Autosportfoto

Italian car day

Over the last 28 years, the Italian Car Day at Brooklands (run by Ginger Beer Promotions) has become established as the UK's premier event for owners and admirers of Italian cars.

The great thing about the Italian Car Day is that you never know exactly what you will see, but it is always spectacular - and there are inevitably some intriguing surprises. Rarely do you find such obscure and exotic Italian machinery, even at the most exclusive (and expensive) static events. Yet at Brooklands, the most fantastic cars are not only running, but running at speed - up the test hill and, often, on the adjacent Mercedes-Benz World test track. And visitors can get closer to the action than at almost any event, anywhere in the world.

Here are just two (very different) treats of the many promised for Saturday 3rd May this year...

First, visitors will see and hear an Isotta-Fraschini-engined monster in action, powered by a staggering 27-litre Isotta Fraschini V12 engine from a Caproni - an Italian heavy bomber. The aero-engined leviathan, widely known as ‘il drago ruggente' (the roaring dragon), is built on a 1924 Delage chassis and, thanks to owner Glenn Billqvist, will be making the journey from Sweden for the Brooklands Italian Car Day. For a preview of the sight and sound (and smoke!), click onto http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OLmqpTs4afg

Secondly, and a world away from ‘il drago', Brooklands will also be welcoming the Ferrari 212 F1 raced by Dorino Serafini at the 1951 Syracuse Grand Prix in Sicily (it finished in second place). The car was of enormous interest at the time because of its 2500cc V12 engine and De Dion rear end, demonstrating just how advanced - and varied - were Enzo's Grand Prix plans.

Among the countless other attractions are the car clubs and registers that have their own dedicated display areas: expect to see everything from Ferrari supercars to quirky little Fiats, plus Alfas, Maseratis, Lamborghinis and a vast range of more obscure marques, from Abarth, Bizzarrini and De Tomaso, to Innocenti, Moretti and Siata.

Meanwhile, visitors arriving in any Italian car, be it a Fiat or a Ferrari, will be able to park in the areas dedicated to the relevant marque, and thus become part of the show.

Finally, of course, there's the historically fascinating Brooklands Museum itself. For so many reasons, it's a day not to be missed.