The finest drive in history: Nuvolari conquers Nazi Germany at the ‘Ring in 1935 in his woefully underpowered Alfa.
Nuvolari at Monaco in 1932. One year later he and Varzi would battle on those streets for four hours in what many regard as the greatest motor race in history.
Nuvolari at Monza in 1932. ‘The greatest driver of the past, present, and future’ was Porsche’s estimation of Il Mantovano Volante.
Nuvolari after winning the Targa Florio in 1931. Varzi entered a private Bugatti painted Italian red, and almost beat the entire Afla works until the rain and the mud got the better of him.
Nuvolari enters Brescia truimphant at the Mille Miglie in 1930. Legend has it he chased Varzi through the night without his headlights …
Varzi saw it all.
Varzi and Le Patron, Ettore Bugatti.
Vittorio Jano (pouring in the fuel) and Varzi. Varzi would always believe Jano conspired to cheat him out of the Mille Miglie win. Jano was the designer of the P2, the most dominant pre-war race car, as well as the world’s first monoposto (single seater). He moved to Lancia and built their grand prix winning car post-war before returning to Ferrari and designing the Dino, with its V6 engine, Ferrari’s first mid-engined non V12 car. He committed suicide after losing his son to illness.
The folly of the Targa Florio. Over 1,300 turns per lap, this Sicilian race was the ultimate test of driver and car. Here is Nuvolari somewhere in the upper reaches of the Madonie, in the early 1930s…
sandro-martini 