The world is a book
and those who do not travel
read only one page
(Sant'Agostino)
This event has not its primary feature in racing. Moreover, in the DNA of the organizers there is more the discovery of the routes, the people, the adventure than the competition. Of course, we must comply with departures and arrivals and be able to stay on time. But in the end the "classification " will be surely secondary to the pleasure of the things seen and experienced. And also, we are with the smallest car at the starting line. We have no other sportive ambition, but make the same path as the other competitors. We want demonstrate that our Giugiù (Alfa Giulia TI 1300) can run everywhere. The important thing is, as always, not to have mechanical problems and - if we run into some mishap - to know that we have the right spare that will pull us out of trouble. Isn’t it true "Mago Alberto?"
We really do not remember a race of so long duration in India. But there is so much history, that one of the second most populous nation on Earth. It has a thousand-year-old culture, traditions, religious inspirations. It has so many social and human experiences that have no equal. We will go down to Gujarat, one of the Indian states that have less tourism. The country where Gandhi was born. The country where there is the oldest dry dock in the world ( 4,000 BC! ). We will discover Palitana, a hill with 800 buildings sacred, each one carved in stone with the age-old devotion of the monks artists. In short, a journey into history aboard our beloved vintage cars. We will be guests of the fabulous mansions of the Maharajah. We will be in contact with people so far away from our traditions but surely hospitable.
Travel companions are all experienced pilots, starting with Professor Giancarlo Puddu and his wife Agneta (rally in the Himalayas, South America, Indo-China). Then there are Paul and Sandra Merryweather (nobody in the world - we think - played more races). John Noble and Jean were our comrades also in a Raid Etna. The Finns Martti and Pirkko Kiikka organized a party in Saigon (Tiger Rally) when Raikkonen on Ferrari won. And we will also find the indefatigable travelers Xavier and Ines del Marmol. We will start January 19th the birthday of my co- driver.
