-25. Alessandro Gerelli lives in Bresso, near Milan, and has sent us his reports from this event for many years. We thought that since the AutoClassica event is well -described elsewhere, it is an appropriate time to say a few words about the author/photographer before we present this year’s AutoClassica coverage.
Alessandro Gerelli today.
With the following 25 images, Gerelli tells us that he has now sent 4000 photos!! to VeloceToday, covering a wide variety of motoring events. That is a lot, but then again, he has been submitting photographs for the last seventeen years. His first article for VeloceToday was “A Personal View, Monza, 1967 on May 16, 2002 and described his incredible luck obtaining a pit pass as a 19 year-old college student. It was the beginning of a love of photography that continues to this day. We wrote:
Like today, pit passes were extremely difficult to obtain. But Gerelli was determined. He would not listen to the sound of Amon’s Ferrari from far behind the fences, he wanted desperately to be where the action was. In what must have been a passionately good letter, he wrote to the organizers, and asked them if a student could obtain a pit pass. He would do no damage, he wrote, wouldn’t create problems, and maybe if he could just get a pass for the official test day, he could then take some photos. “The process worked,” says Alessandro, “and a very kind lady from the Monza organization called me, and said she had been touched by my letter.” The young Gerelli went to the Monza practice on Friday with a pit pass. He had to access a certain gate and mention the name of the lady who responded to his letter. “The miracle had been done,” he recalled.
Gerelli went on to work for Philips as an IT manager until he retired a few years ago. He is stil interested in flying, collecting Ferrari literature, photography and art. The car bug bit at age 16, and he has owned Abarths, Lancias, including a Delta Integrale 16v, and a Toyota MR2. His favorite car is a Ferrari 250GT Lusso.
Below, he presents his favorite Italian cars at this year’s AutoClassica. Thank you, Alessandro Gerelli!
November 22-25 Milano AutoClassica
Ferrari 125 S, 1947
Ferrari 250 GT SWB, 1959
Ferrari 342 America, 1952
Ferrari 250 Europa, 1953
Ferrari Dino 246 GTS
Ferrari 250 Cabriolet Pininfarina, 1961
Alfa Romeo TZ3 stradale by Zagato, 2011
Ferrari Testarossa FZ 93 by Zagato, 1993
Ferrari Testarossa FZ 93, rear view
Lancia Fulvia 1.3 Sport Spyder by Zagato, 1968
Fiat 1100 /103 berlinetta by Zagato, 1953
Fiat 8V Zagato, 1954
Dallara Stradale, 2019
Dallara Stradale, rear
Bianchi S9 Viareggio, 1937
Moroni Formula Junior, 1958
Bandini 1100 sport, 1951
Effeffe berlinetta by Officine Frigerio: hand made in old style
Effeffe berlinetta by Officine Frigerio Alfa engine.
Alfa Romeo 6C 2500 SS Corsa spider Colli, 1947
De Tomaso Pantera GTS prototipo, 1975
Fiat Balilla Coppa d’Oro, 1933 (replica)
Lamborghini Diablo VT 1995, engine bay
What a bunch of fun real cars! I think the Ferrari TR Zagato has been repainted, possibly twice, since it was first presented. We saw its original configuration sitting forlornly at zagato while they were photographing my Bristol 407z brag brag brag!