Racing Past

Ferrari’s Tribute to Targa Florio, which takes place in October every year, gives owners and their modern Ferrari models the unique opportunity to retrace the tyre treads of the illustrious racing cars that competed in the legendary Targa Florio, the world’s oldest and, many would agree, most demanding sports car race.

Above: see the highlights, as well as the glorious Sicilian scenery, of this year's Tribute to Targa Florio…

Taking place on the often treacherous and poorly surfaced public roads that wound precariously around Sicily, heroic ‘piloti’ such as Stirling Moss, Jean Manuel Fangio and Tazio Nuvolari earned their racing stripes here, often putting their lives at risk in the process.

The original race, which first took place in 1906 but was stopped for safety reasons in 1977, may be long gone, but it is not forgotten. Today the Targa Florio is still celebrated every year as a regularity rally, with classic car owners and their steeds coming from all over the world to descend on Sicily and retrace the route of the original race and the motorsport legends who campaigned it – although with far less emphasis on outright speed, and more of a focus on Sicily’s fantastic roads, stunning scenery and marvellous food.

Above: the first day of the Tribute saw the cars exploring Sicily's beautiful west coast

As in years past, this year’s Ferrari Tribute catered to owners of Ferrari models built since 1991, with 70 cars coming from as far afield as China, Egypt and Japan. Prancing Horses gathering at the start line in Palermo – the Sicilian capital – included SF90 Stradales and Spiders, five 812 Competiziones, a GTC4 Lusso and an F12tdf, with entries ranging in age from a 1999 360 Modena to four 2023 Ferrari Roma Spiders.

After the cars, and their very international owners, gathered at Palermo’s 5-star Grand Hotel Et Des Palmes on Thursday 10th October for a gala dinner, the driving event started at the Palermo Marina Yachting the next morning. This first 338km stage saw the procession of modern Prancing Horses wending their way inland along magnificent scenic roads to Sicily’s west coast, pausing for a lunch stop before undertaking a leisurely sprint back to Palermo on spectacular coastal roads, passing through the historical city of Trapani.

Above, from left: the 70 assembled Prancing Horses gathered at the Grand Hotel Et Des Palmes in Palermo before leaving the city's historic university the next morning, and following the original Targa Florio route inland 

Day two’s 234km driving stage, named the ‘Circuito delle Madonie’, saw the Tribute cars negotiating the legendary mountain roads that took such a starring role in the original race. The route took in the long disused circuit buildings, following the twists and turns so fearlessly conquered by driving greats such as Nuvolari, Piero Taruffi and local hero Nino Vaccarella, giving today’s competitors the opportunity to test their driving and time keeping skills, although at a slower and safer pace.

Above, from left: the second day saw the cars tackling the mountain roads of the legendary race, passing though hilltop towns and taking in stunning vistas before returning to Palermo

Following a return to the finishing line, the 2024 Tribute to Targa Florio culminated in a grand gala dinner on the Saturday night – the perfect end to two days of unforgettable driving, celebrating a legendary race that will live on in the memory of motorsport fans for many years to come.