July 5, 2021: The first edition of Old But G-Old went ahead from July 2nd to 4th, as part of the Motor Valley Fest: a great event dedicated to the growing passion for Youngtimers. To celebrate the occasion, Canossa Events and #FastCarsSlowFoodTT designed an itinerary and created an on-the-road experience to underscore the uniqueness of these travelling companions. It was a memorable driving experience complete with a scenic route passing through the hills of the Land of Speed, races on the track, parades and displays of the cars, all combined with traditional Emilian food and wine and electrifying moments to show off the full potential of the cars at the heart of this adventure. As part of the experience, several Ferraris and other supercars also took part to pay tribute to G-Old: cars that are truly exceptional and uniquely beautiful.
The route
Friday 2nd July marked the start of the Old But G-Old experience, or more simply G-Old. The beating heart of the first day was the famous Varano de’ Melegari Racetrack in the hills above Parma. Participants were greeted by a bright, sunny day and the glorious weather stayed with them throughout the day. After the accreditation and drivers’ briefing, the crews immediately put their driving skills to the test with a series of exciting trials testing out their precision and abilities in the area opposite the paddocks. The highly-anticipated parade on the race track went ahead at the end of the timed laps: a unique and exciting occasion with about a hundred Youngtimers on the track, all at the same time… an unforgettable scene for everyone behind the wheel as well as for the public watching. Youngtimers are the true symbols of the future of collecting, and to see them parading alongside other supercars sent hearts racing. Once the events on the racetrack were over, the crews had time to relax and enjoy lunch in the enchanting setting of Fondazione Magnani Rocca, the Villa dei Capolavori at Mamiano, home to Luigi Magnani’s important collection of contemporary art. Then it was time to get back on the road. Participants enjoyed driving the famous scenic route of the Mille Miglia, among the rolling hills above Modena and taking in the views of ancient castles in the Duchy of Parma. The day came to a close in the city of Modena, the nerve centre of the Motor Valley Fest. The evening event was organised in the city centre, offering the participants the opportunity to sample the culinary delights of Emilian cuisine.
On Saturday 3rd July, the second day of driving, the crews had to navigate the hairpin bends up into Modena’s hills before driving down into the heart of the city to take part in the numerous celebrations organised for the Motor Valley Fest. This unique festival focuses entirely on the excellence of the motoring heritage and the third edition was again based in Modena, the city also famous for the Ghirlandina Bell Tower.
After setting off from the hotel, the crews drove through the area surrounding Modena, passing through Baggiovara, Castelnuovo Rangone, Vignola and Guglia. They stopped for a coffee break at Zocca and then continued along the route through the golden hills with the location for lunch as their next destination. After stopping in Pavullo nel Frignano, the Youngtimers set off again with Modena in their sights. In the capital of motoring, the cars drove through the streets of the old town with a police escort and parked up in Largo Sant’Agostino giving to the public the chance to admire them. The crews made use of this opportunity to visit the numerous stands displaying some of the gems made by the top manufacturers of cars and motorcycles in the world. To celebrate the love of motoring, the G-Old cars also took part in the celebratory parade in the Novi Sad city circuit, specially prepared for the occasion. Such an exciting day could only end on a relaxing note with a dinner offering traditional specialities in a setting as enchanting and romantic as Piazza Roma.
Sunday 4th July was the third and final day of driving, setting out from the Modena Racetrack at Marzaglia. After the briefing, the eagerly-awaited timed laps on the track finally began and the drivers were able to throw everything they had at it, unleashing the full potential of their fascinating Youngtimers. Afterwards, the convoy set out for the ancient village of Castelvetro for drinks and appetisers before lunch. The cars drove into the enchanting town centre and parked up in Piazza Roma, generally called ‘Piazza della Dama’ on account of its black and white chequerboard paving, before setting off again for Maranello. The G-Old’s last stop was Formigine, in the shadow of the towers of the ancient medieval castle. The crews enjoyed an al fresco lunch in this lovely setting followed by the final awards ceremony, presented by Tomaso Trussardi, co-organiser of the event.
The Awards
The first edition of G-Old was an exciting and thrilling experience behind the wheel, a chance to share the passion for Youngtimers with other motoring aficionados. Numerous awards were up for grabs. The Autodromo di Varano award for “The best regularity lap” went to Paolo Mazzotti, with the supercar section going to Maurizio Molteni together with Matteo Bodini. The Autodromo di Modena award for ‘The best regularity lap’ went to Adriano Crotti, and Ammar Alkadi and Giulia Cirinà took home the award for the supercar section. Several Golden Drivers were presented with awards for achievements along the itinerary for ‘First Place in Skill Trials’, including Himara Bottini and Rosemary Boscardin for the Youngtimers and Nicola Faccin and Elena Becchetti for the supercar section. Paolo and Tommaso Trasi also received an award in the same category. And, of course, there was also the special ‘Best of Show’ award, won by Marco Scotti with his wonderful Mercedes 500E.
Canossa and Old But G-Old: Thanks
Emotion was the key word of the G-Old experience, taking the crews on a journey to rediscover and experience the passion for their own cars: timeless cars that are increasing in value and interest among car enthusiasts. An important challenge, giving Canossa Events yet another chance to be innovative by entering the Youngtimer world, as always with its characteristically painstaking attention to detail, the hallmark of the company. In short: an inimitable and highly innovative experience. Consequently, Canossa would like to thank FastCarsSlowFoodTT for its marvellous support during the production of the event. Warm thanks go to BMW Italia, official car and main sponsor of the event, for its invaluable support and for the participation of the countless fans of the brand who came to see the rally and the activities on the track at Varano. Pirelli, the driving experience partner, also provided invaluable support. We would also like to thank all our media partners.
Special thanks to all the institutions that supported us. On behalf of everyone, it is a pleasure to mention the words of Corrado Bizzini, Councillor for Tourism and Events of the Municipality of Formigine: “We would like to welcome Canossa Events who has brought this wonderful event to Formigine. We are delighted to have G-Old here for the first time ever with the support of FastCarsSlowFoodTT, and we hope to see you back here soon”.
For more information, please visit the offical webpage.
