Count Masetti against all odds

• 

When Italian driver Count Giulio Masetti arrived at the start of the 1922 Targa Florio, we can only wonder what he must have thought of his chances. He must have looked at his privately owned eight year old Mercedes Grand Prix racing car and then at the mighty cars entered by the DMG (Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft). He must have been worried because the Sicilian road race, this day eighty-five years ago, was to DMG a testbed for new engines as well as old ones. Notwithstanding the superior power of the DMG factory team it is therefore a bit of an irony that this Targa Florio was won by Count Masetti (pictured here before the start). His victory was not only due to his superior driving skills, he had also painted his Mercedes in the traditional red Italian racing colours, thus making sure that the patriotic spectators would do nothing to obstruct his run as they did to the non-Italian drivers. The Targa Florio is still being held, although nowadays it is a rally with several trials. This year the dates are from June 3rd until June 11th and it is still possible to participate. See the website of the Giro di Sicilia. (photo’s courtesy DaimlerChrysler) (RB)

Plaats een reactie, stel een vraag, geef uw mening, deel aanvullende informatie of start een discussie door de onderstaande velden in te vullen