The enthusiasm of the crews taking part in the race was palpable, as the regularity rally bade farewell to the enchanting scenery of the Dolomites, its unspoilt peaks and the rare beauty of its mountain passes.
The 36th Stella Alpina tribute rally was held in the enchanting setting of the Dolomites between June 11th and June 13th 2021. This unique and exciting regularity rally took the crews through some simply stunning scenery and totally unspoilt nature. This year, we all had another long wait before we could fire up the engines of passion again, but Canossa Events and Scuderia Trentina organised the new edition with some truly unmissable highlights. The crews came from all over Italy as well as several countries across Europe, including Germany, the United Kingdom and France, and other non-European countries such as Argentina and Japan, to take up the exciting challenge of these three days behind the wheel and give vent to their passion for driving classic cars. For the 2021 edition, the organisers planned a route crossing 10 spectacular mountain passes and driving past 6 picturesque Alpine lakes. A unique sequence of unforgettable scenery, moments spent relaxing, and superb hospitality, with the majestic beauty of the Dolomites providing the backdrop for it all.
65 time trials and 6 average speed trials, 12 time checks, and a total of 457 kilometres of roads through the mountains.
Stella Alpina 2021: The podium
The 2021 edition of the Stella Alpina proved to be an emotional crescendo for the crews, as they challenged one another to win the many regularity and average speed trials planned along the route through the Dolomites. Three intense days of driving, where the classic and modern cars vied for the top spots in the rankings. On the podium for the classic cars, the first prize overall and the Azimut trophy went to crew n° 10, Michele Lafortezza and Ilaria Carturan, in their 1969 Innocenti Mini Cooper MK2. Second place went to crew n° 12, Mauro Argenti and Roberta Amorosa, in a 1969 Porsche 911 T 2.2, and crew n° 11, Giovanni Pedrali and Simona Bonomelli, came third in a 1956 Austin Healey BN4L 100SIX.
First place in the rankings for the modern Ferraris went to crew n° 6, Fabio Vergamini and Anna Maria Fabrizi, in a 2017 Ferrari 488 GTB. Crew n° 7, Lucilla Sartori and Monica Meneguzzo, won second place and also took home the Ladies’ Cup in a 2016 Ferrari GTC4 Lusso. Finally, third place went to crew n°1, Enrico Zobele and Ivana Trentinaglia, in a 2020 Ferrari 488 Pista Spider, who also came 1st overall in the Modern Cars – Average Speed Trials. Finally, 1st place Overall for the Classic Cars – Average Speed Trials was awarded to crew n° 30, Peter and Marianne Aeschbacher, in a 1964 Porsche 356 C GT.
AMAMS Tazio Nuvolari came top in the team rankings, competing with numerous crews.
The awards: caring for the environment
This year, the Stella Alpina decided to give the winners a very unique and special prize. The cups were actually made using wood sourced from trees damaged by Storm Vaia in 2018, when 30 million trees were blown down. A small gesture of solidarity, but one with great symbolic meaning and with the ultimate intention of helping to safeguard our beautiful territory.
The route
On Friday 11th June, a warm sun welcomed the Stella Alpina 2021 crews to Trento, ahead of the regularity race in their beautiful classic cars.
It was the start of three days of exciting driving amidst the beautiful Alpine scenery in the Dolomites with their breathtaking views, heart-stopping bends, regularity and average speed trials, but also setting enough time aside to relax and enjoy a gourmet experience. After accreditation and scrutineering at Trento’s G. Caproni Airport, the competing cars took up their positions and set off officially from Via Manci, in Trento’s old town centre, for the first day of driving. The route took the lovely road from Trento to Andalo, taking the crews through Mezzolombardo and its picturesque vineyards, and scenic Belfort Castle. The lush green valleys provided the backdrop for an itinerary specially designed for these gems on four wheels. After a quick stop at Andalo, the cars headed off towards Molveno, driving alongside the lake and its lush green waters. The next stop was Madonna di Campiglio, home to the crews for the entire event and marking the end of the first leg.
The event’s second day set off from Piazza Sissi in Madonna di Campiglio on Saturday 12th June. The crews were ready for the second leg on the driving itinerary and headed off towards Val di Non and charming Val di Sole. The splendid mountains of the Adamello Brenta Nature Park accompanied the crews competing in the rally, providing marvellous views across the surrounding scenery. After a short stop at Rumo, they continued to San Pancrazio and Merano. From here, the participants veered off towards Val Passiria, a truly lovely valley with its lush green fields, and then the route took them up to Passo del Giovo. Along the way, the convoy of classic and modern cars also drove past the clear, cool waters of Lake Alborello. But first the crews stopped for lunch at the Naturhotel Rainer at Racines, in Val Giovo in South Tyrol, a unique place offering natural gourmet cuisine, peace and quiet, as well as a sustainable approach. After passing through the charming old town of Vipiteno, the cars drove up to Passo Pennes at an altitude of 2,100 metres above sea level to admire the views of snow-covered peaks and the picture-postcard landscape. The route then dropped down into Pennes town centre before reaching Bolzano and a short coffee-break at Appiano. The cars set off again towards Passo della Mendola, at an altitude of 1363 metres, and countless hairpin bends, bringing them closer and closer to the clear sky above the mountain tops. Then they drove into Malè town centre for a quick break before setting off back to Madonna di Campiglio and the end of the second day of the rally. The crews were served al fresco cocktails on the terrace and then were treated to a high-altitude dinner at 2085m above sea level at enchanting Rifugio Boch, which blends in effortlessly into its timeless surroundings, a place where unspoilt nature is able to convey a sense of true majesty.
The third leg of the Stella Alpina took place on Sunday 13th June. The feeling of anticipation on the last day of the rally was almost palpable as the crews set off from Piazza Sissi in Madonna di Campiglio. The cars left Val Rendena and headed towards Pinzolo and Passo Daone, at an altitude of 1291 metres, before crossing Passo Duron ahead of a short coffee-break at Fiavè. The convoy of classic and modern cars continued through Val Lomasona, Sarche, and past the blue waters of Lake Toblino. The route climbed up again for the crews to admire Lake Cavedine and reach Arco, where they stopped for a short break before lunch. The crews enjoyed their last lunch and the awards ceremony in the beautiful grounds of Trento Science Museum (MUSE) designed by famous architect Renzo Piano, in Trentino’s main city.
Comments about the Stella Alpina 2021
Crew n° 32, Bruno Ricci and Gustavo Gallo from Argentina, had this to say about the rally: “They were 3 great days, but the last day’s driving was the most exciting of all; the hospitality and the welcome were excellent, 10 out of 10”. They hope there will be even more driving in convoy during the next edition so they can enjoy the experience on the road with their fellow drivers. Crew n° 19, Tsuguo Shintani and Sumiko Kokonno from Japan, said that the hospitality was very much appreciated and that the attention to detail was an important element of the rally. Crew n° 21, Peter and Gillian Regis, commented that everything went very well and that they particularly enjoyed the race and the friendly atmosphere.
The patron of the event, Fiorenzo Dalmeri, had the following to say: “It really was a well-organised event; the weather was certainly our ally, but it was the choice of route that helped us most. The route on all three days was very beautiful; the scenery was incredible and fascinating, and there were even some places with a covering of snow. I am convinced, and the comments received from the participants come by way of confirmation, that the 2021 edition was one of the best in recent years, not only in terms of the route, but also as regards the organisation, quality, environments and the places visited. My utter and sincere thanks to all those who worked with both the Scuderia Trentina team and the Canossa Events team. We look forward to working with them again, with the same professional approach and high standards needed to ensure that our customers will continue to be satisfied with everything we are doing”.
Scuderia Trentina and Canossa Events would like to thank the sponsors of the 36th tribute rally. Special thanks to main sponsor Azimut and top sponsor Ferrari Spumanti. The organisation would also like to express its gratitude to Autoindustriale Mercedes, gLOVEme and Zuccari.
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