The History of Coppa Acerbo

The bases of the Coppa Acerbo back in 1923 when they arrived from Rome to Castellammare Adriatico cars that were participating in a regularity race in the context of the "Settimana Abruzzese"; were in fact just these rehearsals on a circuit that would then be passed into history. A route of about 25 Km created out of nothing, almost overnight, Giacomo Acerbo, at the suggestion of Count De Sterlich Aliprandi, conceived as the sporting event named for the brother Tito, hero of the First World War.

Everything started in 1924, at the dawning of the motoring sport, just when the evolution of the sporting motoring had began. The Alfa Romeo had just created the famous P2 and they decided, in the Milan clan, to submit the new car to the test of the straights, of the slopes and of the descents of the new racetrack. It was commited to Campari, at that time "number one" of the pilots in activity, and he found very dreadful adversaries in Bonmartini and Masetti's silver Mercedes. The P2 was compelled to force and the engine subsided, as also Mazzetti's car. The success assisted Enzo Ferrari, the present "magician of Maranello", then become builder of the cars marked by the "rampant horse" which has given lots of laurels to Italy exciting admiration all over the world. Ferrari adopted a very clever contest tactician and had the honour to open the roll of honour of a sporting event that, become classic and traditional, would have seen him again competing in other capacities.

The next two editions had the same aspect, with two actors of the first rank who livened up quick and exciting duels and with the success of the "gooseberry". The greatest protagonists of the II Coppa Acerbo were Brilli-Peri with a Talbot and Materassi with a Itala, called "Italona" since it was provided with an aero-motor. When they were forced to retire, Ginaldi's Alfa lead the way and mantained such position to the finishing post succeeding in connecting also a name from Abruzzi (Ginaldi came from Sulmona) to one of the most important motor-race in Europe. A year later there was a struggle at loggerheads between the usual Materassi and Ajmo Maggi: the first was dismounted for a mechanical trouble in the last lap, the second a short time later felt a victim to a puncture. Therefore it was easy for Spinozzi from Teramo to lead, for the first time, a foreign car - the Bugatti- on to victory without any adversary which could bar the passage.

Since 1927 the period of greatest splendour of the Coppa Acerbo has been started: the support of the industry, the partecipation of the pilots, the goodness of the organization, the improvements to the tracing made the traditional race of the August holiday one of few that was very popular in the world, one of the most advisable and expected for the comparison between the national and foreign forces. It was the period of the egemony of the Alfa Romeo's cars (the P2s - then become P3 - had reached the maximum of rendering) that in six years dominated five times and of Campari who in a six years' time realized a threefold victory, exploit that has remained unique. "Beppone" made a race by himself in 1927 and kept each competitor at a distance till the end, in spite of the brave resistance put up by Materassi, Borzacchini, Brilli-Peri, De Sterlich. The following year the encore of Campari was more opposed. At the start the Bugatti with Nuvolari, Varzi and Brilli-Peri, the Maserati with Fagioli and Marano, the Talbot with Materassi felt into line. Just the last one took up Campari deeply against whom there was nothing to do, except that he had to be satisfied with the best position after having been his shadow for the five first laps to disappear, then, owing to a mechanical trouble and come back in the trail of the outrider by virtue of a spectacular remount.
It occurred a year's break to enable to settle the road system definitively. Therefore the sixth edition was run in 1930 and Varzi with a Maserati awarded it, first success of the mark of the "trident" at Pescara, moreover with a record average due also to the improvements of the road-bed. The race was characterized by a close dispute among Nuvolari, Fagioli and Arcangeli, dispute that at a given moment broke the speed of the cars. Then the threat of Varzi was outlined, the perfect stylist of all the greatest champions, who had put in practice a fairly careful tactict even if with a steady rhythm: his red racing-car pounced like a hawk, at the penultimate lap, upon the most adventurous pilots and the laurel of the triumph was his. In the following year Campari, who, contrary to the usual didn't give battle from the beginning, came again on the scene. He gained the third position in the wake of the couple Nuvolari-Varzi (the first notoriously reckless and rash, the other a cool shrewd fellow). Campari waited for the two rivals to feel the consequences of the too fast rhythm given to their cars, then lead the way and the "three of a kind" was done.

In 1932, at last, the legendary "Nivola", the boldest champion who more attracted the public, crowned the dream of being included in the the roll of honour of the competition that he said he preferred. The very deserving achievement of the "Mantuan flying" was more significant in that just in that year the foreign industry, especially Mercedes and Bugatti, descended numerous to Pescara. The lot of pilots was very substantial and it included besides Nuvolari, Caracciola, Von Brautichsch, Fagioli, Chiron, Taruffi, Broschek, Howe, Borzacchini, Brivio and so on. It was a thrilling race that for hours and hours made the overflowing crowd stand. Caracciola flied at the start marked by Nuvolari. When he attacked to the bottom, he seemed literaly unrestrained and won with the success the new records, and the one of the lap has resisted for a quarter of century. Behind also Fagioli made a spectacle, completing the triumph of the Italian industry.
The ninth edition was equally unforgettable. A great and exciting challenge Nuvolari- Campari for the nine first laps, till namely - prelude of the tragic end that was attending him at Monza - the brave Campari went off the road being unhurt. Since then on Nivola appeared a certain winner of the Coppa Acerbo but at the last lap, a fact surely not new, a stage trick happened: the Mantuan was forced to stop at the pits because of some troubles showed by his Maserati and Fagioli's Alfa, who had mantained a more regular and yet very rapid gait, for a short time had the better, preceding the unlucky Nuvolari, Taruffi and Varzi. Luigi Fagioli, another "sick" with the Racetrack of Pescara, realized the double victory on the occasion of the decennary but with a German car, that is to say a country that predominated since then for five years. The greatest champion from Marche dominated with the new type of Mercedes. The 1934 edition was dramatic: for the first laps Caracciola who was at the wheel of the same car of Fagioli, lead the way, followed by Varzi with Alfa Romeo, Von Stuch with Auto Union and Nuvolari with Maserati. Varzi and Nuvolari (bedises Stuch) were cut off for mechanical troubles from the fight for the first position and only the youngest Algerian ace Moll remained to compete with the seasoned German arrayment. The surprising and wonderful French, availing himself of the stop of the silver racing-cars of Caracciola and Fagioli took the command of the race (after a dizzy pursuit made necessary for the breakage of the brakes) stirring up the enthusiasm of the audience. But, then, he too had to fill up and while he was taking the new run-up he he died: the fatal accident hit him at the seventeenth lap giving rise to a wave of dismay among the public who had just elected him as his own darling. The last Moll's exploit was that one of the speedest lap, in the last and extreme fit of his short youth.

In that year Pescara sounded a real alarm signal for the national industry that, later on, should have undergone the superiority of the most powerful and perfect German cars. They should have taken shelter immediately, while on the contrary they did not show so much diligence (perhaps owing to the international political situation, more and more strained) and the Germans had virtually the go-ahead till the break of their activity because of the war when Alfa Romeo, yet, had already created the new racing-car that, suspended the hostilities, laid down the law in Europe.
The organizers, in order to slacken the pace of Mercedes and Auto Union racing-cars in the swiftest stretches, established three "chicanes" on the Racetrack of Pescara, that , to tell the truth, were advised also by the opportunity to allow some cooling to the tires, therefore to adopt safety measures, given that in Tripoli some serious disadvantages happened. Auto Union included Achille Varzi among his official team and took the right view of things: just the man from Biella was successfull in 1935 at the end of a real gallop at 139 Km per hour.
The House of the eng. Porsche repeated itself in the two following years thanks to Rosemeyer, another young champion who had just made himself so conspicuous, that he deserved to be numbered among the aces of every time. Nuvolari always tried to work a miracle, but he couldn't do more than driving only for some laps. The german knew this and, after having the restless and uneasy Tazio satisfied his whims, continued the race by himself: in 1936 he went at an average of 139.400; the next year at over 141, absolute record, with chicanes, unbeated up to '57. Then it was the turn of Mercedes to prevail again in the Mid-August race, but the running was different from the years before. Maserati arrived with a new engine of 3000 H.P. that was entrusted to Trossi at first and then to Gigi Villoresi, who had just won the race of the cars with a little cubic capacity. Half-way the revelation-pilot went close to the racing-car of Stoccarda at whose wheel there was a consummate champion like Caracciola. The spectacular gear of the young Gigi was interrupted at the more exciting moment by a banal failure in the carburettor and only the satisfaction of the speedest lap remains to him, while Caracciola won easily. Villoresi and the Maserati had given the war-cry or rather the revolt-cry to the Germans, and in fact, at Pescara also the "Alfetta's cars" that were able to eliminate, once tuned, the foreign racing cars, were running. The Alfa 158s, this was the initials of the Alfetta, were at Pescara in 1939, fifteenth edition of the race (the last of the Coppa Acerbo). But their exhibition was more than anything else a test since the war events chased and Germany ritired from the agonistic activity. Biondetti won after Farina had lead long, at an average higher than the one that Caracciola had recorded the previous year: a reliable symptom of the efficiency of the Alfetta's cars, a presage of the return of the red national racing cars in the foreground.

The stop for the war was seven years long during which the people of Pescara, and also the fans of the whole of Italy who used to go to the nicer and nicer and greater and greater town of D'Annunzio to spend the mid-August, felt homesick. They felt as if they lacked an important thing, nearly vital when suddenly, in spite of the wounds, still alive, caused by the war, they decided they would not have prolonged the wait beyond 1946. Therefore the sixteenth edition was run in 1947, with the cancellation of the name "Coppa Acerbo" on account of political opportuneness. The race, necessarily in a minor key in those days and also for the new international arrangement as well as for the inflation of the motor-race. In short Pescara met with lots of difficulties when it wanted to begin again its envied and very famous tradition. In any case they began again, this was essential for those times. The formula was sport and the victory was favourable to Auricchio's Fiat 1100 because Bracco's Delage, after having lead the way nearly till the end, stopped along the racetrack for lack of fuel and Cortese's Ferrari, sacrificed by a twenty minutes stop, could classify only at the honour position.
We could see a beautiful race in 1948, supported by the formula of the international sport. Sommer, who had been convoked urgently by Ferrari to substitute the indomitable Nuvolari who during the tests felt ill, and Villoresi's Maserati fought bravely for many laps. Alberto Ascari, a class driver who was at the beginning of a bright and short carreer ended at Monza's racetrack in a tragic afternoon, had the better. The son of the great Antonio triumphed with a Maserati 2000 that at the starting line was entrusted to Bracco, after his car had done out.
The eighteenth edition lined up at the start line half a century sport cars subdivided in different classes. An unforeseen element was determinative for the verdict: the rain that raged like a deluge on the unlucky competitors and on the spectators who hurriedily took shelter in the houses and under the improvised marquees. Consequently the "open cars" turned out to be handicapped in comparison with the "sedans" and although Biondetti, the man of the "Mille Miglia", did all one can plentifully, Franco Rol who drove a closed Alfa Romeo, could relish the delight of a sensational success, preceding Vallone and Biondetti' s Ferrari who lingered for troubles of ignition.

The desire for the return to the glorious memorable deeda of a never forgotten past, in 1950, lead to the restoration of the greater racing cars, now called of "formula one". The Alfa Romeo's cars, but not the Ferrari's, agreed, therefore the struggle failed and the public was disappointed. There was a struggle at the same home between Fagioli and Fangio, with the French Talbot like pursuers. The pilot from Marche seemed to be doomed to equalize Campari's record but this was prevented in extremis by a trouble to the Fagioli's right fore wheel: Fangio, having seen the threat of the Rosier's blue car, was persuaded to leave his fellow in the lurch and to breast the tape first, after having set up the speedest lap at the average of 145,671 and the highest speed (310,344 per hour).
In the twentieth edition the formula one was kept, but we convinced ourselves that Pescara had been put aside because of the adoption of the world championship which required a great care for the Houses. It happened that only the Ferrari's cars among the most valued ones partecipated and very soon, besides, only the Gonzales' car among the three Maranello's cars was competing, given that Ascari and Villoresi remained dismounted very soon: the Argentine found the right rhythm and his success was never called in question by Chiron and Rosier's Talbot. The previous day had taken place a sport race over a distance of six hours, race that has been won by Bracco with Aurelia at the average of 122 per hour. The success of this "preview" prompted the organizers with the return to the formula Sport and in fact in 1952 have been announced a competition of duration, but prolonged to twelve hours. Bracco and Marzotto with Ferrari triumphed and took the command from the start having an advantage gradually over the couple competitors. On 15th August about sixty cars, aligned herring-bone like Le Mans, started. The preferences were given to the pilots of the "Rampant Horse" and in fact, although Bracco-Marzotto and Villoresi were forced to leave, Maglioli and Hawthorn were not in danger and they received the cheers of the public after a long gallop at the same average previously achieved by Bracco and Marzotto.
In 1954 they polemized quite a lot before deciding as to the formula to be adopted. Formula one or formula sport's racing cars? The situation, at least as regards Pescara, was not flourishing in any of the two fields. The dilemma turned at the end in favour of the supporters of the pure speed. Every effort has been concentrated on the struggle between Maserati and Ferrari, but at the end it failed because Maglioli, whom an experimental "shark" of Maranello has been entrusted to, had to run at his dying mother's bedside. On top of it all Moss (who during the tests had broken the absolute record of the lap setup by Nuvolari) and Manzon, run into collision, were forced to ritire and consequently the lot of competitors was reduced to a mere trifle: Bira, being in the right mood, lead the way and he continued till he had to stop at the pits. Since then the Roman Musso took the lead and he did never miss the chance to attain, with his Maserati, a success, in spite of all, still famous.
In 1955 Le Mans' psycosis influenced also Pescara G.P. and the twenty-fourth edition put off until the following year with the adoption of a kind of race, based upon the formula sport up to 2000 and with subclasses up to 1500. Officially only Maserati with Behra as the main pilot enrolled. But he, after having lead for two third left the stage and there was a very close struggle, uncertain up to the last hundred metres. Three cars - Cortese's Ferrari, Taruffi's Maserati and Manzon's Gordini - passed in few seconds under the stands at the end of the penultimate lap. At Cappelle Cortese was the first, at Montesilvano Taruffi lead the way. When the cars came out of the bend of the variant road, the Roman pilot's Maserati was still the first, followed by Manzon's blue Gordini. The French was more shrewd at the bend, gained some metres and launched into an exceptional sprint in comparison with whom Taruffi could not react. The record in the lower class was appanage of Villoresi, now old and at the end of his carreer, but always alive and kicking.
The starting point to celebrate in a worthy way the silver wedding was given by the renounce of an European country to organize the penultimate test of 1957 world driver championship. Pescara stepped timidly forward but enthusiastically and, by virtue of its past merits, was satisfied. The trust was not betrayed since it gave a proof of its exceptional organizational abilities despite the difficulties of the times. Moss's Vanwall triumphed before Fangio's Maserati who with his second position made sure of the world title. Every record was beated, as a proof of the notable technical improvements, achieved by motoring lately.

After two years of forced interruption (economic reason), he returned to race at the Circuit of Pescara in 1960 for the Twenty-sixth edition of the G.P. Pescara. The choise of the organizers, who tried to relive the glorious splendor before the war, he moved towards a race for Formula Junior, which alone could guarantee an exciting race with a lot of good competitors and machines, in the Italian and European. Of the 63 members, took off in the two batteries in 54. Among them: Bandini, Pirocchi, Grandsire and Bordeu with Fiat-Stanguellini 5 speed; Colin Davis, Scarfiotti and Rigamonti with Osca; Lippi, Farandola and Ada Pace with De Sanctis; Bianco, American Stepherd Barron and the same manufacturer with Taraschi; De Tomaso with his car, Denis Hulme with Cooper BMC. It was the latter, in a thrilling final race of seven laps, totaling 179.053 km, to prevail on Colin Davis who had preceded him for six laps. On laps seven, in fact, Davis did wonders to keep the gapover his rival, but talking a curve too hard caused the irretrievable off the road, promoting the triumphant arrival Hulme.

With the XXVII G.P. Pescara, in 1961, ended in the Adriatic shore, the World Sports Car Chapionship for sports car, which with the victory of the pair Bandini-Scarlatti, went to the Ferrari and was also the act of a good story that began in 1924 with the victory of a little-know Ferrari. Unfortunately, after 1916 in Pescara dissipated a hugeand beautiful capital and image of sport, but the classic race of August will remain in the heart of Pescara in the annals of motorsport history.

Hall of Fame
1924
1925
1926
1927
1928
1930
1931
1932
1933
1934
1935
1936
1937
1938
1939

1947
1948
1949
1950
1951
1952
1953
1954
1956
1957
1960
1961
Enzo Ferrari
Guido Ginaldi
Luigi Spinozzi
Giuseppe Campari
Giuseppe Campari
Achille Varzi
Giuseppe Campari
Tazio Nuvolari
Luigi Fagioli
Luigi Fagioli
Achille Varzi
Bernd Rosemeyer
Bernd Rosemeyer
Rudolf Caracciola
Clemente Biondetti

Vincenzo Auricchio
Alberto Ascari
Franco Roll
J. Manuel Fangio
Froilan Gonzales
Giovanni Bracco - Paolo Marzotto
Mike Hawthorn - Umberto Maglioli
Luigi Musso
Robert Manzon
Stirling Moss
Denis Hulme
Lorenzo Bandini - Giorgio Scarlatti
Alfa Romeo
Alfa Romeo
Bugatti
Alfa Romeo
Alfa Romeo
Maserati
Alfa Romeo
Alfa Romeo
Alfa Romeo
Mercedes-Benz
Auto Union
Auto Union
Auto Union
Mercedes-Benz
Alfa Romeo

Fiat Stanguellini
Maserati
Alfa Romeo
Alfa Romeo
Ferrari
Ferrari
Ferrari
Maserati
Gordini
Vanwall
Cooper BMC
Ferrari