HISTORY

 

The ACI in Bologna, which used to organise the Bologna-Raticosa rally event, consequently had bureaucratic problems for some time and suspended the whole event accordingly. As a result, ACI tried to find another competition that could fill this gap.

The street segment which goes from the Arco del Meloncello to the Basilica di San Luca was chosen. It is a very short section of road which requires technical skills, located in the historical centre of Bologna. A route along the historical 300 years old Dotti arcades, which were built to protect the pilgrims from sun and rain going to the Basilica.

The competition took place in 1956, 1957 and 1958, only for three years, during which famous pilots competed against another. Giulio Cabianca won in 1956 with his OSCA 1500 Sport vehicle, Edoardo Lualdi with his Ferrari 250 GT the following year and Odoardo Govoni with his Maserati 2000 sport in 1958.

The competition immediately entered the hearts of the citizens of Bologna. It was on this occasion that one could watch a car race from the Dotti arcades: a huge sensation for spectators as well as the pilot.