Soaking Up the Sun (and Silverware) at the Sarnano-Sassotetto

How does a blonde English classic car enthusiast in the heights of the Sibillini mountains near Sarnano deep in the Marche hinterland spend his days? Well, it depends. In this area it’s not uncommon that he would bump into some of his compatriots, given that the entire Marche region has been very popular in recent years with British people moving to Italy. But if you were to meet him during the Sarnano-Sassotetto hill climb it’s likely that he’ll be racing the oldest car that has ever participated in the famous speed race, as our CEO Tom Wood did last weekend with his Bentley 3/4½ litre from 1925.

For the small medieval village, but also for the fans of the Sarnano-Sassotetto, it was a bit like the arrival of a UFO. They simply didn’t expect it. The car surprised everyone and was also greatly celebrated by the local press, featured as it was in all the newspapers. The race, named after the driver from the Marche, Lodovico Scarfiotti and conceived after his death during an uphill race in Germany in 1968, is much loved by the community, so much so that last weekend it was the inhabitants who offered an aperitif to the drivers, which is something not to be taken for granted. The Sarnanese have demonstrated how hill climbing is now as much a part of their DNA as the mountain itself, which offers what many say is the most panoramic and spectacular route of the entire Italian Mountain Speed Championship!

10km long, the route of the Sarnano-Sassotetto is characterized by various types of technical difficulties and reaches a height difference of almost 800m. In addition to the historic car trophy, on to its sixteenth edition now, the Lodovico Scarfiotti Trophy has also always included a competition reserved for modern racing cars, too. The total number of participants this year in the two races, both valid for the national championships of their respective specialties, was 150, coming from all over the Peninsula.

The winners were Stefano Peroni with the Martini Mk32-BMW, achieving his sixth victory in the historic championships with a time of 4’46″91, and Simone Faggioli driving his Nova Proto NP01-2 (4’14″94), winner for the seventh time among modern cars.

Obviously the first ingredient of the welcome amuse bouche on Friday was the typical “Ciauscolo”, a delicious soft salami accompanied by fine wine of the area. Many locals are always keen to attend the race, with the start given by the young mayor, Fabio Fantegrossi. While the mayor from some years before, Federico Marconi, was racing as a driver after having been among the supporters of the race’s rebirth in 2008. The hill climb stopped for 17 years, in fact – and the last two editions were organized in 1990 and 1991 by a private petrolhead. The “racing mayor“ then kickstarted the Sarnano-Sassotetto back into gear together with the current organizer Euno Carini and Giovanni Battistelli, who was president of the Automobil Club Macerata at the time.

And the heartfelt memorial prize that our Bentley had the honour of being awarded is named after the latter. “This is truly a very coveted prize”, remarked racing aficionado Andrea Stortoni, a highly experienced driver despite his young age and a super expert in British racing cars. One of the very few Italians regularly invited to race at the Goodwood Revival Meeting with his Lotus, he won the Battistelli award in 2022 with his Lotus Eleven.

In the 1980s, crowds of enthusiasts and curious hill climb fans used to pack themselves into the spaces between the hairpin bends or along the straights to watch the Sarnano-Sassotetto. They stood around for hours watching the climbs, regardless of the oppressive heat of the day and there were improvised sellers of snacks and drinks. All of which is not possible now. Obviously you can no longer emerge along the route from small internal streets as people once did. The race is in fact set up in a very professional way and with maximum safety according to today’s standards by the AC Macerata Sports Association and ACI Sport of Macerata, chaired by Enrico Ruffini. It involves 130 marshals along the route and sees a total of over 250 people at work in various roles, including organisation, timekeeping, mechanics, etc. All led by the excellent race director Fabrizio Bernetti, who last year had to interrupt the race due to a strong bit of fog in May.

This time we saw some rain, but just a few drops which didn’t really wet the asphalt. And in any case only at Saturday’s rehearsals. From the morning heat to the afternoon our old lady improved her time from 10:05 to 9:41′. Then, unfortunately, on Sunday a banal fuel problem – the carburettor float – forced her to interrupt her run on the race day. But you know, in historic motorsport these things have to be taken into account, especially with vehicles which are a century old! Precisely due to its seniority, our Bentley started first both on Saturday and after the national anthem at the actual race. Well yes, in Sarnano there is also a soprano, Elisa Biaggi, and she did not disappoint with her splendid voice. Many people, each in their own way, have tried to make their contribution.

There was also someone, Davide Medei, who offered his workshop as a night garage for the Car & Classic representative. And there was also a competitor from the Scuderia Bologna Squadra Corse who, seeing our Tom lying under the engine of the Bentley in the paddock, approached him at the end of the first test session and kindly offered him a Piadina, a typical Romagna delicacy, fearing that he was skipping lunch. Testament to the camaraderie and convivial atmosphere of the event.

At the race in the city on the Sibillini Mountains we give each other a hand, everything makes you feel at home and the spirit is genuine. There is not the slightest trace of motivation that is not 100% sporting and indeed, motorsport. Here it is then, the splendour of the Sarnano-Sassotetto hill climb: the race is a flame of pure passion fuelled by fantastic people and it will never stop burning.

Photos by Giuseppe Rainieri and Giuseppe Saluzzi