Fan of Fagioli

Sir,

While reading the January issue of MOTOR SPORT, imagine my pleasant surprise to read of Luigi Fagioli with the feature on Alfred Neubauer.

Last summer we were on holiday four miles due south of Umbertide which is approximately 30 miles north of Assisi in Umbria on the E45 road.

We visited a town called Gubbio, about 10 miles east of Umbertide, on Sunday 9th August only to find all the main streets closed to traffic. In typically Italian/European Style they had closed the road that links Gubbio with Scheggia for a three day hillclimb event starting the previous Friday.

Team Skoda were there with a couple of trick cars like Favorit pickups but more importantly with two Octavias, one fuel-injected, the other turbocharged. All manner of cars were assembled, silhouettes of Alfa 155s but using space frames and carbon-fibre bodies right up to CanAm replicas driven by 70-year-old ex-Mafiosi types. All very serious!

But the link, sorry to bore you all, was that the event was for the Trofeo Luigi Fagioli whom until I read your article I had never heard of. Presuming it’s an annual event, if you are in Italy in August for the first full weekend, try to get there; it is sensational for both the cars and the spectator atmospherics.

I am, yours, etc. Michael Boothroyd, Tavistock, Devon