[FIA GT] FIA to bring back targa florio

[slicktsax]

i just read at www.italiaspeed.com that the FIA will recommsiion the Targa Florio in 2006 and that micheal schummacer will race a ferrari in it

[Slippy Diff]

Bound to be a sanitised version of the original. Will not be quite the same without Timo Makinen in Big Healey

[cybersdorf]

So I assume it is already in his contract that he'll win that, too. But isn't this way too dangerous for him? He could get hurt.

[Adam43]

I guess it is always worth it for a dig at Michael for wanting to do something else and perhaps enjoying himself.

Back to what sounds an intriguing event. I would imagine that the revival will take the form of an historic trial (only guessing) along the lines of the current Mille Miglia and hence be fairly uncompetitive. There should be some interesting and great cars in it from yesteryear.

Mika Hakkinen may also do it. In fact he entered the Mille Miglia this year too.

[Andrew Gunnell]

Sounds intresting, especially if both Michael Schummacher and Mika Hakkinen are going to be competting. I will look forward to seeing what will happen and if and when it will be run.

[slicktsax]

well i actually misprinted it, i should have said rumor has it micheal will drive and i hope that rumor is true. i would like to see him behind trhe wheel of a 575 GTC or at least a 360 GTC

[jhansen]

Can someone explain the format of the original Targa Florio. Thanks.

[Edmonton]

What kind of cars? FIA GT?

[FIRE]

Would be great to see GT1/GT2 cars racing.

[BSchneiderFan]

And what sort of event is the revived Targa likely to be? More questions than answers at the moment, it seems.

[Adam43]

My guess would be that it'll be an historic event. It is difficult to tell from the press release.

[Slippy Diff]

13 laps over a 44.64 mile circuit for a total of 580.32 miles. The teams of drivers were expected to negotiate approximately 10,000 curves and almost 10 hours of driving combined.
As for what you could drive in the race, allsorts depending on the year, everything up to sportscars.
If any of the F1 pansies are entered in this event, it will be a tour/regularity.

[BSchneiderFan]

Hope Vic Elford takes part.

[MulsanneMike]

Call me a skeptic, but I'll believe it when I see it...

[Javi]

If it happens, it will be a historic race. Last Targa was 1974 or 1975, i think, and it was taken out of calendar because it was impossible to safely control the cars adn the spectators. It was not a proper car to car race, because it was based solely on times, but overtaking took its importance due to small roads.
Impossible by any means with modern cars, in my modest opinion (but it will be great...)

[Rob29]

Last Targa counting for World Sports Car Championship was in 1973,it continued as Italian national event until 1977. Since then Historic retro events have been held,and I think European RALLY rounds called the Targa.I am wondering if a rally is what the FIA have in mind.Another possibility is a new Autodrome that was once planned for the Palermo area?

[JustinDawkins]

Surely it will be historics? I would imgine it would be too dnagerous for modern stuff. That said Tarmac Rallys are no less dangerous.

[Rob29]

Looks like historics.Just managed to access the 'Italiaspeed'link,which mentions Nick Mason is interested in taking part.

[Slippy Diff]

Originally posted by JustinDawkins
Surely it will be historics? I would imgine it would be too dnagerous for modern stuff. That said Tarmac Rallys are no less dangerous.

I cannot see the distinction between not dangerous for historics, yet dangerous for moderns?? As you say, something like the Rally Corsica is pretty hairy as it has some huge drops.
The Targa Florio was not a rally or a race, it was essentially a time trial.

[Hugewally]

Originally posted by Slippy Diff
I cannot see the distinction between not dangerous for historics, yet dangerous for moderns?? As you say, something like the Rally Corsica is pretty hairy as it has some huge drops.
The Targa Florio was not a rally or a race, it was essentially a time trial.

I'm sure this will be more of a staged rally type historics event. Real balls-out racing, no can't see it.

[Slippy Diff]

Originally posted by Hugewally
I'm sure this will be more of a staged rally type historics event. Real balls-out racing, no can't see it.

That is pretty much what I originally said. The Mille Miglia retrospective event is just a rich kids event now, better not to revive the Targa Florio if you ask me and I will just put on a video of the event from the 60's every now and then.

[Rob29]

Originally posted by Slippy Diff

The Targa Florio was not a rally or a race, it was essentially a time trial.

There was never such a thing as a 'time trial' in international motor sport.Events like the Targa Florio,Mille Miglia,Giro di Sicilia,Carrera Panaamerica were certainly called races at the time.Cars were started one at a time because there was not room on the circuit for a grid! All races were started that way before WW1 ,the first mass start GP being Strasburg 1922.
Nearest in modern times was an event I went to in Douglas IOM in 1997,which was called a 'pursuit sprint'possibly because if they had called it a race it would have to comply with modern safety rules.It certainly looked like a race to me, more overtaking than F1,but I was able to lean over a stone wall inches from the cars!

[Hugewally]

Originally posted by Rob29
[B]more overtaking than F1...

Mmmm, that's not saying much now is it???

[FIRE]

Any news or was this rumour to good to be true?

[cybersdorf]

That rumour was b*ll*cks, and the 89th edition of the Targa Florio is underway this weekend - as a rally.